May 14, 2026 • 45 mins
Mark is joined by Josh Yohe to talk about the Penguins and their aging players. Ben DiNucci ex of Pitt joins to talk about his experience under Mike McCarthy. Ask Mark Anything!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tuck Malkin joining us now is Josh Shoey from the Athletic.
Josh had an excellent piece at the Athletic. It's not
just Gino that's old. It's a third of the roster,
all the big names.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Mark, Yeah, it certainly is, and I think it's such
a problem for the Penguins moving forward. And you heard
what Kyle Dubis had to say at his press conference
the other day. He's always talking about wanting to get young,
as he should be when you look at the roster.
To me, it simply doesn't make sense to bring back
all of those guys at their respective ages when they're
(00:33):
all still very effective to varying levels obviously, But you know, Mark,
it's been eight years since this corps has won a
playoff series, and if the goal is to be a
championship contender, to win in the playoffs again, then I
think it's obvious that he has to make some moves.
Even though they did have a very good regular season,
which can't be denied.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
It reads and sounds like you don't think Gino's coming back.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I've never thought he was coming back, To be honest
with you, it wouldn't shock me if he does, but
I do think if he does, it's an indication that
Kyle Dubis caves a little bit from his initial plan.
I believe that, which I.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Think he did last summer when he didn't trade Rust
and Raquel, so.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
There is precedent that's probably accurate. I would not disagree
with that at all, but I don't And listen, I
don't think Kyle has any disrespect towards Gino or anything
like that. I just think when Kyle Dubas took this
job three years ago, he wasn't planning on ever winning
a Stanley Cup with this corps. He took this job
(01:36):
I think largely because it appealed to his idea of
building a team in his own vision, and he hasn't
had a chance to do that yet, and he has
something of an opportunity here in the next year or
so to do that. And if he keep bringing back
the old guys over and over again, whether they had
good seasons or not, I just don't think it makes
a lot of sense in the big picture.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
If Gino doesn't return, if they let him walk, that's god.
I mean, that is paired to deal with any consequences
head on.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I boy, he made some interesting comments at his
press conference the other day, didnety.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Mark, which a lot of people just didn't hear.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, I mean because I know he came out initially
and said, yeah, we'd love to have Geno back, and
everybody who wants Geno back, that's all they wanted to hear, right,
And I get that, But then when you hear everything
else he said, like he mentioned his suspension twice in
the first two minutes of his of his opening address,
and then he made it pretty clear that he doesn't
think Malkin's capable of playing, you know, an eighty two
or eighty four game season moving forward the way Crosby
(02:35):
and Latangar, which was a pretty interesting statement as well.
So I think everybody felt a little confused after he talked,
because he came out and said initially, yeah, I'd love
to have him back, But everything else he said indicated
that that might not really be the case.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Is Gino asking for two years? I'm kind of hearing that,
how about you.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I know that rumor is out there, and I'm not
suggesting that it's not true. I haven't heard that, and
on the surface, it would surprise me a little bit,
just and I'm basing not only on what Malkin has
said all season, Like anytime the you know, the subject
of his contract comes up, he comes across as just
desperate to play for another season. Like it's almost like
(03:18):
if this that Gena will give you a year for
a couple of million. He said, Yeah, I'd take it that.
That's how he comes across. But maybe he is asking
for two years.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I don't know. I don't think he's gonna get that. Mark.
I would be shocked if Kyle Dubis gave him a
two year deal.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
No, and if Gino is asking for two years, I
think that's an easy out for Dubis.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
No, of course it is.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
No, I completely agree with that it is And I
know you've said this on your show before. How can
you give him more years at this station than Sidney
Crosby is under contract?
Speaker 4 (03:45):
You can't have longer term, that's right, No longer term,
that's no way.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
It just it just doesn't make sense. It really doesn't.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
That Gino's older, and even though he did have a
good season, there's clear regression in his game, far more
than we've seen from Crosby. I don't think anybody could
deny that we're.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Talking to Joshua of the Athletic here on the Mark
Madden Show. Wasn't this a last gasp? This season? A
last gas for the old Guard? And did that Flyer
series prove that?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yes? I think it did, and I found it fascinating.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
The Dubas brought up the word nostalgia. It is I've
never heard a GM bring up that word at a
press conference before, and I get where he's coming from,
and he's right. But to me, the nostalgia and the
nice little ending, what was seeing those guys talking about Crosby.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Latang and Malkam playing together.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Just seeing them reach the playoffs again like that was
an astonishing achievement given what the expectations were before the season,
given the Ragers.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It really was. I'm not making light of it.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
I think to see them in the playoffs again was
basically their happy ending as a trio.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
At least that was how I looked at it.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I don't know how anybody could watch that postseason and think, yeah,
year from now, like these guys are going to be
even better in the playoffs. Like No, I mean the
older you get, the harder it gets. So I that's
certainly how I've looked.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
At it, is that locker room too old and comfortable,
just happy to come to work with the old gang.
At the beginning of the year, it had that kid energy.
But then they started eight too and two and the
kids got sent to Wilkes.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I don't know if it's too old. I know what
you're saying.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Like I also know that the guys were talking about
led by sid or, you know, the ultimate professionals, the
ultimate competitors that never heard of locker room. But I
do think the young guys are going to need more
of a voice in the locker room, more of a presence.
And I think that's I know, analytics people just laugh
at well, no.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
We saw some of that at the beginning of the year,
and then, like I said, it got sent to.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Wilkes And it's a real thing.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And as long as Crosby and Malkin and Latang and
Carlson like, these guys are not just future Hall of
famers like in some ways they're larger than life personalities.
Ben Kittle's never going to have a voice in that room.
Rucker mcgorty's never going to have a voice in that room.
You can go to on the list of younger players.
Eventually it has to become the younger guy's locker room
to some extent and their team, and the longer you
(06:05):
put that off, to.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Me, is a mistake.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
At this point, Duba's point out that nobody is being
blocked by Gino, and that's true, but you can't draft
those guys who could you know, push Gino, who could
take his spot if you keep finishing in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
No, he's right, and I mean I couldn't agree with
that more. And it's not a knock on Gino. He
did have a good season. But here's the thing. Everyone says, well, oh,
he's doing a point per game guy, and I will
counter that by saying, yeah, he played in what fifty
seven games or whatever it was, he scored nineteen goals.
You can go find somebody who scored nineteen goals on
the open market and they might need eighty two games
(06:43):
to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But that's the biggest.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Problem with Gino only three times in the last fourteen
seasons because he played seventy five games I think seventy.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Games or more.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
He always misses an average of fifteen games a season,
and it's in an eighty four game schedule. Next season,
and Duba's already came out and said, I basically, I
don't think his body can handle the wearing pair of
an entire season. So no, it's great that it's point
per game, but it's a point per game only playing
you know, seventy percent of the games.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
That counts for something. That's an issue.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
What other moves might Dubis make if Gino isn't back,
Could that just be one of many? Because if he's
not going to make moves now, then win. I I'm
not saying trade all the old guys, but I'm saying
you can't bring all the old guys back, in fact, anybody,
I don't know. I don't want to tear it down
to the studs, you know what I mean. I don't
want a happy medium, but they got to do more
(07:35):
than I think that people want.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, in terms of the older guys. If I'm Dubis,
I'm obviously keeping Crosby. I would not trade Eric Carlson
this summer. If you want to deal him that, you
can always do that at the deadline and where he
might have.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
The most value. If he continues to play like he
did this.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Year, he really may and that'll be the last year
of his deal, and you know the salor recaps going up,
he's much easier to trade than you could probably get
a lot for him. If there's the outside chance you
might be really good next year, then you'd like to
keep him, But if you're not, you can always trade
him at the deadline. I'd keep Crosby and Carlson for sure.
I keep going back to Rackell and Rust and two
(08:16):
guys who I have a lot of respect for as
players and as people. I don't know that it makes
sense to bring both of them back. I don't know
that it makes sense for both the Sids wingers next
year to be in their mid thirties, and I think
you can get an awful lot in return for either
one of those guys. I'm not saying trade both of them. Boy,
it's just silly to bring everybody back. In my opinion,
(08:38):
if you could get a legitimate, good prospect for one
of those guys first or first round pick, or a
couple of picks something like that, I think it's something
Dubius has to consider. As good as they are, they
weren't that great in the playoffs, and that they both
looked to me a little bit of a step slow
in the playoffs, which is something I've ever said about
either one of them before.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I just think it's something to keep in mind.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I think people overrate the return that they would get
in trade for guys like that, even even Sid, if
you want to go. You know, a fantasy scenario for
every Canadian hockey media guy there is like, if you
traded Sid to Montreal, they would give you a demo
offer Slavkovski the most. You would get his picks and prospects.
Any of these guys you're trading, you're getting picks and prospects.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
No, that's right, and picks and prospects are fine, but
they're years away from helping you. That's that's certainly a problem,
and it's been an issue for Dubis. I can tell
you for a fact. Remember the trade deadline, not this
past season, but the one before. Everybody thought Raquel was
going to be traded. And I've had numerous people tell
me in the Penguins organization, the return that people were
(09:42):
offering for Ricardo Raquel was not nearly as much as
you might think. And that's why Dubas didn't trade him.
It's not that he was against trading him. He just
thought it was pointless because it's not like people were
throwing first round.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Picks at him. And so, yeah, the people.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Like to create trade scenarios in their heads, but the
return typically not as much as he might think.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
What will Sid say if Gino doesn't return because he's
due for an extension.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
He won't be happy, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
And also when he was asked about the possibility of
an extension a couple of weeks back after the season ended,
he said something that he's never said before. He said that,
you know, at this stage of his career, it's basically
a year to year thing for him. I've never heard
him say that before. And I'm not suggesting he's going
to retire after next season. I don't think he will.
(10:31):
But if he does sign another extension, I bet it's
only for one year, just based on what he said.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
No, that's okay, Josh.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
But if he doesn't sign an extension, they got to
trade him at the deadline.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
They can't let him walk.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
And if he doesn't sign an extension, it will be
a topic, the big topic everywhere in hockey from July
second on every single day.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
We will be beat over the head with it.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Him too, and he knows that, and that's one of
the reasons he did finally sign an extension in September
a couple of years back, and I think that will
be the case. He won't say anything inflammatory about Dubas
or the Penguins, but I do wonder just how the
locker room will respond in general. I know that's something
you've talked about. We saw it after the Gentzel trade.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I saw it even before the Gentzil trade.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, no, we did, because everybody kind of knew that
Gonzel was going to get traded.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
And when he did, what they do go one and seven.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
On either side of the trade. They went one six
and one one wins, seven losses.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I mean, yeah, I think something like that could happen again.
Who knows, but it would not shock me, and it's
something to keep in mind. But at the same time,
if I'm Dubis, I still don't worry about it that much.
He still has to do what's best for the Penguins
and for the future, So even if that hurts you
to some extent next season, I think he has to
be true to his plan, and only he knows what
(11:48):
it is. But I would not let a little bit
of success last regular season greatly influence that plan, I'll
put it that way.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
No, his job is to build a champion, and he's
three years deep into a seven your deal. He's got
to get get closer faster. As I said him, a
call him, Josh. If the Penguins wanted Gino back, like
Dubas said, would love to have him back, which he
has to say, and I get that, But if they
really would love to have him back, wouldn't he be
re signed already?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Do or is solely off is?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I mean, they could have signed him as early as
July first last year, and it's been what ten months
since then?
Speaker 3 (12:24):
They couldn't.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
They could have signed him when he was whining a
couple months back and they got suspended.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
And to my knowledge, they haven't even offered him a contract.
That's because he doesn't want to. I really believe that,
and Tea a cave. It might be a situation mark
where you know, Dubas does have guys he wants to
bring in this summer, and Gino would be a nice
backup plan if he can't get the guys that he wants.
But obviously he can't sign Geno now if that's the case.
But no, if they really wanted Gino back that urgently,
(12:52):
as I've been saying for a long time now, he
would have a contract by now because the money's not
that much of an issue. The term might be if
Gino does want to years, but they got forty three
million in cap space and they're not going to use
close to that this summer.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Money is not an issue.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's quite a juggling act for Dubis to take on,
isn't it. I give the guy a lot of credit.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Oh yeah, I mean, I know Kyle makes a lot
of money. He's making the big bucks, so that's nice.
But I don't envy him. I really don't. He's trying
to build a winner. He inherited a team with literally
no prospects and no draft picks, so he knew it
would take time. And he's got the fan base breathing
down his neck, and that's something he's aware of.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
And now I'm not saying that influences his decisions. He's
on social.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Media a lot, he's aware of what the fan base
is saying, and so much of the fan base just
wants you know, Sid and Gino and Chris have played
together forever, regardless of.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
But they still want to win.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
They want to have their cake and eat it too,
like Sid honestly does too.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Of course he does.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
No, I mean, listen, there's a reason great players don't
make great general managers very often.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
No.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Of course Sid wants that he wants to play with
his guys forever, and he wants to find a way
to win a championship with them in the end. And
that's great, but it's just not gonna happen, not with
all of them. It's not reasonable to think that if
you watch Colorado or Carolina play for five minutes during
this postseason, you really see how far away the Penguins
are for being a contender.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Josh, great stuff. We'll do it again next week. Enjoy
the playoffs, which we'll talk about those. There was too
much Gino today. You got it, Mark, that's Josh away
from the athletic up next. Wait, hear what Dan Patrick
has to say about the Steeler situation with Aaron Rodgers.
It's a lot like everybody outside Pittsburgh is saying about
(14:41):
the Steeler situation with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Here's great news. I didn't even know about this. How
could I not know?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Being released Tuesday on Netflix, a new documentary Liverpool the
Istanbul Miracle from three nil nine in the Champs Final,
win four three and penalties.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Can't wait to see that.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Dan Patrick talks about Rogers next to one O five
to nine. He is Mark Madden, just one of a
two chip straft bring the duct tape type of affairs.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
What you're gonna make us play a whimper game?
Speaker 6 (15:10):
It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
It's not fair.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
The ex at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
The Aaron Rodgers situation just won't go away. I wish
he would. I heard on the radio earlier today he
was in town this coming weekend for a.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Cornhole tournament or pick a ball something.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Dan Patrick thinks the Steelers need to cut ties with Rogers.
Speaker 8 (15:37):
I've come to the conclusion, if I'm the Steelers, I
have to walk away from Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Now.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
I'm looking at a business perspective here, because.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
What are we gonna win.
Speaker 8 (15:49):
We're not the best team in our own division, maybe
not the second best team in our own division. And
are we gonna be back here next year at nine
to eight and kicking the can down the road. As
much as I want to see Rogers play again, if
I'm Pittsburgh. I think I have to just come to
the conclusion, why don't we try a different approach here?
Speaker 1 (16:11):
One disclaimer, the Steelers did win the AFC North last year,
but I agree with Dan that Baltimore and Cincinnati this
coming year are probably better. So what Dan said is
one hundred percent right. They need to move on from
Rogers because the guy you're waiting for isn't a top
ten quarterback or even top twenty. And he's forty two.
(16:34):
And there is zero point to using a forty two
year old as a bummy old stop gap when you
can't possibly win enough. What do you, Marx think the
ceiling is with Rogers? I'll hang up and listen. And
what's crazy is I think the Steelers think they could
win a Super Bowl or at least be in the mix.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
This is great.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
There's a report or the college Football Playoff might expand
to twenty four teams, which would be crazy. Paul Feinbaum
of ESPN agrees with me.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Twenty four is the worst possibility I think in the
history of this game. Why greenee because it is going
to devalue the loot and perhaps destroy the greatest football
season of them all, And that's the regular season in
college football, the big games at the end of the
season are going to be meaningless. This is not the
NFL where you try to position for a wild card
or a home field. They're just simply are good. Aren't
(17:35):
enough good teams?
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I saw that segment on ESPN and Greenee noted that
you could see Ohio State Michigan rest players for that game,
maybe the game in college football you sit guys out
because it would be meaningless, and they want guys healthy
for the playoffs. And it's all for money and no
(17:58):
other good reason, just like the expansion of March Madness.
And we all know that, we know it's just for money,
but I wish they'd say that instead of blowing smoke
up our backsides. Defenseman Matthew Schneider of the New York
Islanders won NHL Rookie of the Year and was the
(18:19):
obvious pick. Here's Hall of Famer Scott Niedermeyer. Hey, Niedermeyer,
he's on the NHL Network talking about Schaefer.
Speaker 7 (18:28):
Yeah, I mean it was, it was amazing.
Speaker 9 (18:30):
I mean, you know, the game has definitely changed a lot,
and just to watch the confidence that he hit the
ice and you know up in the play, wanting the puck,
demanding it, and just obviously a very talented, skilled hockey player.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
So it was a lot of fun to watch.
Speaker 9 (18:45):
Being out on the West Coast, I probably didn't see
him as much as other people, but definitely saw a
lot of his highlights.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
And you see him.
Speaker 9 (18:52):
Out on three and three overtime and his skating and
scale with a puck is impressive to watch for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Schaefer is incredible, and he came along at just the
right time when all the defensemen, well, the top four anyway,
on every team, all the defensemen are expected to attack,
at least to some degree. Look at the defenseman now,
who are considered to be the best, Quinn Use, Cale mccarr,
(19:19):
Zach Lorensky, Wayne Hudson. There's no such thing as a
defensive defenseman anymore, not really. And there's definitely no such
thing as a shutdown pair anymore. Remember when Hal Gil
and Rob Skaderi were the shutdown pair for the Penguins
on the OH nine Cup winners, Neither one could get
(19:40):
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DX at one O five nine, what's the quarterback Talk?
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Just like always, we welcome out of the program from Pine,
Richland Pitt and the Dallas Cowboys. He is former NFL
quarter back Ben Denucci. Ben, thanks for taking the time.
A video got posted of Drew Aller doing a footwork
drill at Steelers rookie camp and immediately got criticized, but
you pointed out on X that he's doing it right.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Talk about that.
Speaker 12 (22:16):
Yeah, So that was that was funny.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
That was me a couple of years ago. I put
myself inside those shoes of what Drew were doing during
rookie Minni Caamp McCarthy. Mike McCarty calls that quarterback school,
and whether it's Drew Laer, Will Howard, or Aaron Rodgers,
whenever he decides to show up, they're all gonna watch
the same videos that Aaron Rodgers doing footwork back in
his day. They're gonna go out onto the field, They're
gonna go kind of step by step building a good foundation.
(22:40):
And I think it's kind of a lost art, you know,
coaches putting time in developing guys techniques.
Speaker 12 (22:47):
I mean college and pro. The game is so different nowadays.
Speaker 5 (22:50):
So for Drew, I think that's a big, a big
positive reinforcement for him making this, you know, the jump
from college to the NFL. Knowing that, hey, Mike McCarthy,
my coach now is making a huge investment in me,
saying hey, let's let's try to rebuild this thing and
build a good foundation so that we hit the ground
run in during during training camp, preseason, during the season.
We've got a good foundation set of what we're trying
to accomplish.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
As you could guess, Ben, I've never done a footwork drill.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Bit uh am I right in saying that not everything
is meant to simulate a game, that it's about rhythm
and building toward that.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
That's exactly right. Yeah, And I think part of the
reason that that clip got criticized so much is because
it looked like it was in zero point five speed. Right.
The feet were slow, they were kind of you know,
choppy moving around.
Speaker 12 (23:33):
Moving around the cones.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
But if you guys were in the meeting rooms an
hour or two hours before that, whenever they were going
over the drills that were going they were gonna be
doing on the field, and Mike McCarthy showed that to
drill Lar that was That's exactly how that drill was
supposed to look. And I'm sure he.
Speaker 12 (23:46):
Honestly probably said, hey, flow it down a little bit
even more.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
This is your first time doing it right.
Speaker 12 (23:50):
You want to feel feel to flow.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
In your drop, a rhythm in your in your steps,
and so, uh yeah, that's where guys like.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
Me can come in and offer some insight and say, hey.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
This is me five years ago. It's supposed to look
like this. Everybody take a take a deep breath. It's
it's the beginning of May. You can't win a super.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Bowl right now.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Do you have an initial take on Drew aller Ben.
I'm not sure how much you've seen of him.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Yeah, I mean, look, he was he was an early
round draft pick. And the word with quarterbacks that people
love to throw around all the time is this potential word. Right,
So the Steelers' front office and that.
Speaker 12 (24:21):
Coaching staff obviously saw something in him.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
He was hurt in that second half of last year,
but I think the physical traits are there, right, big,
big stature of big arm kind of reminds me of
of Ben Roethlisberger a little bit, just in terms of
the build A guy got to watch, you know, growing
up being from being from Pittsburgh. But look, I don't care.
Speaker 12 (24:39):
If you're the first overall pick in Fernanda Mendoza or me.
I was the middle of.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
A seventh round pick.
Speaker 12 (24:44):
There's gonna be a serious learning curve coming from from
college and the way the.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
Game is played nowadays to the NFL. Protections are different
schemes different. The speed of the game is totally different.
So I think it's good for Drew to get as
much hands on work as he can with with Mike McCarthy.
Before you know, stuff OTAs and stuff starts moving a
lot faster when there's vets in the building and stuff
of that sort.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You touched on this a moment ago, man, but you
played for McCarthy in Dallas. Talk about how he works
with quarterbacks and be as specific as possible, because I
find his reputation with quarterbacks as a teacher to be
just fascinating.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Yeah, I think the track record speaks for itself. Like,
look who he's been around, right, I mean, Aaron Rodgers,
Brett Farr, Dak Prescott. The list kind of goes goes
on and on and everywhere he's been the quarterback and
the offense has found a way to produce.
Speaker 12 (25:37):
And be near the top of the league and you know, dang.
Speaker 5 (25:40):
Near every every stack category. So I think the thing
that was really unique to me growing up in high
school and in college, you don't necessarily always have the
head coach that's sitting in the quarterback meetings every day
talking about the plays and the install and kind of
how he sees it from his point of view. And
as soon as I got to Dallas my rookie year,
Mike McCarthy was in the quarterback room. Oh man, if
(26:01):
we were meeting five days a week, he was. He
was in there at least four out of the five
days a week, just whether it was a fly on
the wall, whether it was offering a story or a
piece of advice about Hey, Aaron used to do this,
Brett used to do this. I'd started my eyes here,
whatever it is, right, there's little little nuances that he's
kind of picked up over over the years of the
guys that he's he's coached and been around. And I
(26:24):
think that was part of what made my experience with
him really cool is he had this vast, vast net
of video in stacks and resources that you know, you're
disposed that you can go look at and say, all right,
how did Aaron Rodgers do this when he was a rookie,
How did Aaron Rodgers do this when he won an MVP?
What what worked well.
Speaker 12 (26:42):
In different situations?
Speaker 5 (26:43):
And so I think him being hands on, I think
was was something new for me that I hadn't really
experienced much, you know, in my in my football days
growing up, and it was refreshing getting the NFL and
having the head coach kind of writing the meetings with
you every.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Day, what's your gut tell you? With Aller and Howard
both work was krthy Ben. Do you think he can
make one of them the guy?
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 12 (27:04):
I think I think he can, and I think.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
He's done that before. And look, I would imagine Aaron
Rodgers is probably gonna come back sooner rather than later.
Speaker 12 (27:14):
I think that's what the feeling in Pittsburgh is as well.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
So I think rest assured Rodgers is gonna to start
last year, right, But if some something unpresen happens and
it's and it's between these two, I mean, look, will
Will Howard was there last year, so if anything, he's
got a leg up just in that he's gonna know
the facility a little bit better. The city's more familiar,
he knows the people around the building. But if you're
if you're Drew Lar, you can you can draw similarity
(27:38):
from me, right Like Mike McCarthy handpicked you is.
Speaker 12 (27:40):
His guy as soon as he came in and said, Hey,
this is a.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
Guy that I believe in I want to work with,
so both these guys are going to be on the
same playing field when it turned when it when it
comes to to learning the playbook and trying.
Speaker 12 (27:51):
To have a leg up on the competition.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
And if anything, Drew A Larer is the first one
that has been on the field running it. He got
a couple of days of rookie Minican to get a
head start on this thing, even before Aaron Rodgers, Will
Howard or Mason Rudolf or any of these guys are
on the private field run and stuff.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
We're talking to Ben Denucci here on one five ninety X. Ben,
we haven't talked a lot about Will Howard. He was
a sixth round pick. You were a seventh round pick.
What does the lower round pick face because the investment
is in there in that level pick that there isn't
a earlier pick.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
Yeah, I think when look for me getting drafted, it
didn't matter if it was first round or seventh round.
That was a massive accomplishment, right, And so to have
five or ten years of work be able to pay
off and say, hey, the dream came true. I got drafted.
At that point, your foots in the door.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
You're no different than.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
The first round draft pick at that point, except the
first round draft pick is going to have a longer.
Speaker 12 (28:47):
Lease to make mistakes. Right, they invested a little bit
more in you.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
You've got a little bit more leeway.
Speaker 12 (28:52):
When you're a sixth round pick, a seventh round pick.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Your reps are cut down. Every day you may get
a handful of reps and half of them might be
run plays, half of them might be pass plays. So
for Will Howard, for Drew Allard, the big thing for
that mentally is hey, when I when I get a rep,
when I get a pass play cold for me, I
don't need to make the home run splash play every time,
show that I can can learn the playbook, take completions,
(29:17):
take command of the offense. And as you get more
comfortable kind of in learning the offense, learning the footwork,
learning kind of the nuances of how an NFL offense
you know, work, then I think you can start to
take a little bit more chances on the field. Right,
But you earn that Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers. They don't
just wake up one day and all of a sudden
start throwing hole shots and back shoulder fades and these
(29:39):
across body throws. You got to earn that, And so
for these guys, I think first and foremost, you got
to you got to show that you know, Mike McCarthy
can can trust you when you're in that huddle. Right,
you're one of eleven, So to be able to walk
in that huddle and have ten other guys look at
you and say, man, when Will's in this huddle, when
Drew's in this huddle, I know that the right play
is going to be called. He's gonna have us lined up,
and we're going to be moving one hundred percent kind
(30:00):
of as a unit here. So I think those are
a couple of things I would look forward just in
terms of rookie rookie guys and young guys who haven't
haven't played a lot of ball yet at that level.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
How many reps for quarterbacks are there in a practice,
especially for backups once the season starts. How much can
they prove and learn and develop in that context?
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Oh? Man, I mean once the season starts, it's it's
staying near impossible. I would say, so, Well, let's.
Speaker 12 (30:24):
Just say they're fifty practice reps for the whole for the.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
Whole team in a two hour practice, right, thirty eight
of those are probably the ones that are getting those reps.
So that's just the starters, right, So eighty percent of
the reps right there are going to the starters and
the guys that are going to be playing on Saturday.
Then you might get two or three reps at the
end of every period that the backups are going to
go in, it's going to be a run play. It's
(30:49):
going to be hey, let's run run a run scheme
because we want our tight end to feel a block
or our receivers to feel he's got to crack a
safety when it's single high or too high, and so really,
once you get into the season that the development stops.
So I think that's why you're seeing a big emphasis
on Mike McCarthy trying to get out in front of
Drew right now while he can right because this is
(31:10):
the most time that he's going to have before training.
Speaker 12 (31:12):
Camp starts, before preseason starts, to.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Really be hands on with him in terms of, hey,
here's what we want to do, and here's what we
want to try to get accomplished before the season starts,
when I've got to dedicate all my time to Aaron
or whoever is going to be the guy that's played.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
And calling back to something we talked about a few
moments ago. I don't think either Aller or Howard is
a guy I want to have step in as the
start of this year.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Ben, I'm talking about the long run.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Which of those two do you think is most likely
to be a starting quarterback for the Steelers looking past
this year?
Speaker 7 (31:41):
Oh man, I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (31:42):
If you got a quarter in front of you, you can
probably flip at heads or tails, and fifty to fifty,
it's gonna be one guy or the other. But I
would say that the thing that Drew Allar has working
for him, right, and the fact that he was drafted
by Mike McCarthy, he was a higher draft pick. The
Steelers have a little bit more capital invested in him.
So the runway for him to get used to the NFL,
(32:06):
to get used to the footwork he's gonna have, he's
gonna have a little bit more time. I'll call it
a red shirt year, right, that terms used in college.
Some guys are fortunate enough to kind of get that
in the NFL as well. My rookie year, I was
kept on the active roster and I was the third
quarterback and felt like a kind of red shirt year too. Right,
you're in the weight room every day, you're doing stuff
to kind of get your body right, to get to
(32:27):
get right mentally. But I would think, just in terms
of where he was drafted and then the physical.
Speaker 12 (32:32):
The physical kind of stuff that pops up the tamp,
I would.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Think Drew's in a little bit of a better spot
to start leading down the road. But shoot, man, once
you get your foot in the NFL, if you go out.
Speaker 12 (32:41):
There and produce and play, who's to say.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
Will Howard can't be the guy in a couple of
years when once Aaron Rodgers decides to hang it up
or whoever. So the biggest thing for both of those
guys is, don't.
Speaker 12 (32:51):
Compete with the other guys in the room. Compete with yourself.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
Show up every day and have a goal. Try to
get one percent better. Find a couple of things that
Aaron does or Mason does, Try to those guys questions
and apply it to your own schedule and routine. And
so how fast can those guys get up to speed
and feel comfortable. I think we'll be We'll be big
in terms of you know, who's gonna have the upper
end kind of here in a few years.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Man you do some media stuff and it's pretty good.
I saw a video where you jumped in a flag
football game as a ringer.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Nobody knew you were an NFL quarterback and you ripped
it up. How'd that come about? Because it was pretty funny.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
Yeah, I said, I had to go undercover. But all
I did was put a beanie on. Nobody knew who
the heck I was in the first place.
Speaker 12 (33:29):
So that was my That was my That was my
form of going undercover.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
But I did some stuff for CBS Sports last fall,
did some stuff in the booths and did some stuff
in the studio, and they had somebody from their media
team coming to me probably halfway through the season and say, hey,
we we liked what Eli Manning did with with Chad
Powers a couple of years ago at Penn State, and
we thought, hey, you're our kind of resident quarterback that's
working for us. Now, why don't we have you try
(33:52):
to do this in a flag football game in Denver.
Speaker 12 (33:54):
So they set everything up.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
It worked out.
Speaker 12 (33:56):
It couldn't possibly been any better. It was the second
week of the league.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
They kind of cameras there and told people they were filming,
you know, videos, and content for the website and everybody.
Speaker 12 (34:05):
Everybody believed it, and it was actually it was funny.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Man, Like the one kid that gave me a little
bit of of a tough time about playing quarterback actually
went to Central Catholic and he was middle linebacker for
Central Catholic and I played him in high school. So
we had a we had we had a good laugh
about it afterwards, but it was a good time.
Speaker 12 (34:21):
I didn't know how how tough flag football is going
to be. It's a totally different game, three downs the
field shorter.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
So I found out pretty quick that I was gonna
be I was gonna be running around for a little bit,
and I wasn't just gonna be able to stand back
there and indce people up.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Well begs the question, and believe it or not, Ben,
this has been a debate on this program. Flag football
is going to be in the Olympics in LA Who
should play in the Olympics. NFL guys are the flag
football guys or maybe you, oh Man, did.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
You see any of that fanatics flag football game a
couple of months ago where the US team hung it
on the NFL guys. I think that's probably I think
that's probably your answer right there. But if an invitation
was extended my way to try out or be involved somehow,
I guarantee you I can find a way to make
my right arm work still.
Speaker 12 (35:06):
So i'm uh, I'm all, I'm all here. If somebody
wants to wants to reach out, maybe this is.
Speaker 5 (35:10):
My plug right here on your show. So if anyone
out there is listening that's got some some Olympic size,
throw my name in and see if see what we
can do.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Ben, this was great, tremendous insight. I appreciate taking the time.
I hope we talk again.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
Yeah, all the best, Mark aprecied.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Have a good one, Ben Denucci X of Pine Richland
Pitt the Dallas Cowboys played in the XFL too, a
lot of quarterback experience, and he's a McCarthy guy.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
So am I.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Now it's time to ask Mark Anything. Eight three three
four one two w xdx. That's eight three three four
one two w xdx. Or you leave a talk back
hitting the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
You're listening to one oh five to nine.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
It's time to submit your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Speaker 7 (35:55):
Use your free iHeartRadio.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
App and tap the microphone icon to send your question
to the super genius instantly.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
It's The Hoody Show, weekday mornings at six.
Speaker 10 (36:06):
Sweet Kids are right around the corner five nine.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
Thanks to Ben Denucci for joining me.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I thought his insight on Mike McCarthy and McCarthy's process,
which is very hands on with quarterbacks. I thought it
was revelatory. McCarthy can make this work. He can make
Alor into something maybe later or not sooner, but I'm
telling you, McCarthy's the answer.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Aler's the answer.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Now it's time to ask Mark anything brought to us
by the uh Wait Steelers pro shop. His next segment
right now, People's natural gas in the sense of utilities companies,
safe reliable natural gas energy. That's people's hyphengas dot com.
We've been talking about the molk and stuff all day
as well. I thought coming out of that press conference
(37:06):
with Dubas on Tuesday, everybody heard what they want to hear,
and that was would love to have him back. I
don't think they would love to have him back. Everything
else Dubas said hinted that he won't be coming back,
and YOEI made a really good case when he was
on the show earlier and in his column for The
Athletic that it's time for major change with the Penguins
(37:28):
and if Malcoln wants two years, like I hear he does,
there's no way anybody could fall dubas for saying thanks,
but no thanks, Absolutely no way. Your thoughts on any
of that dial eight three three four one two WXDX.
Somebody on Twitter, you're too hyped about Drew Aller, isn't
it good? I'm finally hyped about somebody when it comes
(37:49):
to the Steelers. I'm a big Drew Aller guy. He's
going to be the starter at some point. He's going
to be the savior of this team. He's going to
restore the logo, him and McCarthy. But to make clear,
it would not be a good idea for him to
start Week one. However that transpired, whether it's Rogers no
showing or getting hurt or whatever. Aller is a bit
(38:11):
of a project, no question. He on a chore, the
first round pick, the new tackle. He's a bit of
a project. This draft was not a draft for right now,
which is why it makes zero sense to employ a
forty two year old quarterback and the nauseating Denimont to
the Rogers saga is going to be. When he does
show up, he will be hailed as a conquering hero
(38:34):
by the media stooges and by the dumbass fans, and
that's going to be stupid. Aaron Rodgers should just go away,
but go to add Am Adam ass Mark anything?
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Hey Mark, Good afternoon, sir, Good afternoon.
Speaker 11 (38:52):
So everybody's talking about the offense and Mike McCarthy, Drerowl
or Will Howard, you know, rightfully, so.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
You know you got your concerns.
Speaker 11 (39:03):
But what is McCarthy's recent defenses in Dallas were complete trash.
You got a bunch of aging veterans, overpaid players.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
What are describing the Dallas defense of the current Steeler defense?
Speaker 11 (39:15):
The current Steeler defense, Sir, Yeah, I'm.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Not sure that's his responsibility. I mean, he has a
defensive coordinator. Hopefully this guy will do better than the
great defensive genius Mike Tomlin did with the same guys.
Speaker 12 (39:30):
Yeah, I mean, like I said, even in his defenses
in Dallas, and he.
Speaker 11 (39:33):
Is responsible for to eat the head coach. Now the
dudes in offense, so you're looking.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
To blame Mike McCarthy already for the defense being bad.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
I got a better idea.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Why don't we blame overpaid and overrated guys like TJ.
Watt and Cam Hayward. Cam Hayward do I think's won
one playoff game?
Speaker 4 (39:50):
TJ. Watt, I know, hasn't won any.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Why doesn't the player on defense go to the players
who have got paid and underachieved constantly?
Speaker 5 (40:00):
Fair enough?
Speaker 13 (40:01):
And I'm the context.
Speaker 11 (40:03):
Didn't mean to shoot at McCarthy. I like McCarthy, don't
get me wrong, It's just you know what I mean,
just with with that roster.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
And that defense, the NFL, thank you for the call
of the NFL. I mean, defense is important, to be sure,
but it's not about defense as much as it is offense,
as much as it is score more faster, about as
much as it is moving to the modern level of
the way offensive football is played in this league. And
Mike McCarthy offers that it's going to Ryan Ryan, You're
(40:31):
on with double.
Speaker 13 (40:32):
M hey, Mark, great question. How do you feel about
the idea of trading Tommy no back? I just wonder
that he might be one of the more valuable assets
we have to trade. He's young, and he's gone a
good contract.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Okay, okay, okay, let me back up. Why would you
want to trade the guy who's young and on a
good contract.
Speaker 13 (40:56):
Not so much that I want to trade him, just
thinking about why not.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Trade the older guys who were fading and on bad contracts?
Speaker 13 (41:05):
What would we get in return?
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Though?
Speaker 1 (41:07):
What would get in return as a new starts. What
don't you get a third of this roster? All the
important players perceived as important anyway, they're all thirty three
or over. Bruv, it's time to start over. You're not
gonna win now, Sydney Crosby, if Guinea Manck and Chris Latang,
the whole gang, they're not going to win again in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (41:27):
They're just not. This can't be on their timetable.
Speaker 13 (41:31):
I don't disagree, but I think we have other centers
coming up that can fill that slow and maybe we
should work on the Blue line.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
I think we have other West Wings coming up to
can fill the av Guinea Malkin slot.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
You're not wrong, mark my words.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
If coven In gets the amount, well no, that's dumb
because he hasn't shown anything at all. But like I
want to see what Billy Coyvenan can do in forty
games uninterrupted playing barring injury, peerod. We don't know about
him yet.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
We thank you for the call.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
We have to put aside the idea of how important
it is the scratch in the playoffs. It's important to
win a series. In fact, more than that, it's important
to win multiple series. It's important to be a legitimate contender. Again,
if Guinny Malkin does nothing to make you that on
his timetable what he has left, he just doesn't.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Hey, Mark, I was wondering, do you think you'll still
be alive to see any of Pittsburgh's three major sports
teams win a championship? No, I don't. That doesn't bother me.
I've seen enough, especially the Penguins. I never thought they'd
win once. They've won five times. So I'm grateful this
(42:52):
stuff about. You know, we I gotta see them win. Well,
I've seen them win, and I also understand in the
Penguins case, exactly why they won how And I know
keeping old guys around weren't what did it?
Speaker 4 (43:06):
Let's go to Tyler. Tyler ask Mark anything.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
Hey, Mark, I just wanted to get your opinion on
how you think Ben de Nucci's high school coach, Coach
K he's gonna fare being at North Hills now after
his tenure at Marsa.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Oh, I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I'm excited about Eric Hasparovich going back home where he played,
to North Hills High schol where he still teaches, and
being the head coach. I think he's a really good
offensive mind. I think, with all due respect to Pat Carrey,
they had an interim guy last year, but Pat coached
a long time before that. Pat was a defensive mind.
I think Eric will get the most out of out
(43:43):
of what North Hills has on offense. I think they
got to do that. My buddy Austin ellis the quarterback.
Janelle Hall's kid. He's a junior kid, great athlete, quarterback.
I think coach K will get the most out of him.
Let's go to a talkback, say.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
One top five teamster vallar career.
Speaker 5 (44:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
First off, don't call from a win tunnel next time.
And yeah, you want Drew Aller to fail, I get it.
He's gonna be good here. What he did at college
got very little to do with here. You'll have better
coaching here, a game plan, not tailored to him, but
eventually it will be if he becomes what we hope
McCarthy's a good fit for him. Penn State wasn't a
good fit. He had how many what four offensive coordinators
(44:28):
of Penn State. You're either a Penn State fan who's
bitter because he didn't do what you wanted him to
face at Penn State's never going to win a national championship.
He got him to a semi final. That's as good
as they're ever going to do, whether you like to
admit that or not. Or you're a Pitt guy who's
mad because the twit from Pitt weren't it? Okay, Aler's
the guy write it down.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
You heard it here.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
Up next Mormalkin talk and we got Sean Sweets and
the former Steeler kicker talking about the Malone Family Foundation.
Speaker 4 (44:58):
We had the Heroes game night at RMU.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
It was great, and we got the gal at tomorrow
night at the River's Casino, and we'll talk of course
about Kickers.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
Getting seven million bucks.
Speaker 1 (45:08):
And Sean Sweeum has a considerable hockey background and a
considerable presence in area hockey. Right now, that's Sweem at
five point thirty one, oh five nine, that's
Tuck Malkin joining us now is Josh Shoey from the Athletic.
Josh had an excellent piece at the Athletic. It's not
just Gino that's old. It's a third of the roster,
all the big names.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Mark, Yeah, it certainly is, and I think it's such
a problem for the Penguins moving forward. And you heard
what Kyle Dubis had to say at his press conference
the other day. He's always talking about wanting to get young,
as he should be when you look at the roster.
To me, it simply doesn't make sense to bring back
all of those guys at their respective ages when they're
(00:33):
all still very effective to varying levels obviously, But you know, Mark,
it's been eight years since this corps has won a
playoff series, and if the goal is to be a
championship contender, to win in the playoffs again, then I
think it's obvious that he has to make some moves.
Even though they did have a very good regular season,
which can't be denied.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
It reads and sounds like you don't think Gino's coming back.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I've never thought he was coming back, To be honest
with you, it wouldn't shock me if he does, but
I do think if he does, it's an indication that
Kyle Dubis caves a little bit from his initial plan.
I believe that, which I.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Think he did last summer when he didn't trade Rust
and Raquel, so.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
There is precedent that's probably accurate. I would not disagree
with that at all, but I don't And listen, I
don't think Kyle has any disrespect towards Gino or anything
like that. I just think when Kyle Dubas took this
job three years ago, he wasn't planning on ever winning
a Stanley Cup with this corps. He took this job
(01:36):
I think largely because it appealed to his idea of
building a team in his own vision, and he hasn't
had a chance to do that yet, and he has
something of an opportunity here in the next year or
so to do that. And if he keep bringing back
the old guys over and over again, whether they had
good seasons or not, I just don't think it makes
a lot of sense in the big picture.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
If Gino doesn't return, if they let him walk, that's god.
I mean, that is paired to deal with any consequences
head on.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I boy, he made some interesting comments at his
press conference the other day, didnety.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Mark, which a lot of people just didn't hear.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, I mean because I know he came out initially
and said, yeah, we'd love to have Geno back, and
everybody who wants Geno back, that's all they wanted to hear, right,
And I get that, But then when you hear everything
else he said, like he mentioned his suspension twice in
the first two minutes of his of his opening address,
and then he made it pretty clear that he doesn't
think Malkin's capable of playing, you know, an eighty two
or eighty four game season moving forward the way Crosby
(02:35):
and Latangar, which was a pretty interesting statement as well.
So I think everybody felt a little confused after he talked,
because he came out and said initially, yeah, I'd love
to have him back, But everything else he said indicated
that that might not really be the case.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Is Gino asking for two years? I'm kind of hearing that,
how about you.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I know that rumor is out there, and I'm not
suggesting that it's not true. I haven't heard that, and
on the surface, it would surprise me a little bit,
just and I'm basing not only on what Malkin has
said all season, Like anytime the you know, the subject
of his contract comes up, he comes across as just
desperate to play for another season. Like it's almost like
(03:18):
if this that Gena will give you a year for
a couple of million. He said, Yeah, I'd take it that.
That's how he comes across. But maybe he is asking
for two years.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I don't know. I don't think he's gonna get that. Mark.
I would be shocked if Kyle Dubis gave him a
two year deal.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
No, and if Gino is asking for two years, I
think that's an easy out for Dubis.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
No, of course it is.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
No, I completely agree with that it is And I
know you've said this on your show before. How can
you give him more years at this station than Sidney
Crosby is under contract?
Speaker 4 (03:45):
You can't have longer term, that's right, No longer term,
that's no way.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
It just it just doesn't make sense. It really doesn't.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
That Gino's older, and even though he did have a
good season, there's clear regression in his game, far more
than we've seen from Crosby. I don't think anybody could
deny that we're.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Talking to Joshua of the Athletic here on the Mark
Madden Show. Wasn't this a last gasp? This season? A
last gas for the old Guard? And did that Flyer
series prove that?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yes? I think it did, and I found it fascinating.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
The Dubas brought up the word nostalgia. It is I've
never heard a GM bring up that word at a
press conference before, and I get where he's coming from,
and he's right. But to me, the nostalgia and the
nice little ending, what was seeing those guys talking about Crosby.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Latang and Malkam playing together.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Just seeing them reach the playoffs again like that was
an astonishing achievement given what the expectations were before the season,
given the Ragers.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It really was. I'm not making light of it.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
I think to see them in the playoffs again was
basically their happy ending as a trio.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
At least that was how I looked at it.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I don't know how anybody could watch that postseason and think, yeah,
year from now, like these guys are going to be
even better in the playoffs. Like No, I mean the
older you get, the harder it gets. So I that's
certainly how I've looked.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
At it, is that locker room too old and comfortable,
just happy to come to work with the old gang.
At the beginning of the year, it had that kid energy.
But then they started eight too and two and the
kids got sent to Wilkes.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I don't know if it's too old. I know what
you're saying.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Like I also know that the guys were talking about
led by sid or, you know, the ultimate professionals, the
ultimate competitors that never heard of locker room. But I
do think the young guys are going to need more
of a voice in the locker room, more of a presence.
And I think that's I know, analytics people just laugh
at well, no.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
We saw some of that at the beginning of the year,
and then, like I said, it got sent to.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Wilkes And it's a real thing.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And as long as Crosby and Malkin and Latang and
Carlson like, these guys are not just future Hall of
famers like in some ways they're larger than life personalities.
Ben Kittle's never going to have a voice in that room.
Rucker mcgorty's never going to have a voice in that room.
You can go to on the list of younger players.
Eventually it has to become the younger guy's locker room
to some extent and their team, and the longer you
(06:05):
put that off, to.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Me, is a mistake.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
At this point, Duba's point out that nobody is being
blocked by Gino, and that's true, but you can't draft
those guys who could you know, push Gino, who could
take his spot if you keep finishing in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
No, he's right, and I mean I couldn't agree with
that more. And it's not a knock on Gino. He
did have a good season. But here's the thing. Everyone says, well, oh,
he's doing a point per game guy, and I will
counter that by saying, yeah, he played in what fifty
seven games or whatever it was, he scored nineteen goals.
You can go find somebody who scored nineteen goals on
the open market and they might need eighty two games
(06:43):
to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But that's the biggest.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Problem with Gino only three times in the last fourteen
seasons because he played seventy five games I think seventy.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Games or more.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
He always misses an average of fifteen games a season,
and it's in an eighty four game schedule. Next season,
and Duba's already came out and said, I basically, I
don't think his body can handle the wearing pair of
an entire season. So no, it's great that it's point
per game, but it's a point per game only playing
you know, seventy percent of the games.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
That counts for something. That's an issue.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
What other moves might Dubis make if Gino isn't back,
Could that just be one of many? Because if he's
not going to make moves now, then win. I I'm
not saying trade all the old guys, but I'm saying
you can't bring all the old guys back, in fact, anybody,
I don't know. I don't want to tear it down
to the studs, you know what I mean. I don't
want a happy medium, but they got to do more
(07:35):
than I think that people want.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, in terms of the older guys. If I'm Dubis,
I'm obviously keeping Crosby. I would not trade Eric Carlson
this summer. If you want to deal him that, you
can always do that at the deadline and where he
might have.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
The most value. If he continues to play like he
did this.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Year, he really may and that'll be the last year
of his deal, and you know the salor recaps going up,
he's much easier to trade than you could probably get
a lot for him. If there's the outside chance you
might be really good next year, then you'd like to
keep him, But if you're not, you can always trade
him at the deadline. I'd keep Crosby and Carlson for sure.
I keep going back to Rackell and Rust and two
(08:16):
guys who I have a lot of respect for as
players and as people. I don't know that it makes
sense to bring both of them back. I don't know
that it makes sense for both the Sids wingers next
year to be in their mid thirties, and I think
you can get an awful lot in return for either
one of those guys. I'm not saying trade both of them. Boy,
it's just silly to bring everybody back. In my opinion,
(08:38):
if you could get a legitimate, good prospect for one
of those guys first or first round pick, or a
couple of picks something like that, I think it's something
Dubius has to consider. As good as they are, they
weren't that great in the playoffs, and that they both
looked to me a little bit of a step slow
in the playoffs, which is something I've ever said about
either one of them before.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I just think it's something to keep in mind.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
I think people overrate the return that they would get
in trade for guys like that, even even Sid, if
you want to go. You know, a fantasy scenario for
every Canadian hockey media guy there is like, if you
traded Sid to Montreal, they would give you a demo
offer Slavkovski the most. You would get his picks and prospects.
Any of these guys you're trading, you're getting picks and prospects.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
No, that's right, and picks and prospects are fine, but
they're years away from helping you. That's that's certainly a problem,
and it's been an issue for Dubis. I can tell
you for a fact. Remember the trade deadline, not this
past season, but the one before. Everybody thought Raquel was
going to be traded. And I've had numerous people tell
me in the Penguins organization, the return that people were
(09:42):
offering for Ricardo Raquel was not nearly as much as
you might think. And that's why Dubas didn't trade him.
It's not that he was against trading him. He just
thought it was pointless because it's not like people were
throwing first round.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Picks at him. And so, yeah, the people.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Like to create trade scenarios in their heads, but the
return typically not as much as he might think.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
What will Sid say if Gino doesn't return because he's
due for an extension.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
He won't be happy, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
And also when he was asked about the possibility of
an extension a couple of weeks back after the season ended,
he said something that he's never said before. He said that,
you know, at this stage of his career, it's basically
a year to year thing for him. I've never heard
him say that before. And I'm not suggesting he's going
to retire after next season. I don't think he will.
(10:31):
But if he does sign another extension, I bet it's
only for one year, just based on what he said.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
No, that's okay, Josh.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
But if he doesn't sign an extension, they got to
trade him at the deadline.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
They can't let him walk.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
And if he doesn't sign an extension, it will be
a topic, the big topic everywhere in hockey from July
second on every single day.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
We will be beat over the head with it.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Him too, and he knows that, and that's one of
the reasons he did finally sign an extension in September
a couple of years back, and I think that will
be the case. He won't say anything inflammatory about Dubas
or the Penguins, but I do wonder just how the
locker room will respond in general. I know that's something
you've talked about. We saw it after the Gentzel trade.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I saw it even before the Gentzil trade.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, no, we did, because everybody kind of knew that
Gonzel was going to get traded.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
And when he did, what they do go one and seven.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
On either side of the trade. They went one six
and one one wins, seven losses.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I mean, yeah, I think something like that could happen again.
Who knows, but it would not shock me, and it's
something to keep in mind. But at the same time,
if I'm Dubis, I still don't worry about it that much.
He still has to do what's best for the Penguins
and for the future, So even if that hurts you
to some extent next season, I think he has to
be true to his plan, and only he knows what
(11:48):
it is. But I would not let a little bit
of success last regular season greatly influence that plan, I'll
put it that way.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
No, his job is to build a champion, and he's
three years deep into a seven your deal. He's got
to get get closer faster. As I said him, a
call him, Josh. If the Penguins wanted Gino back, like
Dubas said, would love to have him back, which he
has to say, and I get that, But if they
really would love to have him back, wouldn't he be
re signed already?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Do or is solely off is?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I mean, they could have signed him as early as
July first last year, and it's been what ten months
since then?
Speaker 3 (12:24):
They couldn't.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
They could have signed him when he was whining a
couple months back and they got suspended.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
And to my knowledge, they haven't even offered him a contract.
That's because he doesn't want to. I really believe that,
and Tea a cave. It might be a situation mark
where you know, Dubas does have guys he wants to
bring in this summer, and Gino would be a nice
backup plan if he can't get the guys that he wants.
But obviously he can't sign Geno now if that's the case.
But no, if they really wanted Gino back that urgently,
(12:52):
as I've been saying for a long time now, he
would have a contract by now because the money's not
that much of an issue. The term might be if
Gino does want to years, but they got forty three
million in cap space and they're not going to use
close to that this summer.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Money is not an issue.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's quite a juggling act for Dubis to take on,
isn't it. I give the guy a lot of credit.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Oh yeah, I mean, I know Kyle makes a lot
of money. He's making the big bucks, so that's nice.
But I don't envy him. I really don't. He's trying
to build a winner. He inherited a team with literally
no prospects and no draft picks, so he knew it
would take time. And he's got the fan base breathing
down his neck, and that's something he's aware of.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
And now I'm not saying that influences his decisions. He's
on social.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Media a lot, he's aware of what the fan base
is saying, and so much of the fan base just
wants you know, Sid and Gino and Chris have played
together forever, regardless of.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
But they still want to win.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
They want to have their cake and eat it too,
like Sid honestly does too.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Of course he does.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
No, I mean, listen, there's a reason great players don't
make great general managers very often.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
No.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Of course Sid wants that he wants to play with
his guys forever, and he wants to find a way
to win a championship with them in the end. And
that's great, but it's just not gonna happen, not with
all of them. It's not reasonable to think that if
you watch Colorado or Carolina play for five minutes during
this postseason, you really see how far away the Penguins
are for being a contender.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Josh, great stuff. We'll do it again next week. Enjoy
the playoffs, which we'll talk about those. There was too
much Gino today. You got it, Mark, that's Josh away
from the athletic up next. Wait, hear what Dan Patrick
has to say about the Steeler situation with Aaron Rodgers.
It's a lot like everybody outside Pittsburgh is saying about
(14:41):
the Steeler situation with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Here's great news. I didn't even know about this. How
could I not know?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Being released Tuesday on Netflix, a new documentary Liverpool the
Istanbul Miracle from three nil nine in the Champs Final,
win four three and penalties.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Can't wait to see that.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Dan Patrick talks about Rogers next to one O five
to nine. He is Mark Madden, just one of a
two chip straft bring the duct tape type of affairs.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
What you're gonna make us play a whimper game?
Speaker 6 (15:10):
It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
It's not fair.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
The ex at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
The Aaron Rodgers situation just won't go away. I wish
he would. I heard on the radio earlier today he
was in town this coming weekend for a.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Cornhole tournament or pick a ball something.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Dan Patrick thinks the Steelers need to cut ties with Rogers.
Speaker 8 (15:37):
I've come to the conclusion, if I'm the Steelers, I
have to walk away from Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Now.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
I'm looking at a business perspective here, because.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
What are we gonna win.
Speaker 8 (15:49):
We're not the best team in our own division, maybe
not the second best team in our own division. And
are we gonna be back here next year at nine
to eight and kicking the can down the road. As
much as I want to see Rogers play again, if
I'm Pittsburgh. I think I have to just come to
the conclusion, why don't we try a different approach here?
Speaker 1 (16:11):
One disclaimer, the Steelers did win the AFC North last year,
but I agree with Dan that Baltimore and Cincinnati this
coming year are probably better. So what Dan said is
one hundred percent right. They need to move on from
Rogers because the guy you're waiting for isn't a top
ten quarterback or even top twenty. And he's forty two.
(16:34):
And there is zero point to using a forty two
year old as a bummy old stop gap when you
can't possibly win enough. What do you, Marx think the
ceiling is with Rogers? I'll hang up and listen. And
what's crazy is I think the Steelers think they could
win a Super Bowl or at least be in the mix.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
This is great.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
There's a report or the college Football Playoff might expand
to twenty four teams, which would be crazy. Paul Feinbaum
of ESPN agrees with me.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Twenty four is the worst possibility I think in the
history of this game. Why greenee because it is going
to devalue the loot and perhaps destroy the greatest football
season of them all, And that's the regular season in
college football, the big games at the end of the
season are going to be meaningless. This is not the
NFL where you try to position for a wild card
or a home field. They're just simply are good. Aren't
(17:35):
enough good teams?
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I saw that segment on ESPN and Greenee noted that
you could see Ohio State Michigan rest players for that game,
maybe the game in college football you sit guys out
because it would be meaningless, and they want guys healthy
for the playoffs. And it's all for money and no
(17:58):
other good reason, just like the expansion of March Madness.
And we all know that, we know it's just for money,
but I wish they'd say that instead of blowing smoke
up our backsides. Defenseman Matthew Schneider of the New York
Islanders won NHL Rookie of the Year and was the
(18:19):
obvious pick. Here's Hall of Famer Scott Niedermeyer. Hey, Niedermeyer,
he's on the NHL Network talking about Schaefer.
Speaker 7 (18:28):
Yeah, I mean it was, it was amazing.
Speaker 9 (18:30):
I mean, you know, the game has definitely changed a lot,
and just to watch the confidence that he hit the
ice and you know up in the play, wanting the puck,
demanding it, and just obviously a very talented, skilled hockey player.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
So it was a lot of fun to watch.
Speaker 9 (18:45):
Being out on the West Coast, I probably didn't see
him as much as other people, but definitely saw a
lot of his highlights.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
And you see him.
Speaker 9 (18:52):
Out on three and three overtime and his skating and
scale with a puck is impressive to watch for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Schaefer is incredible, and he came along at just the
right time when all the defensemen, well, the top four anyway,
on every team, all the defensemen are expected to attack,
at least to some degree. Look at the defenseman now,
who are considered to be the best, Quinn Use, Cale mccarr,
(19:19):
Zach Lorensky, Wayne Hudson. There's no such thing as a
defensive defenseman anymore, not really. And there's definitely no such
thing as a shutdown pair anymore. Remember when Hal Gil
and Rob Skaderi were the shutdown pair for the Penguins
on the OH nine Cup winners, Neither one could get
(19:40):
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Speaker 4 (21:48):
DX at one O five nine, what's the quarterback Talk?
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Just like always, we welcome out of the program from Pine,
Richland Pitt and the Dallas Cowboys. He is former NFL
quarter back Ben Denucci. Ben, thanks for taking the time.
A video got posted of Drew Aller doing a footwork
drill at Steelers rookie camp and immediately got criticized, but
you pointed out on X that he's doing it right.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Talk about that.
Speaker 12 (22:16):
Yeah, So that was that was funny.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
That was me a couple of years ago. I put
myself inside those shoes of what Drew were doing during
rookie Minni Caamp McCarthy. Mike McCarty calls that quarterback school,
and whether it's Drew Laer, Will Howard, or Aaron Rodgers,
whenever he decides to show up, they're all gonna watch
the same videos that Aaron Rodgers doing footwork back in
his day. They're gonna go out onto the field, They're
gonna go kind of step by step building a good foundation.
(22:40):
And I think it's kind of a lost art, you know,
coaches putting time in developing guys techniques.
Speaker 12 (22:47):
I mean college and pro. The game is so different nowadays.
Speaker 5 (22:50):
So for Drew, I think that's a big, a big
positive reinforcement for him making this, you know, the jump
from college to the NFL. Knowing that, hey, Mike McCarthy,
my coach now is making a huge investment in me,
saying hey, let's let's try to rebuild this thing and
build a good foundation so that we hit the ground
run in during during training camp, preseason, during the season.
We've got a good foundation set of what we're trying
to accomplish.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
As you could guess, Ben, I've never done a footwork drill.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Bit uh am I right in saying that not everything
is meant to simulate a game, that it's about rhythm
and building toward that.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
That's exactly right. Yeah, And I think part of the
reason that that clip got criticized so much is because
it looked like it was in zero point five speed. Right.
The feet were slow, they were kind of you know,
choppy moving around.
Speaker 12 (23:33):
Moving around the cones.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
But if you guys were in the meeting rooms an
hour or two hours before that, whenever they were going
over the drills that were going they were gonna be
doing on the field, and Mike McCarthy showed that to
drill Lar that was That's exactly how that drill was
supposed to look. And I'm sure he.
Speaker 12 (23:46):
Honestly probably said, hey, flow it down a little bit
even more.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
This is your first time doing it right.
Speaker 12 (23:50):
You want to feel feel to flow.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
In your drop, a rhythm in your in your steps,
and so, uh yeah, that's where guys like.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
Me can come in and offer some insight and say, hey.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
This is me five years ago. It's supposed to look
like this. Everybody take a take a deep breath. It's
it's the beginning of May. You can't win a super.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Bowl right now.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Do you have an initial take on Drew aller Ben.
I'm not sure how much you've seen of him.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Yeah, I mean, look, he was he was an early
round draft pick. And the word with quarterbacks that people
love to throw around all the time is this potential word. Right,
So the Steelers' front office and that.
Speaker 12 (24:21):
Coaching staff obviously saw something in him.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
He was hurt in that second half of last year,
but I think the physical traits are there, right, big,
big stature of big arm kind of reminds me of
of Ben Roethlisberger a little bit, just in terms of
the build A guy got to watch, you know, growing
up being from being from Pittsburgh. But look, I don't care.
Speaker 12 (24:39):
If you're the first overall pick in Fernanda Mendoza or me.
I was the middle of.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
A seventh round pick.
Speaker 12 (24:44):
There's gonna be a serious learning curve coming from from
college and the way the.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
Game is played nowadays to the NFL. Protections are different
schemes different. The speed of the game is totally different.
So I think it's good for Drew to get as
much hands on work as he can with with Mike McCarthy.
Before you know, stuff OTAs and stuff starts moving a
lot faster when there's vets in the building and stuff
of that sort.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You touched on this a moment ago, man, but you
played for McCarthy in Dallas. Talk about how he works
with quarterbacks and be as specific as possible, because I
find his reputation with quarterbacks as a teacher to be
just fascinating.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Yeah, I think the track record speaks for itself. Like,
look who he's been around, right, I mean, Aaron Rodgers,
Brett Farr, Dak Prescott. The list kind of goes goes
on and on and everywhere he's been the quarterback and
the offense has found a way to produce.
Speaker 12 (25:37):
And be near the top of the league and you know, dang.
Speaker 5 (25:40):
Near every every stack category. So I think the thing
that was really unique to me growing up in high
school and in college, you don't necessarily always have the
head coach that's sitting in the quarterback meetings every day
talking about the plays and the install and kind of
how he sees it from his point of view. And
as soon as I got to Dallas my rookie year,
Mike McCarthy was in the quarterback room. Oh man, if
(26:01):
we were meeting five days a week, he was. He
was in there at least four out of the five
days a week, just whether it was a fly on
the wall, whether it was offering a story or a
piece of advice about Hey, Aaron used to do this,
Brett used to do this. I'd started my eyes here,
whatever it is, right, there's little little nuances that he's
kind of picked up over over the years of the
guys that he's he's coached and been around. And I
(26:24):
think that was part of what made my experience with
him really cool is he had this vast, vast net
of video in stacks and resources that you know, you're
disposed that you can go look at and say, all right,
how did Aaron Rodgers do this when he was a rookie,
How did Aaron Rodgers do this when he won an MVP?
What what worked well.
Speaker 12 (26:42):
In different situations?
Speaker 5 (26:43):
And so I think him being hands on, I think
was was something new for me that I hadn't really
experienced much, you know, in my in my football days
growing up, and it was refreshing getting the NFL and
having the head coach kind of writing the meetings with
you every.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Day, what's your gut tell you? With Aller and Howard
both work was krthy Ben. Do you think he can
make one of them the guy?
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 12 (27:04):
I think I think he can, and I think.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
He's done that before. And look, I would imagine Aaron
Rodgers is probably gonna come back sooner rather than later.
Speaker 12 (27:14):
I think that's what the feeling in Pittsburgh is as well.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
So I think rest assured Rodgers is gonna to start
last year, right, But if some something unpresen happens and
it's and it's between these two, I mean, look, will
Will Howard was there last year, so if anything, he's
got a leg up just in that he's gonna know
the facility a little bit better. The city's more familiar,
he knows the people around the building. But if you're
if you're Drew Lar, you can you can draw similarity
(27:38):
from me, right Like Mike McCarthy handpicked you is.
Speaker 12 (27:40):
His guy as soon as he came in and said, Hey,
this is a.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
Guy that I believe in I want to work with,
so both these guys are going to be on the
same playing field when it turned when it when it
comes to to learning the playbook and trying.
Speaker 12 (27:51):
To have a leg up on the competition.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
And if anything, Drew A Larer is the first one
that has been on the field running it. He got
a couple of days of rookie Minican to get a
head start on this thing, even before Aaron Rodgers, Will
Howard or Mason Rudolf or any of these guys are
on the private field run and stuff.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
We're talking to Ben Denucci here on one five ninety X. Ben,
we haven't talked a lot about Will Howard. He was
a sixth round pick. You were a seventh round pick.
What does the lower round pick face because the investment
is in there in that level pick that there isn't
a earlier pick.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
Yeah, I think when look for me getting drafted, it
didn't matter if it was first round or seventh round.
That was a massive accomplishment, right, And so to have
five or ten years of work be able to pay
off and say, hey, the dream came true. I got drafted.
At that point, your foots in the door.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
You're no different than.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
The first round draft pick at that point, except the
first round draft pick is going to have a longer.
Speaker 12 (28:47):
Lease to make mistakes. Right, they invested a little bit
more in you.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
You've got a little bit more leeway.
Speaker 12 (28:52):
When you're a sixth round pick, a seventh round pick.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Your reps are cut down. Every day you may get
a handful of reps and half of them might be
run plays, half of them might be pass plays. So
for Will Howard, for Drew Allard, the big thing for
that mentally is hey, when I when I get a rep,
when I get a pass play cold for me, I
don't need to make the home run splash play every time,
show that I can can learn the playbook, take completions,
(29:17):
take command of the offense. And as you get more
comfortable kind of in learning the offense, learning the footwork,
learning kind of the nuances of how an NFL offense
you know, work, then I think you can start to
take a little bit more chances on the field. Right,
But you earn that Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers. They don't
just wake up one day and all of a sudden
start throwing hole shots and back shoulder fades and these
(29:39):
across body throws. You got to earn that, And so
for these guys, I think first and foremost, you got
to you got to show that you know, Mike McCarthy
can can trust you when you're in that huddle. Right,
you're one of eleven, So to be able to walk
in that huddle and have ten other guys look at
you and say, man, when Will's in this huddle, when
Drew's in this huddle, I know that the right play
is going to be called. He's gonna have us lined up,
and we're going to be moving one hundred percent kind
(30:00):
of as a unit here. So I think those are
a couple of things I would look forward just in
terms of rookie rookie guys and young guys who haven't
haven't played a lot of ball yet at that level.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
How many reps for quarterbacks are there in a practice,
especially for backups once the season starts. How much can
they prove and learn and develop in that context?
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Oh? Man, I mean once the season starts, it's it's
staying near impossible. I would say, so, Well, let's.
Speaker 12 (30:24):
Just say they're fifty practice reps for the whole for the.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
Whole team in a two hour practice, right, thirty eight
of those are probably the ones that are getting those reps.
So that's just the starters, right, So eighty percent of
the reps right there are going to the starters and
the guys that are going to be playing on Saturday.
Then you might get two or three reps at the
end of every period that the backups are going to
go in, it's going to be a run play. It's
(30:49):
going to be hey, let's run run a run scheme
because we want our tight end to feel a block
or our receivers to feel he's got to crack a
safety when it's single high or too high, and so really,
once you get into the season that the development stops.
So I think that's why you're seeing a big emphasis
on Mike McCarthy trying to get out in front of
Drew right now while he can right because this is
(31:10):
the most time that he's going to have before training.
Speaker 12 (31:12):
Camp starts, before preseason starts, to.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Really be hands on with him in terms of, hey,
here's what we want to do, and here's what we
want to try to get accomplished before the season starts,
when I've got to dedicate all my time to Aaron
or whoever is going to be the guy that's played.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
And calling back to something we talked about a few
moments ago. I don't think either Aller or Howard is
a guy I want to have step in as the
start of this year.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Ben, I'm talking about the long run.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Which of those two do you think is most likely
to be a starting quarterback for the Steelers looking past
this year?
Speaker 7 (31:41):
Oh man, I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (31:42):
If you got a quarter in front of you, you can
probably flip at heads or tails, and fifty to fifty,
it's gonna be one guy or the other. But I
would say that the thing that Drew Allar has working
for him, right, and the fact that he was drafted
by Mike McCarthy, he was a higher draft pick. The
Steelers have a little bit more capital invested in him.
So the runway for him to get used to the NFL,
(32:06):
to get used to the footwork he's gonna have, he's
gonna have a little bit more time. I'll call it
a red shirt year, right, that terms used in college.
Some guys are fortunate enough to kind of get that
in the NFL as well. My rookie year, I was
kept on the active roster and I was the third
quarterback and felt like a kind of red shirt year too. Right,
you're in the weight room every day, you're doing stuff
to kind of get your body right, to get to
(32:27):
get right mentally. But I would think, just in terms
of where he was drafted and then the physical.
Speaker 12 (32:32):
The physical kind of stuff that pops up the tamp,
I would.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Think Drew's in a little bit of a better spot
to start leading down the road. But shoot, man, once
you get your foot in the NFL, if you go out.
Speaker 12 (32:41):
There and produce and play, who's to say.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
Will Howard can't be the guy in a couple of
years when once Aaron Rodgers decides to hang it up
or whoever. So the biggest thing for both of those
guys is, don't.
Speaker 12 (32:51):
Compete with the other guys in the room. Compete with yourself.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
Show up every day and have a goal. Try to
get one percent better. Find a couple of things that
Aaron does or Mason does, Try to those guys questions
and apply it to your own schedule and routine. And
so how fast can those guys get up to speed
and feel comfortable. I think we'll be We'll be big
in terms of you know, who's gonna have the upper
end kind of here in a few years.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Man you do some media stuff and it's pretty good.
I saw a video where you jumped in a flag
football game as a ringer.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Nobody knew you were an NFL quarterback and you ripped
it up. How'd that come about? Because it was pretty funny.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
Yeah, I said, I had to go undercover. But all
I did was put a beanie on. Nobody knew who
the heck I was in the first place.
Speaker 12 (33:29):
So that was my That was my That was my
form of going undercover.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
But I did some stuff for CBS Sports last fall,
did some stuff in the booths and did some stuff
in the studio, and they had somebody from their media
team coming to me probably halfway through the season and say, hey,
we we liked what Eli Manning did with with Chad
Powers a couple of years ago at Penn State, and
we thought, hey, you're our kind of resident quarterback that's
working for us. Now, why don't we have you try
(33:52):
to do this in a flag football game in Denver.
Speaker 12 (33:54):
So they set everything up.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
It worked out.
Speaker 12 (33:56):
It couldn't possibly been any better. It was the second
week of the league.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
They kind of cameras there and told people they were filming,
you know, videos, and content for the website and everybody.
Speaker 12 (34:05):
Everybody believed it, and it was actually it was funny.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Man, Like the one kid that gave me a little
bit of of a tough time about playing quarterback actually
went to Central Catholic and he was middle linebacker for
Central Catholic and I played him in high school. So
we had a we had we had a good laugh
about it afterwards, but it was a good time.
Speaker 12 (34:21):
I didn't know how how tough flag football is going
to be. It's a totally different game, three downs the
field shorter.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
So I found out pretty quick that I was gonna
be I was gonna be running around for a little bit,
and I wasn't just gonna be able to stand back
there and indce people up.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Well begs the question, and believe it or not, Ben,
this has been a debate on this program. Flag football
is going to be in the Olympics in LA Who
should play in the Olympics. NFL guys are the flag
football guys or maybe you, oh Man, did.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
You see any of that fanatics flag football game a
couple of months ago where the US team hung it
on the NFL guys. I think that's probably I think
that's probably your answer right there. But if an invitation
was extended my way to try out or be involved somehow,
I guarantee you I can find a way to make
my right arm work still.
Speaker 12 (35:06):
So i'm uh, I'm all, I'm all here. If somebody
wants to wants to reach out, maybe this is.
Speaker 5 (35:10):
My plug right here on your show. So if anyone
out there is listening that's got some some Olympic size,
throw my name in and see if see what we
can do.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Ben, this was great, tremendous insight. I appreciate taking the time.
I hope we talk again.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
Yeah, all the best, Mark aprecied.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Have a good one, Ben Denucci X of Pine Richland
Pitt the Dallas Cowboys played in the XFL too, a
lot of quarterback experience, and he's a McCarthy guy.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
So am I.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Now it's time to ask Mark Anything. Eight three three
four one two w xdx. That's eight three three four
one two w xdx. Or you leave a talk back
hitting the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
You're listening to one oh five to nine.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
It's time to submit your questions for Ask Mark Anything.
Speaker 7 (35:55):
Use your free iHeartRadio.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
App and tap the microphone icon to send your question
to the super genius instantly.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
It's The Hoody Show, weekday mornings at six.
Speaker 10 (36:06):
Sweet Kids are right around the corner five nine.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
Thanks to Ben Denucci for joining me.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
I thought his insight on Mike McCarthy and McCarthy's process,
which is very hands on with quarterbacks. I thought it
was revelatory. McCarthy can make this work. He can make
Alor into something maybe later or not sooner, but I'm
telling you, McCarthy's the answer.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Aler's the answer.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Now it's time to ask Mark anything brought to us
by the uh Wait Steelers pro shop. His next segment
right now, People's natural gas in the sense of utilities companies,
safe reliable natural gas energy. That's people's hyphengas dot com.
We've been talking about the molk and stuff all day
as well. I thought coming out of that press conference
(37:06):
with Dubas on Tuesday, everybody heard what they want to hear,
and that was would love to have him back. I
don't think they would love to have him back. Everything
else Dubas said hinted that he won't be coming back,
and YOEI made a really good case when he was
on the show earlier and in his column for The
Athletic that it's time for major change with the Penguins
(37:28):
and if Malcoln wants two years, like I hear he does,
there's no way anybody could fall dubas for saying thanks,
but no thanks, Absolutely no way. Your thoughts on any
of that dial eight three three four one two WXDX.
Somebody on Twitter, you're too hyped about Drew Aller, isn't
it good? I'm finally hyped about somebody when it comes
(37:49):
to the Steelers. I'm a big Drew Aller guy. He's
going to be the starter at some point. He's going
to be the savior of this team. He's going to
restore the logo, him and McCarthy. But to make clear,
it would not be a good idea for him to
start Week one. However that transpired, whether it's Rogers no
showing or getting hurt or whatever. Aller is a bit
(38:11):
of a project, no question. He on a chore, the
first round pick, the new tackle. He's a bit of
a project. This draft was not a draft for right now,
which is why it makes zero sense to employ a
forty two year old quarterback and the nauseating Denimont to
the Rogers saga is going to be. When he does
show up, he will be hailed as a conquering hero
(38:34):
by the media stooges and by the dumbass fans, and
that's going to be stupid. Aaron Rodgers should just go away,
but go to add Am Adam ass Mark anything?
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Hey Mark, Good afternoon, sir, Good afternoon.
Speaker 11 (38:52):
So everybody's talking about the offense and Mike McCarthy, Drerowl
or Will Howard, you know, rightfully, so.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
You know you got your concerns.
Speaker 11 (39:03):
But what is McCarthy's recent defenses in Dallas were complete trash.
You got a bunch of aging veterans, overpaid players.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
What are describing the Dallas defense of the current Steeler defense?
Speaker 11 (39:15):
The current Steeler defense, Sir, Yeah, I'm.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Not sure that's his responsibility. I mean, he has a
defensive coordinator. Hopefully this guy will do better than the
great defensive genius Mike Tomlin did with the same guys.
Speaker 12 (39:30):
Yeah, I mean, like I said, even in his defenses
in Dallas, and he.
Speaker 11 (39:33):
Is responsible for to eat the head coach. Now the
dudes in offense, so you're looking.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
To blame Mike McCarthy already for the defense being bad.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
I got a better idea.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Why don't we blame overpaid and overrated guys like TJ.
Watt and Cam Hayward. Cam Hayward do I think's won
one playoff game?
Speaker 4 (39:50):
TJ. Watt, I know, hasn't won any.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
Why doesn't the player on defense go to the players
who have got paid and underachieved constantly?
Speaker 5 (40:00):
Fair enough?
Speaker 13 (40:01):
And I'm the context.
Speaker 11 (40:03):
Didn't mean to shoot at McCarthy. I like McCarthy, don't
get me wrong, It's just you know what I mean,
just with with that roster.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
And that defense, the NFL, thank you for the call
of the NFL. I mean, defense is important, to be sure,
but it's not about defense as much as it is offense,
as much as it is score more faster, about as
much as it is moving to the modern level of
the way offensive football is played in this league. And
Mike McCarthy offers that it's going to Ryan Ryan, You're
(40:31):
on with double.
Speaker 13 (40:32):
M hey, Mark, great question. How do you feel about
the idea of trading Tommy no back? I just wonder
that he might be one of the more valuable assets
we have to trade. He's young, and he's gone a
good contract.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Okay, okay, okay, let me back up. Why would you
want to trade the guy who's young and on a
good contract.
Speaker 13 (40:56):
Not so much that I want to trade him, just
thinking about why not.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Trade the older guys who were fading and on bad contracts?
Speaker 13 (41:05):
What would we get in return?
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Though?
Speaker 1 (41:07):
What would get in return as a new starts. What
don't you get a third of this roster? All the
important players perceived as important anyway, they're all thirty three
or over. Bruv, it's time to start over. You're not
gonna win now, Sydney Crosby, if Guinea Manck and Chris Latang,
the whole gang, they're not going to win again in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (41:27):
They're just not. This can't be on their timetable.
Speaker 13 (41:31):
I don't disagree, but I think we have other centers
coming up that can fill that slow and maybe we
should work on the Blue line.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
I think we have other West Wings coming up to
can fill the av Guinea Malkin slot.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
You're not wrong, mark my words.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
If coven In gets the amount, well no, that's dumb
because he hasn't shown anything at all. But like I
want to see what Billy Coyvenan can do in forty
games uninterrupted playing barring injury, peerod. We don't know about
him yet.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
We thank you for the call.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
We have to put aside the idea of how important
it is the scratch in the playoffs. It's important to
win a series. In fact, more than that, it's important
to win multiple series. It's important to be a legitimate contender. Again,
if Guinny Malkin does nothing to make you that on
his timetable what he has left, he just doesn't.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Hey, Mark, I was wondering, do you think you'll still
be alive to see any of Pittsburgh's three major sports
teams win a championship? No, I don't. That doesn't bother me.
I've seen enough, especially the Penguins. I never thought they'd
win once. They've won five times. So I'm grateful this
(42:52):
stuff about. You know, we I gotta see them win. Well,
I've seen them win, and I also understand in the
Penguins case, exactly why they won how And I know
keeping old guys around weren't what did it?
Speaker 4 (43:06):
Let's go to Tyler. Tyler ask Mark anything.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
Hey, Mark, I just wanted to get your opinion on
how you think Ben de Nucci's high school coach, Coach
K he's gonna fare being at North Hills now after
his tenure at Marsa.
Speaker 4 (43:20):
Oh, I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I'm excited about Eric Hasparovich going back home where he played,
to North Hills High schol where he still teaches, and
being the head coach. I think he's a really good
offensive mind. I think, with all due respect to Pat Carrey,
they had an interim guy last year, but Pat coached
a long time before that. Pat was a defensive mind.
I think Eric will get the most out of out
(43:43):
of what North Hills has on offense. I think they
got to do that. My buddy Austin ellis the quarterback.
Janelle Hall's kid. He's a junior kid, great athlete, quarterback.
I think coach K will get the most out of him.
Let's go to a talkback, say.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
One top five teamster vallar career.
Speaker 5 (44:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
First off, don't call from a win tunnel next time.
And yeah, you want Drew Aller to fail, I get it.
He's gonna be good here. What he did at college
got very little to do with here. You'll have better
coaching here, a game plan, not tailored to him, but
eventually it will be if he becomes what we hope
McCarthy's a good fit for him. Penn State wasn't a
good fit. He had how many what four offensive coordinators
(44:28):
of Penn State. You're either a Penn State fan who's
bitter because he didn't do what you wanted him to
face at Penn State's never going to win a national championship.
He got him to a semi final. That's as good
as they're ever going to do, whether you like to
admit that or not. Or you're a Pitt guy who's
mad because the twit from Pitt weren't it? Okay, Aler's
the guy write it down.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
You heard it here.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
Up next Mormalkin talk and we got Sean Sweets and
the former Steeler kicker talking about the Malone Family Foundation.
Speaker 4 (44:58):
We had the Heroes game night at RMU.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
It was great, and we got the gal at tomorrow
night at the River's Casino, and we'll talk of course
about Kickers.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
Getting seven million bucks.
Speaker 1 (45:08):
And Sean Sweeum has a considerable hockey background and a
considerable presence in area hockey. Right now, that's Sweem at
five point thirty one, oh five nine, that's
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Joy is essential. And it's also elusive. You can't order it, borrow it, or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence: The Joy 101 Podcast with Hoda! Best known for her Emmy-winning work and co-anchoring Today, Hoda Kotb infuses her authenticity, curiosity, and warmth into conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sport icons, wellness experts, and everyday folks will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. Hoda will offer her own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced, harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune in to these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty-nester, joy after loss, joy as a caretaker — Hoda's new podcast will speak to you. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, an iHeartPodcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com