January 14, 2026 • 42 mins
Mark is joined this hour by Paul Zeise and Alan Saunders to talk STeelers coaching search. Ask Mark Anything!
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
I guess we're gonna keep talking about Tomlin joining me
now to do that the comins for the Post Gazette,
he is Paul Seiss, Paul was Tomlin?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Puster? Did he jump.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
From everything? I understand he jumped, and you know, the
the questions about whether he was pushed or jumped. I
think if you read the tea leaves for the last
three or four weeks, pretty clear that he was ready
to make a move because he had a lot of
things going on in his in his personal life.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yeah, I think that's probably true. And Art Rooney today,
I mean, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't put it
past Art or Tomlin to lie, but I didn't sense
that was the case at Art's press conference today. Is
it the best thing for the Steelers to move on
from Mike Tomlin?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Pros and cons?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Obviously, the cons are, you've had a guy there for
a long long time and he kind of gets the
job done too though, and you know, change is scary.
So that's the pros. I mean, I mean, I'm sorry,
you know. To me, that's the pros. I'm sorry, that's
the cons of him moving on. The pros to me
are it was time you know, sometimes it's time and
(01:26):
I would take it. I would take it to this
level mark and this is probably next level stuff. But
think about it like this. How many people do you
know that are married and they stay married because well,
it works, it's just kind of okay, and you know,
he's not terrible or she's not terrible, and they stay
married forever and they never achieve true happiness in their relationship,
(01:48):
right because they never really are willing to make the move.
It's like, hey, this isn't working. And the reason it's
not working is because you know, this is just sort
of kind of good enough and familiar. And then they
you know, sometimes people end up leaving that situation and
they end up maybe in a worse situation, but most
of the time or many times, they end up in
(02:09):
a better situation and they realize, man, I wasted a
lot of time in that marriage that just was sort
of a marriage of convenience. So I think the Steelers
right now have the opportunity to make a move to
go re energize, you know, bring somebody new him with
fresh eyes and fresh ideas. I hate the idea that
you know, aren't really left the door open. Well, you know,
(02:32):
so many these assistants could stay. Why came the whole
thing out money? You know, did you have a chance
to move in a different direction, move in a different direction. No,
I don't get rid of everybody and move in a
different direction.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I think it's time for an organizational reset, which the
Steelers don't very often.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Have a chance to do.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
And I think, as their tradition dictates, they will get
a promising assistant coach. But what I'm worried about is,
and I bet they do, they get a defensive guy
an offensive mind, because that's what the league is now.
It's score more and faster. It should be time for
a philosophical reset.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Well, I'll say this, I agree with you from that
from sort of, But then I look at the fact
that the team that kicked their ass up and down
the field the other night was a young defensive mind.
You know, a guy who you know made his bones
as a defensive coach. Uh. Clearly he's a younger coach
(03:31):
with younger ideas. You know, he sees, you know, he's
a guy who sort of gets how modern day football
is played. He's got a quarterback who's kind of interesting
in some ways. But he was not afraid to be aggressive.
You know, if Tomlin, here's the difference. If Tomlin, you know,
if C. J. Stroud would have fumbled the first one
(03:53):
that he did and then the second one he did,
Tomland went a ran the ball for the rest of
the game. But Demiko right kept, you know, saying, go
out there, kid and figure it out, because he understands
modern football. So it's not so much about what side
of the ball guy's coming from. To me, It's about
is this guy someone who really understands how football is
(04:15):
played nowadays?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
No, that that's a real good point. I definitely see
where you're coming from.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
We're talking to Paul's Ice in the Post Gazette here
on the Mark Madden Show, brought to us by eighty
four Lumber. Uh, you got any names that you like
if you could make the higher who were who were
the top two or three in your mind?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Well, I'm instrigged by a couple of people. I'm actually
believing or not, even though you know, I'm actually intrigued
a little bit by Brian Flores. I know that people
don't worry about he's the defensive guy, and of course
he was mean to to and to a you know,
went into his bag or whatever. But I think he's
a good football coach, and I think he's a guy
(04:53):
that gets the way that you know, the NFL has
played that. I've just started doing a little research on Sue,
his grandson. It gives me a little bit of pause
because he's Schulen's grandson, because that would be a typical
Rooney hire, wouldn't it be if they hire somebody that
you know, is familiar or whatever you want to say.
But you know, I kind of like some of the
(05:15):
things I'm reading about him. Uh, those are two guys
that so far that they have attracted me. I have
no interest in Jesse Mint or whatever his name is
from the Chargers. I think it would be Tomlin. Tomlin,
you know, uh number two so so so so far.
Toy Shula and and and Flores are the two that
I say, yeah, you know, I think I could get
(05:37):
behind that.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
You said that they should clean us with the coaches,
and I agree, But I guarantee Danny Smith will be
out there doing his clom act on the sideline next season.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
What about the players?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Would you clean out a lot of players into a
roster reset as well? Is that possible, even with some
of the guaranteed money they frankly gave out very foolishly.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think they could get I mean,
to me, you know Cam anyway we can. You can
say whatever you want to say about him, but he
was an All Pro this year and he's on a
pretty team friendly contract for next year. I mean, I
think to me, you know, if he wants to come back,
I don't know that that'd be the you know, the
worst move in the world. I think he's a pretty
effective player. Still. The want is the guy that I
(06:20):
would move on from. And I think that I read well,
I read Matt Williams and said if they if they
just straight out cut him, forget about trading him, they
straight up cut him, it would be thirty million dollars
in dead cap money, but it would free up twelve
million on a cap. So really, if you look at
the net there for one year, that wouldn't be horrible.
(06:40):
And I think that you know, you you move on
from him because I think that you're you're basically saying
that you've got younger, cheaper options, uh, and you want
to free up some playing time for some other guys.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, they're just not gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I mean, I totally agree, I'd try to trade him
that I'd cut him. They should have franchised him in
the first place, not giving him that deal, and enfranchised
him for the coming year if they wanted.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
But they're just not going to embarrass him.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Because it's not that kind of cutfroat organization, not since
Dan got feeble, right.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
But by the same token, you know what, here's what
I always go back to Mark. They said to hinz Ward,
time to get on with your life's work. They said
to Troy paulam Allo, time you get on with your
life's work. They said to Ben Roethlisberger, time to get
on with your life's work. I don't know, tell us,
(07:33):
you know, I don't know that. You know that they
would be that hesitant to tell that to TJ wat
he probably would say, no, I still want to play,
and then of course they would go through the process.
I think they would have a hard time trading for him,
or at least they could trade. You know, they're not
getting the first round pick for him, and maybe some
team will give him a third round pick and you trade,
you trade him away if that's what he wants. I'm
(07:54):
just saying to me, I think if you look at
a roster reseat, I mean, all of those guys that
they brought, they brought him like ninety seven secondary guys, right.
I mean to me, you try and keep Jalen Ramsey around,
you can. You definitely obviously give Joey Porter an extension,
you know what, But all those other guys are just
sort of guys. Douger and Samuels and all these other guys.
(08:15):
They're all guys I know for I know for some reason,
and I think it's because he's white and a try
hard guy. People are in love with Peyton Wilson. But
you gotta you've got to find a better situation at
the inside linebacker position. I don't know what Patrick Queen,
I don't know what his contract is, but he's another
(08:36):
guy who basically, for some reason it's thought of as
some sort of superstar. And if you added misstackles to
his actual tackle category, yeah, he'd be pretty good. So
to me, I'm loving at this team and I'm like,
there's some guys you could move on from, create some
cap space, use all those draft picks to continue to
(08:58):
reload and rebuild. I mean at the end of the day,
I keep hearing this nonsense about how well this isn't
a very attractive job because there's not a quarterback in place. Yeah,
but it's also the only job that you're gonna get
where you can probably have five or six years no
matter what you're gonna do. So you know, if you
can't get it right in five or six years, probably
not on anybody but you. So I think that you
(09:19):
could make this roster younger. I think you can make
this roster a little bit, you know, then they can
use your draft picks and keep a little bit more athletic,
a little bit more, a little faster, a little you know,
because what I saw on Monday Mark was very simple.
The Steelers got their hind parts kicked by a team
(09:43):
that was younger, faster, stronger, more athletic, and that's what
they need to focus on. I mean, the quarterback situation
is not an easy solution, but all the other parts
of that you can do.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
No I agree with all that, and will quarterback is
a big problem. You can fix everything around and then
get your quarterback. Whenever you get your quarterback. That said,
what do you think they'll do next year at quarterback?
Who's gonna play, because obviously Rogers isn't coming back, and
I see that as a good side effect from Tomlin quitting.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Right, No, I doubt that they're gonna do what they
need to do to draft, you know, to trade up
the draft quarterback, and I don't even know who would
be available, So it kind of feels like we'll probably
end up the year. Next year will be another year
with another bridge quarterback guy. You know, I don't know
(10:34):
who that is.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
What about Rudolph? What about Howard? What about a combinations thereof.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
I mean, I think they're really really good quarterback room
guys for your second and thirteen guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, but but Paul, But Paul, I want to tank
for Arch And I'm not kidding. I mean, I know
that doesn't always work out, but I want to see
what this team could do with the four and thirteen
or a five and twelve season. I didn't like hurt
hearing today from Art that we try to compete every
year because this coming year you can't.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And five wins would be better than eight.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And I always say this mark to people that tell me, Wow,
I don't know what you're upset about. This team hasn't
had a losing record since two thousand and three, and
I say, yeah, you're right, And guess what that record
is why they got Ben Roethlisberger for the next fifteen
or eighteen years. And the point about it is, I'll
go one step further, Okay, And I know a lot
(11:24):
of Steeler fans. I've asked this question and they just
they're lying to themselves when they tell me the answer.
Would you take the Patriots post Brady years if it
led you to Drake May or your equivalent to Drake
May versus what the Steelers have done since Ben Roethlisberger,
And every single you know, every single person with a
(11:44):
plane would say, Okay, so they suffered a couple of
bad seasons, but now they've got their quarterback of the
future for the next ten, twelve, thirteen, fifteen years. And
here's the other part of it. Okay, they've actually won
a playoff game more than the Steelers have over them
for the last nine years. So you can take in
the last nine years of the Steelers combined even with
Ben Roethlisberg, and guess what, the Patriots are already in
(12:05):
a better position because they bounced down. And then you know,
because they went and they were willing to basically be
okay with let's rebuild and let's try and strip it
down and then you know the other thing they did.
It was pretty amazing that the Steelers wouldn't do. They
hired a coach for a year and they realized, this
(12:25):
guy is waging over his head. I mean, Jared Mayol
would have got seventeen years with the Steelers probably, But
the bottom line is the Patriots said, we made a
bad higher. Hell with it. He's gone by and that's
the end of it. And that's what you have to
do in the modern day NFL especially, you have to
be willing to be bold like that. And the other
team I always compare to the Steelers too. You know,
(12:46):
would you'll take the last six seven years of the Eagles,
even though they had a four and thirteen in there,
you know, would you take and they had three coaches
over that period, would you take the last seven years
of the Steelers? I mean if the Eagles versus the Steelers,
and every single person would say, uh yeah, except for
the you know, never except for the crowd that thinks
there's a trophy for never having a losing season. Yeah,
(13:08):
they had a four and thirteen or whatever it was
four and twelve or whatever, whatever it was. Right, they
had a horrible season. They fired a coach, you know
what I mean, they brought in another coach, and you
know what, the coach, the coach they fired, by the way,
won a Super Bowl. The coach they rehired. The next
coach they hired, he's won a Super Bowl. What are
we talking about here, Paul?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Great stuff is always good work in the post Caauzette.
We'll talk again next week.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
All right, thanks Mark, I'm doctor soon.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
That's Paul's ice. Great having him on the show.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
We got Alan Saunders at Pittsburgh Steelers now at the
bottom of the hour, and we got calls on the
fifteens next even though it's almost fifteen already. But I
want to know this is cliched and we'll probably carry
it into tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
What would you do with quarterback next year?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I would go with Rudolph and Howard because I don't
think you're looking to try to compete next year. But
that's not what our rooney said. Eight three three four
one two WSDX. That's the number two.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Tomorrow night, the Pens face off against the Flyers.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Game time is seven.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Our coverage starts at six here every game, and the
best coverage right here on your home of the Pens
one five nine d X iHeartRadio.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Alter you go to it.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
We're off in a rock to the rules.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I make double M.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
How are you liking nappy X at one?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Let's got out of Steven Imperial Steve, you're on calls
on the fifteens.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Good day, Double M?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I said, good day.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
So I agree with you completely about rolling with Rudolph
and Howard next season and trying to tank. But with
Will Howard, we drafted him fresh off a national championship
and we really haven't seen what the kid has.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeo, I think you're misunderstanding why I want him to play.
I wanted to play specifically because I don't think he's
an NFL quarterback.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
So what have we seen though? That that says that,
the the fact that he got picked.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
In the fifth round, the fact that all the scotting
reports say he's very marginal at best, a career backup
at best.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I suppose they could all be wrong.
Speaker 6 (15:11):
He could be lightning in a bottle and we just
haven't opened it yet.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
That's true, Well, then if he was that and goes
eight to nine. That's the worst case scenario. Let's go
to Patrick, Patrick, You're on with double M.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Save us once and six? Good day? What man?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Hey?
Speaker 7 (15:27):
The will Howard dambit not unlike the Vienna and Danish
dambits in chess, where you give up a little material
in the opening to gain the advantage in the end.
I absolutely love it. It's exactly what the Steelers Steelers.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Need to do.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I was just talking Gary Kasparv the other day and
he made the same comparison.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Mark.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
As far as the coaching goes, if they app if
they go look at a defensive mind, you gotta think
that's more of the same.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
I think they no.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I know, I think anybody different is better.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
I mean, I'm not going to say Chris Shule is
a bad higher the defensive coordinator in LA if that's
the one they make. In fact, you hear a lot
of good things about the guy, and that's who I
think it's gonna be.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
By the way, I.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
Really like the Shieldhouse guy you mentioned earlier. But he's
really young. I think he's thirty.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's too young. That locker room wouldn't take him. Seriously,
thirty's too young for this team. I think thirty is
too young for an NFL head coach. In general, you
get thirty three, thirty four. I mean the Steelers have
done that. I think kyr was thirty four. I think
Tomlin was thirty four. But thirty is too young. Let's
go to our good friend, the Hebrew hammer Hammer Yuck Shamash, Hey.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yuk Shamash.
Speaker 8 (16:41):
I've always been more impartial to Bobby Fisher, but I digress. Hey,
I think you mentioned Stefanski.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
It's the best option.
Speaker 8 (16:50):
And in regards to quarterback, you heard what the owners
said today. The job is to stay in contention every year.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Yeah, you're right, and Stefanski might be the best tire
for that because I think he'd have the most immediate adjustment.
Still young, forty two, NFL coached, the experience. In fact,
he's two times NFL Coach of the Year, and he
knows the division and knows the roster well.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
That In regards to quarterback, though, I don't think they're
gonna go with the Howard or Rudolph.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
They're gonna want.
Speaker 9 (17:21):
They're gonna plug that with a guy who's been somewhere
and done something that will be absurd.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And I really don't know who that would be. Who
would you conjecture?
Speaker 8 (17:30):
Well, I mean I don't have the free agent list
in front of me, but you know what the.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Ready Kirk Cousins somebody like that.
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Sure, if your job is to contend, the owner said it.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
Their job is to contend every year.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Yeah that I don't think that job will be fulfilled.
But I mean, hey, go ahead and try and waste
another year if that's what you'd like. You know, to
be honest, I think Will Howard's a bum. I would
like to find out about him.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
What's the harm?
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
I mean it would be in I mean, you're mentioned
in all these scouting reports. I mean, put it on
the field and see what happens. The most interesting thing
I've heard today, would.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
You like, miss er?
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Why not.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Next week it's supposed to snow.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Are you ready for this?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Fifty fifty three inches?
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Not here.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yes, that's just not true.
Speaker 8 (18:27):
The snow I'm again and was twenty inches. They say
it could snow fifty three inches.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I'm like, it is in the space of how much time.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I don't care if it's sixty days. I just inches.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I just don't believe that.
Speaker 8 (18:48):
Well, we'll see it's never happens with the odds are
on our side, but you can be on the edge.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeweather dot com it says nothing about that.
Speaker 8 (18:58):
Well, keep looking, I am.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
It says, it says okay, next week, it says, okay,
here's the forecast for next Thursday. Okay, partly Sonny thirty
six degrees. I think you're trying to cause a panic
to get people to watch the weather report on TV
like they do. That's your cue, Wami, let's go one
more Newman, Newman.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You're on with Mark.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
Do you think we're ever going to get an interview
tell all from Rogers about how dysfunctional the Steelers were?
Speaker 4 (19:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I think he loves Mike Tomlin legitimately and too much
to ever do that. I think I think his experience
here has been good. I think he might throw certain
players under the bus, maybe even Arthur Smith, but not
Tom Win. And if you don't tell the truth about
Tom Win, how much truth is there really worth telling?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (19:50):
I mean, I definitely think we'll hear some of the
passive aggression about some members of that in the coaching
staff or players. But yeah, it seems like he really
buys into that mass psychosis that Tomlin is like the guru.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
More neurosist than psychosis, but maybe sociopathy. But that's good stuff.
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Speaker 1 (22:05):
The coaching situation talk continues. We speak now with Alan
Saunders of Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, Alan, my choice to coach
would be Stefanski, my expected pick by them is shuelup.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Who would you pick and who will they hire?
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Well, I agree with you that I don't think they
will hire Stefanski, and I have a hard time saying
that a guy is a two time NFL Coach of
the Year would not be one of the better options
out there.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
It just does not feel like the way they do things.
And I do think this is very much a coaching.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
Search where the way they do things matters. The Pittsburgh
Steelers have this strong coaching tradition. Art Rooney as an
owner has generally sought to uphold Steelers traditions, and it
just kind of feels like they're gonna hire the guy
that seems most like Mike Tomlin and Bill Kwer and
Chuck Mole when they hired those guys. And so if
(22:59):
that's the case, I think you make a very good
argument for Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator of the Los
Angeles Rams.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I don't like the idea of a defensive name.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
I like the idea of getting an offensive guy to
move forward with the times in the NFL, which is
all about score more and faster, but out the defensive names,
Shula isn't unappealing since they're not gonna recycle. They haven't
recycled a guy who had been a head coach in
the NFL since Buddy Parker in nineteen fifty seven.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I might like Clint Kubiak a little more than Sula.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I might like the Rams passing coordinator Shieldhouse a little
bit more too, But he's only thirty. I can't see
them hiring a guy that young, and I'm not sure
that's a good fit for what figures to be an
older locker room.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
I think they could.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
There's a scenario where they could end up hiring Shola
and having him bring Shieldhouse with him as their offensive coordinator.
I think that would be a very attractive option.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
That's a great call, Allen, That's that's a good thought.
What happened with Tom Win? Did he did he jump
or was he pushed? T'd that play out in your mind?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I think he absolutely was was jumping and and and
I think pretty clearly. I mean, when you make the
decision immediately after the game to tell the players, Hey,
we're going to meet tomorrow at two o'clock, I mean
that means the decision was made long before they stepped
on the field Monday night, I you think you could see,
(24:30):
you know, the way he answered questions over the years,
there was definitely a softening of his stance about how
long he was going to do this and and things
like that. You know, very obviously said, you know, I'm
closer to the end than than the beginning a couple
of years ago. I don't know what the thing that
pushed him over the edge was, but I I do.
You know, Ronnie said today that he felt like it
(24:53):
was more about family than football, and you know, his
kids are older, there's maybe not as much keeping him here.
I wonder how much that side of things mattered as
much as the lack of success in the postseason on
the football field.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Did Where did Tomlin fail? And how much in your
mind did he fail? What were the moments that led
to this?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I think that's a great question, and I think it's
an important question when you're looking at how the Steelers
move forward, because if you don't fix those things, you're
just going to repeat them. I think one of the
areas tom I think the biggest area Tomlin failed is
that don't I agree with your take that offensive philosophy
is more important than the NFL right now? And I
(25:36):
do think that you can win with defensive head coaches.
Seattle's had a great year with Mike McDonald, look what
Rabel has done in New England. But I think if
you're gonna have a defensive head coach, that offensive coordinator
becomes about the second most important guy in the organization.
And I don't feel like the Steelers ever treated that
position that way under Mike Tomlin. Now, whether that was
(25:58):
a Tomlin thing or that want to spend money on
coaches thing, I don't know. I guess we're gonna find out.
But to me, that's the big failure of Mike Tomlin
is that he never invested in an offensive mind to
match his defensive prowess.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Totally agree with that.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
In terms of a micro causem one moment drafting Picket,
which was his call that set the organization back at
least five years, maybe longer.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Well, in your drafted picket with Mack Canada as his
offensive coordinator. I mean, maybe Picket would have turned out
okay if he had a Clint Kobiak there. But the
guy I read a chance in the environment that he
was drafted into, and that's really a sort of double
barrel failure.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Another micro cause of Allen just kind of thinking out
a lout here. They traded up to get Broderick Jones,
then constantly put him in a position to fail. They
wanted to make sure Dan Moore got his veteran respect
instead of making their franchise left tackle even the left
tackle at all.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
And now he's about to go into the offseason where
they have to decide whether to pick up his fifth
year option. Really through very little fault of his own,
they don't have any idea if he can play left
tackle at the NFL level.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
No, no question about that. Art Rooney said. The object
is to compete every year. I don't think they're going
to compete next year, and they could make it a
year that's even less beneficial by trying to. I mean,
you try to win, but you know what I mean,
it's just I think they have to accept it next
year as a transition year, and I think the biggest
(27:26):
disaster would be nine and eight.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
Again, I don't know that they're going to I kind
of get for the sense from talking to Art Rooney
today that they very much are not okay with bringing
someone on board who picture for this organization is, well,
let's take a step back and see where it thinks.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
No, he literally said that they don't want to waste
a year.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Yeah, and so I just I don't think that's what's
gonna happen. I think they're going to keep trying to win.
And I look at the talent they have and the
talent that's available to them, especially at the quarterback position,
and I don't see how they possibly do a lot
better than what they were this year. I mean, it
looks like a year where that's about their ceiling, and.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
I think they're gonna shoot for it. Anyway.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Who will be the quarterback next year? What will the
plan be?
Speaker 5 (28:16):
I don't have a clue. It doesn't sound like it'll
be Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Now, No, for sure not. He wanted to play for
Tomlin period.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
I mean, Malik Willis is the one guy who's a
free agent that feels a little bit interesting that maybe
you could develop into something. Ty Simpson from Alabama. The
quarterback class in this draft has completely falling apart with
Dante More going back to Oregon today, ty Simpson from
Alabama is maybe the one guy they could draft who
you would be kind of okay with being a starter
(28:45):
in his first year. I don't even know about that.
It's bleak in terms of, Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
They're not going to start whoever in their first year.
Where do they draft them this year or next year
or whatever year. Again, they're going to adhere to their
traditions and you know, maybe it works, but I don't know.
I think the league's just changed so much. What about
assistant coaches, Alan, I would bet they bring a bunch
of guys back.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
They just have that loyalty at their own expense.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
I think they do have a number of contracts that
are up. They also have a couple of older guys
who are just assistants that I think probably will maybe
not want to work for a first time head coach
that we're comfortable working with Mike Tomlin in a different way.
So I think there will be a good.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Amount of turnover on the coaching staff.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
I would be surprised if they're all gone, but I
think you'll see most of those guys, And I mean
are saying today that he did not even consider Arthur
Smith to be a candidate for this job when he
is being interviewed by other teams for their head coaching vacancies.
Tells me they're probably not real high on him coming
back even though he's under contract.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
So I mean, if I was picking.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Right now, I would say three new coordinators, maybe some
of the assistants.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Day What about the players?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Will they try to get out of some of those
big contracts for older players because that'll be tough to do.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Like obviously signing TJ.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Watson that deal was a grievous error, but I don't
see any way to correct it.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Do you.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Sort of just you know, pad in hand asking him
to take less money. That's about all they can do.
I think they can get away from Jalen Ramsey's deal
if they want to. They could probably get away from
some of the other ones like Patrick Queen maybe if
they wanted to, but I mean I don't And Kim Hayward,
I mean, he got underpaid even though he's he was great.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I mean he's the one.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
He's the one guy among the big money guys that
I can look at his having done his job with
no disclaimer.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Yeah, so I would be surprised if Ramsey's back at
that price. He has no guaranteed money left on his deal,
so they can play around with that if they want
to try to bring him back at a different salary level,
but I think they be in line to try to
find some ways to make some money. The good news
is they have a lot of cab space. It's not
like they're really hurting for it, that those contracts are
(31:05):
crippling them. And when you look at what they really
need quarterback and wide receiver, there's so little out there
on the free agent market that I don't know that
they need to be aggressive about cutting fat even where
it kind of obviously exists.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Alan, great stuff. I appreciate you taking a time, fantastic input.
I hope we talk soon.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Thanks March. We'll see it.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
That's Alan Saunders of Pittsburgh Steelers now and speaking to
now now.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
It is time to ask Mark anything by dialing A
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Speaker 2 (31:48):
It gets you on quicker.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Or you can leave a talk back via the microphone
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Speaker 2 (31:53):
Some news for tomorrow's show returning triumphantly and.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Boy, this is the perfect week from to do it.
The King of Old School, John Steigerwald and then a
little over twenty years after his famous sermon at DeMont
to the Penguins media, calling the Penguins soft and saying
my favorite line.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
They say they care. I know they don't.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
It's former Penguins coach Mike Terry. And yes we will
play the speech before Iron Mike comes on. But right now,
ask Mark anything.
Speaker 11 (32:31):
One oh five nine, It's the Woody Show tomorrow morning
from six till ten.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
WHOA you got a day Wednesday?
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Maybe on one o seven years here start twenty twenty six.
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By showing your gratitude.
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Iheartradios to thank a teacher powered by donors. Choose thanks.
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It's the fast playing Grandma. I'm ready to go to
Tim Horton for the fat Freeze donuts.
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The exit one oh five nine.
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Steelers God PERMISSI interview the two l A.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Rams guys, the defensive coordinator Shoe Lob and the passing
game coach, the young guy thirty years old, Shielhouse.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
And now word is.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Out that they're going to talk as as as predicted
to the LA Chargers defensive coordinator minter So all the
names that uh that we thought they'd talk to the
Steelers are going to Now it's time to ask Mark
anything brought to us by People's hyphengas dot com.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Uh, let's go to Chad. Chad your only double M.
Speaker 10 (33:35):
Hey, double M, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
H question about the video advertising board that are around
the ice and specifically when you go on the road.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
Uh, you see all uh you know, all the Pittsburgh
local advertisements.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
There on those those are done.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Those are done on TV, the local ads for Pittsburgh
companies and places. When you see them when the Penwys
played at Detroit, that's only on TV. They obviously have
local advertising in Detroit. What you thought Eaton Park was
buying advertising in Detroit?
Speaker 6 (34:06):
No, but I was curious if that's like you got
to pay extra for to get that kind of stuff, Honor,
Today I've overtaken video boards.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Let's go to Tommy. Tommy, you're on with double M.
Mark justin goodbye. Let's go to Harry and Westview. Harry,
you're on with Mark.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
Ekes my ears.
Speaker 10 (34:25):
Hey, Mark, question, do you do you think you're gonna
like Mike Tomlinan when he goes into the media and
what do you think he's gonna be a studio guy?
Because I can't imagine Bob.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Says he won't go in the meeting that Tomlin has
expressed to him that he has no interest in doing that.
Art Rooney said today he thinks Tomlin quit because of
family reasons, and there can be all kinds of family reasons.
Uh So, I don't think for a lot of reasons.
I don't think he'll do anything this first year.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Nothing.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
I think he'll just take a year off from everything.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Well, I hope it's nothing bad. I mean, that's the
main thing.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Depends on anyway. Let's go to Dan, Dan, ask Mark anything.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
What's up?
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Double ABM? What not?
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Mind? Hey?
Speaker 8 (35:10):
With respect to Tomlin, So with the Steelers keeping his rights,
I get a question for you, and it sounds stupid,
but it's a question.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
There's no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid people
who ask questions.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
So go ahead, they noted.
Speaker 8 (35:24):
So let's say Tomlin takes a year off he wants
to come back in twenty twenty seven, the Steelers have
his rights. Do you think Rooney would just be willing
to take less because he feels like he owns I
think Rooney will.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Let him go for free. I don't think he'll ask
for anything in return. The Steelers do technically have his rights,
but I do not think Art will indulge that to
the Steelers gain. For example, DK Metcalf smacked that fan
in Detroit lost his guaranteed money, and Art gave the
guarantees right back. He's either a really good guy or soft,
depending on your point of view.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
I agree, and I don't trust the team to bought
him out, So I think the main thing they need
to do is try to get a second first round
pick in twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
However they can, and I think.
Speaker 8 (36:09):
Tomlin might be their best bet. But yeah, I agree,
I don't see it out.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I'm not going to do that.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Nobody would trade a first round pick for Tomlin. Nobody,
Nobody a couple of years ago, maybe now nobody. And
one reason I think Mike's gonna take a year off
coaching is because I think the myth of him getting
a job five minutes after he's available would be exposed
as just that a myth.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
I think you get a job. I don't think it
would be any place where he'd succeed. Let's go to Dino.
Dino ask Mark anything, Oh hey, Mark.
Speaker 5 (36:39):
Real quick?
Speaker 14 (36:40):
Did you hear really the second press conference day where
he made a reference which he must have been talking
about the Rooney rule, where he said that, you know,
the process is going to take longer because of the
procedures in place by the NFL, the higher coach. I mean,
isn't that the Runey that his father put in place?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
He didn't direction of the Rooney roll.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
I don't think the Ruiney rule had anything to do
with this, with this, uh, with Tom win leaving or
what they do moving forward.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Let's go to Steve Hey.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Mark got a question for you, so generational talent, it's
hard to compare athletes across eras or across you know,
across their generations. I feel like athletes today would probably
be successful in older sports. Do you think athletes from
long ago would be successful in today's sports?
Speaker 2 (37:26):
I think I think some would. I mean how long
ago we talking about?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I don't know, like Bobby Orr would.
Speaker 5 (37:32):
He be.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Absolutely absolutely, no question, because don't forget all the things
that make today's hockey players better, like better skates, composite sticks,
you know, training regimens, nutrition, those would all be available
to a Bobby or or Gordy How if they played
in today's era.
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Yeah, like you can't teaching that coordination or athleticism.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
I'll give you another example.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
Yeah, Babe Ruth, you're telling me in the nineties, Babe
Ruth wanted taken steroids hit it hit one hundred and
ten home runs.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Let's get a rick on the south side.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Hey, what up?
Speaker 8 (38:12):
Double m what up?
Speaker 4 (38:15):
The question for you?
Speaker 9 (38:16):
And this is not in a condescending tone.
Speaker 6 (38:18):
It's something I wonder myself.
Speaker 9 (38:20):
When you talk about Tomlin and his shortcomings as the
dealer stands the people outside of the Pittsburgh bubble, you know,
one of the things that they'll say is, oh, well,
he's one of four coaches that's gone ten and seven
in the last three years.
Speaker 6 (38:32):
Great, the other ones are the Bills.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
What's that?
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Yeah, I just don't care that he went ten and
seven the last million years. However, many it was, what's
your point?
Speaker 9 (38:42):
Well, no, I'm asking because the point that they make is,
you know, you got Josh Allen with the Bills, Jalen
Hurts with the Eagles, and Stafford with the Rams, and
then it's us with the Hodgepodge of quarterback.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah, the hodgepodget quarterback is something he's responsible for. He
drafted Pickett. He's recycled all these old bums. He's never
known what to do with the quarterback position. The only
time he had a good quarterback is when and he inherited.
Let's go to Joe and Bethel Park. Joe, you're all
with Mark, Mark.
Speaker 10 (39:14):
I thank you for the compelling hockey talk in the
past couple of days, especially with Pierre.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Not yesterday, but yeah, go ahead, just be really good,
keep it up. Of course it is. What's your point?
Speaker 6 (39:30):
My fact is that I appreciated it, and I wanted
to buy goodbye.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
That I mean, I appreciate you appreciating Maybe that's just boring,
effing radio.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
I just wondering.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
I know you're not the biggest fan of Tomlin historically,
but if you were forced us to name three things
that you thought he did successful or that you.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Admired about him, what would those things be.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
He won to he won a Super Bowl, he got
to a Super another super Bowl, and he inherited a
good team and made the most of it. Other than that,
I think he was a fraud, a myth. I don't
think he was ever a good coach. Nobody can tell
me why he's a good coach. He does this well,
does that well, he's a good coach. Just because I
gotta be honest, I don't have a lot of respect
for the guy or what he accomplished.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
That makes me a bad person. I guess I can
go f myself. Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 15 (40:17):
Hey, Mark, I think it's becoming more and more evident
that that George Pickens trade was just absolutely mishandled and
will go down as the worst trade in franchise history
and one of the worst trades in NFL history.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Yeah, no, it won't. He George Pickens is a guy
you just don't win with. He's ab two, not as good.
You don't win with guys like that. I had no
problem with him trading Pickens. I did have a problem
with him never getting a number two wide receiver for
either of the last two seasons. Never having a number
two wide receiver for two straight seasons. Let's go to
(40:54):
one more talkback.
Speaker 10 (40:56):
Mark.
Speaker 13 (40:56):
You mentioned what I was thinking. The Steelers had a
good reputation and culture, and since around twenty ten, the
Steelers have had at least one idiot on the team
that chipped away from that reputation.
Speaker 4 (41:08):
Every year.
Speaker 13 (41:09):
So how did this factor in on Toman's legacy and
more importantly, the Steelers reputation outside of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Well, they had idiots on the team when Nolan Cower coached, too,
But those coaches controlled them.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
They had them in pockets.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
As I said earlier, when you got a guy like
DK Smack and a fan during the game behind the bench,
When you got George Pickens showing up late as many
times as he did, all the crap AB and lev
Bell pulled back when jaking out of games, showing up late, Ab,
I mean, just the litany of stuff that disrupted the
team and damaged the culture for years beyond his tenure
with the Steelers. Tomlin was friends with the players. He
(41:48):
didn't control them. It's more important to control than to
be warm and flushy. Like I said, I can't think
of one thing tangible Tomlin did good.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
If that makes me a bad person again, I I
form myself to go to Hell or go screw or something.
Speaker 7 (42:04):
M
I guess we're gonna keep talking about Tomlin joining me
now to do that the comins for the Post Gazette,
he is Paul Seiss, Paul was Tomlin?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Puster? Did he jump.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
From everything? I understand he jumped, and you know, the
the questions about whether he was pushed or jumped. I
think if you read the tea leaves for the last
three or four weeks, pretty clear that he was ready
to make a move because he had a lot of
things going on in his in his personal life.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yeah, I think that's probably true. And Art Rooney today,
I mean, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't put it
past Art or Tomlin to lie, but I didn't sense
that was the case at Art's press conference today. Is
it the best thing for the Steelers to move on
from Mike Tomlin?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Pros and cons?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Obviously, the cons are, you've had a guy there for
a long long time and he kind of gets the
job done too though, and you know, change is scary.
So that's the pros. I mean, I mean, I'm sorry,
you know. To me, that's the pros. I'm sorry, that's
the cons of him moving on. The pros to me
are it was time you know, sometimes it's time and
(01:26):
I would take it. I would take it to this
level mark and this is probably next level stuff. But
think about it like this. How many people do you
know that are married and they stay married because well,
it works, it's just kind of okay, and you know,
he's not terrible or she's not terrible, and they stay
married forever and they never achieve true happiness in their relationship,
(01:48):
right because they never really are willing to make the move.
It's like, hey, this isn't working. And the reason it's
not working is because you know, this is just sort
of kind of good enough and familiar. And then they
you know, sometimes people end up leaving that situation and
they end up maybe in a worse situation, but most
of the time or many times, they end up in
(02:09):
a better situation and they realize, man, I wasted a
lot of time in that marriage that just was sort
of a marriage of convenience. So I think the Steelers
right now have the opportunity to make a move to
go re energize, you know, bring somebody new him with
fresh eyes and fresh ideas. I hate the idea that
you know, aren't really left the door open. Well, you know,
(02:32):
so many these assistants could stay. Why came the whole
thing out money? You know, did you have a chance
to move in a different direction, move in a different direction. No,
I don't get rid of everybody and move in a
different direction.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I think it's time for an organizational reset, which the
Steelers don't very often.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Have a chance to do.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
And I think, as their tradition dictates, they will get
a promising assistant coach. But what I'm worried about is,
and I bet they do, they get a defensive guy
an offensive mind, because that's what the league is now.
It's score more and faster. It should be time for
a philosophical reset.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Well, I'll say this, I agree with you from that
from sort of, But then I look at the fact
that the team that kicked their ass up and down
the field the other night was a young defensive mind.
You know, a guy who you know made his bones
as a defensive coach. Uh. Clearly he's a younger coach
(03:31):
with younger ideas. You know, he sees, you know, he's
a guy who sort of gets how modern day football
is played. He's got a quarterback who's kind of interesting
in some ways. But he was not afraid to be aggressive.
You know, if Tomlin, here's the difference. If Tomlin, you know,
if C. J. Stroud would have fumbled the first one
(03:53):
that he did and then the second one he did,
Tomland went a ran the ball for the rest of
the game. But Demiko right kept, you know, saying, go
out there, kid and figure it out, because he understands
modern football. So it's not so much about what side
of the ball guy's coming from. To me, It's about
is this guy someone who really understands how football is
(04:15):
played nowadays?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
No, that that's a real good point. I definitely see
where you're coming from.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
We're talking to Paul's Ice in the Post Gazette here
on the Mark Madden Show, brought to us by eighty
four Lumber. Uh, you got any names that you like
if you could make the higher who were who were
the top two or three in your mind?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Well, I'm instrigged by a couple of people. I'm actually
believing or not, even though you know, I'm actually intrigued
a little bit by Brian Flores. I know that people
don't worry about he's the defensive guy, and of course
he was mean to to and to a you know,
went into his bag or whatever. But I think he's
a good football coach, and I think he's a guy
(04:53):
that gets the way that you know, the NFL has
played that. I've just started doing a little research on Sue,
his grandson. It gives me a little bit of pause
because he's Schulen's grandson, because that would be a typical
Rooney hire, wouldn't it be if they hire somebody that
you know, is familiar or whatever you want to say.
But you know, I kind of like some of the
(05:15):
things I'm reading about him. Uh, those are two guys
that so far that they have attracted me. I have
no interest in Jesse Mint or whatever his name is
from the Chargers. I think it would be Tomlin. Tomlin,
you know, uh number two so so so so far.
Toy Shula and and and Flores are the two that
I say, yeah, you know, I think I could get
(05:37):
behind that.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
You said that they should clean us with the coaches,
and I agree, But I guarantee Danny Smith will be
out there doing his clom act on the sideline next season.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
What about the players?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Would you clean out a lot of players into a
roster reset as well? Is that possible, even with some
of the guaranteed money they frankly gave out very foolishly.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think they could get I mean,
to me, you know Cam anyway we can. You can
say whatever you want to say about him, but he
was an All Pro this year and he's on a
pretty team friendly contract for next year. I mean, I
think to me, you know, if he wants to come back,
I don't know that that'd be the you know, the
worst move in the world. I think he's a pretty
effective player. Still. The want is the guy that I
(06:20):
would move on from. And I think that I read well,
I read Matt Williams and said if they if they
just straight out cut him, forget about trading him, they
straight up cut him, it would be thirty million dollars
in dead cap money, but it would free up twelve
million on a cap. So really, if you look at
the net there for one year, that wouldn't be horrible.
(06:40):
And I think that you know, you you move on
from him because I think that you're you're basically saying
that you've got younger, cheaper options, uh, and you want
to free up some playing time for some other guys.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, they're just not gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I mean, I totally agree, I'd try to trade him
that I'd cut him. They should have franchised him in
the first place, not giving him that deal, and enfranchised
him for the coming year if they wanted.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
But they're just not going to embarrass him.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Because it's not that kind of cutfroat organization, not since
Dan got feeble, right.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
But by the same token, you know what, here's what
I always go back to Mark. They said to hinz Ward,
time to get on with your life's work. They said
to Troy paulam Allo, time you get on with your
life's work. They said to Ben Roethlisberger, time to get
on with your life's work. I don't know, tell us,
(07:33):
you know, I don't know that. You know that they
would be that hesitant to tell that to TJ wat
he probably would say, no, I still want to play,
and then of course they would go through the process.
I think they would have a hard time trading for him,
or at least they could trade. You know, they're not
getting the first round pick for him, and maybe some
team will give him a third round pick and you trade,
you trade him away if that's what he wants. I'm
(07:54):
just saying to me, I think if you look at
a roster reseat, I mean, all of those guys that
they brought, they brought him like ninety seven secondary guys, right.
I mean to me, you try and keep Jalen Ramsey around,
you can. You definitely obviously give Joey Porter an extension,
you know what, But all those other guys are just
sort of guys. Douger and Samuels and all these other guys.
(08:15):
They're all guys I know for I know for some reason,
and I think it's because he's white and a try
hard guy. People are in love with Peyton Wilson. But
you gotta you've got to find a better situation at
the inside linebacker position. I don't know what Patrick Queen,
I don't know what his contract is, but he's another
(08:36):
guy who basically, for some reason it's thought of as
some sort of superstar. And if you added misstackles to
his actual tackle category, yeah, he'd be pretty good. So
to me, I'm loving at this team and I'm like,
there's some guys you could move on from, create some
cap space, use all those draft picks to continue to
(08:58):
reload and rebuild. I mean at the end of the day,
I keep hearing this nonsense about how well this isn't
a very attractive job because there's not a quarterback in place. Yeah,
but it's also the only job that you're gonna get
where you can probably have five or six years no
matter what you're gonna do. So you know, if you
can't get it right in five or six years, probably
not on anybody but you. So I think that you
(09:19):
could make this roster younger. I think you can make
this roster a little bit, you know, then they can
use your draft picks and keep a little bit more athletic,
a little bit more, a little faster, a little you know,
because what I saw on Monday Mark was very simple.
The Steelers got their hind parts kicked by a team
(09:43):
that was younger, faster, stronger, more athletic, and that's what
they need to focus on. I mean, the quarterback situation
is not an easy solution, but all the other parts
of that you can do.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
No I agree with all that, and will quarterback is
a big problem. You can fix everything around and then
get your quarterback. Whenever you get your quarterback. That said,
what do you think they'll do next year at quarterback?
Who's gonna play, because obviously Rogers isn't coming back, and
I see that as a good side effect from Tomlin quitting.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Right, No, I doubt that they're gonna do what they
need to do to draft, you know, to trade up
the draft quarterback, and I don't even know who would
be available, So it kind of feels like we'll probably
end up the year. Next year will be another year
with another bridge quarterback guy. You know, I don't know
(10:34):
who that is.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
What about Rudolph? What about Howard? What about a combinations thereof.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
I mean, I think they're really really good quarterback room
guys for your second and thirteen guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, but but Paul, But Paul, I want to tank
for Arch And I'm not kidding. I mean, I know
that doesn't always work out, but I want to see
what this team could do with the four and thirteen
or a five and twelve season. I didn't like hurt
hearing today from Art that we try to compete every
year because this coming year you can't.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And five wins would be better than eight.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And I always say this mark to people that tell me, Wow,
I don't know what you're upset about. This team hasn't
had a losing record since two thousand and three, and
I say, yeah, you're right, And guess what that record
is why they got Ben Roethlisberger for the next fifteen
or eighteen years. And the point about it is, I'll
go one step further, Okay, And I know a lot
(11:24):
of Steeler fans. I've asked this question and they just
they're lying to themselves when they tell me the answer.
Would you take the Patriots post Brady years if it
led you to Drake May or your equivalent to Drake
May versus what the Steelers have done since Ben Roethlisberger,
And every single you know, every single person with a
(11:44):
plane would say, Okay, so they suffered a couple of
bad seasons, but now they've got their quarterback of the
future for the next ten, twelve, thirteen, fifteen years. And
here's the other part of it. Okay, they've actually won
a playoff game more than the Steelers have over them
for the last nine years. So you can take in
the last nine years of the Steelers combined even with
Ben Roethlisberg, and guess what, the Patriots are already in
(12:05):
a better position because they bounced down. And then you know,
because they went and they were willing to basically be
okay with let's rebuild and let's try and strip it
down and then you know the other thing they did.
It was pretty amazing that the Steelers wouldn't do. They
hired a coach for a year and they realized, this
(12:25):
guy is waging over his head. I mean, Jared Mayol
would have got seventeen years with the Steelers probably, But
the bottom line is the Patriots said, we made a
bad higher. Hell with it. He's gone by and that's
the end of it. And that's what you have to
do in the modern day NFL especially, you have to
be willing to be bold like that. And the other
team I always compare to the Steelers too. You know,
(12:46):
would you'll take the last six seven years of the Eagles,
even though they had a four and thirteen in there,
you know, would you take and they had three coaches
over that period, would you take the last seven years
of the Steelers? I mean if the Eagles versus the Steelers,
and every single person would say, uh yeah, except for
the you know, never except for the crowd that thinks
there's a trophy for never having a losing season. Yeah,
(13:08):
they had a four and thirteen or whatever it was
four and twelve or whatever, whatever it was. Right, they
had a horrible season. They fired a coach, you know
what I mean, they brought in another coach, and you
know what, the coach, the coach they fired, by the way,
won a Super Bowl. The coach they rehired. The next
coach they hired, he's won a Super Bowl. What are
we talking about here, Paul?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Great stuff is always good work in the post Caauzette.
We'll talk again next week.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
All right, thanks Mark, I'm doctor soon.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
That's Paul's ice. Great having him on the show.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
We got Alan Saunders at Pittsburgh Steelers now at the
bottom of the hour, and we got calls on the
fifteens next even though it's almost fifteen already. But I
want to know this is cliched and we'll probably carry
it into tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
What would you do with quarterback next year?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I would go with Rudolph and Howard because I don't
think you're looking to try to compete next year. But
that's not what our rooney said. Eight three three four
one two WSDX. That's the number two.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Tomorrow night, the Pens face off against the Flyers.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Game time is seven.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Our coverage starts at six here every game, and the
best coverage right here on your home of the Pens
one five nine d X iHeartRadio.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Alter you go to it.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
We're off in a rock to the rules.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I make double M.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
How are you liking nappy X at one?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Let's got out of Steven Imperial Steve, you're on calls
on the fifteens.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Good day, Double M?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I said, good day.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
So I agree with you completely about rolling with Rudolph
and Howard next season and trying to tank. But with
Will Howard, we drafted him fresh off a national championship
and we really haven't seen what the kid has.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeo, I think you're misunderstanding why I want him to play.
I wanted to play specifically because I don't think he's
an NFL quarterback.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
So what have we seen though? That that says that,
the the fact that he got picked.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
In the fifth round, the fact that all the scotting
reports say he's very marginal at best, a career backup
at best.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I suppose they could all be wrong.
Speaker 6 (15:11):
He could be lightning in a bottle and we just
haven't opened it yet.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
That's true, Well, then if he was that and goes
eight to nine. That's the worst case scenario. Let's go
to Patrick, Patrick, You're on with double M.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Save us once and six? Good day? What man?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Hey?
Speaker 7 (15:27):
The will Howard dambit not unlike the Vienna and Danish
dambits in chess, where you give up a little material
in the opening to gain the advantage in the end.
I absolutely love it. It's exactly what the Steelers Steelers.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Need to do.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I was just talking Gary Kasparv the other day and
he made the same comparison.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Mark.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
As far as the coaching goes, if they app if
they go look at a defensive mind, you gotta think
that's more of the same.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
I think they no.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I know, I think anybody different is better.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
I mean, I'm not going to say Chris Shule is
a bad higher the defensive coordinator in LA if that's
the one they make. In fact, you hear a lot
of good things about the guy, and that's who I
think it's gonna be.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
By the way, I.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
Really like the Shieldhouse guy you mentioned earlier. But he's
really young. I think he's thirty.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's too young. That locker room wouldn't take him. Seriously,
thirty's too young for this team. I think thirty is
too young for an NFL head coach. In general, you
get thirty three, thirty four. I mean the Steelers have
done that. I think kyr was thirty four. I think
Tomlin was thirty four. But thirty is too young. Let's
go to our good friend, the Hebrew hammer Hammer Yuck Shamash, Hey.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yuk Shamash.
Speaker 8 (16:41):
I've always been more impartial to Bobby Fisher, but I digress. Hey,
I think you mentioned Stefanski.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
It's the best option.
Speaker 8 (16:50):
And in regards to quarterback, you heard what the owners
said today. The job is to stay in contention every year.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Yeah, you're right, and Stefanski might be the best tire
for that because I think he'd have the most immediate adjustment.
Still young, forty two, NFL coached, the experience. In fact,
he's two times NFL Coach of the Year, and he
knows the division and knows the roster well.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
That In regards to quarterback, though, I don't think they're
gonna go with the Howard or Rudolph.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
They're gonna want.
Speaker 9 (17:21):
They're gonna plug that with a guy who's been somewhere
and done something that will be absurd.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And I really don't know who that would be. Who
would you conjecture?
Speaker 8 (17:30):
Well, I mean I don't have the free agent list
in front of me, but you know what the.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Ready Kirk Cousins somebody like that.
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Sure, if your job is to contend, the owner said it.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
Their job is to contend every year.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Yeah that I don't think that job will be fulfilled.
But I mean, hey, go ahead and try and waste
another year if that's what you'd like. You know, to
be honest, I think Will Howard's a bum. I would
like to find out about him.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
What's the harm?
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
I mean it would be in I mean, you're mentioned
in all these scouting reports. I mean, put it on
the field and see what happens. The most interesting thing
I've heard today, would.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
You like, miss er?
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Why not.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Next week it's supposed to snow.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Are you ready for this?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Fifty fifty three inches?
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Not here.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yes, that's just not true.
Speaker 8 (18:27):
The snow I'm again and was twenty inches. They say
it could snow fifty three inches.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I'm like, it is in the space of how much time.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
I don't care if it's sixty days. I just inches.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I just don't believe that.
Speaker 8 (18:48):
Well, we'll see it's never happens with the odds are
on our side, but you can be on the edge.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeweather dot com it says nothing about that.
Speaker 8 (18:58):
Well, keep looking, I am.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
It says, it says okay, next week, it says, okay,
here's the forecast for next Thursday. Okay, partly Sonny thirty
six degrees. I think you're trying to cause a panic
to get people to watch the weather report on TV
like they do. That's your cue, Wami, let's go one
more Newman, Newman.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You're on with Mark.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
Do you think we're ever going to get an interview
tell all from Rogers about how dysfunctional the Steelers were?
Speaker 4 (19:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I think he loves Mike Tomlin legitimately and too much
to ever do that. I think I think his experience
here has been good. I think he might throw certain
players under the bus, maybe even Arthur Smith, but not
Tom Win. And if you don't tell the truth about
Tom Win, how much truth is there really worth telling?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (19:50):
I mean, I definitely think we'll hear some of the
passive aggression about some members of that in the coaching
staff or players. But yeah, it seems like he really
buys into that mass psychosis that Tomlin is like the guru.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
More neurosist than psychosis, but maybe sociopathy. But that's good stuff.
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Speaker 1 (21:03):
Up next, Allan Saunders from Pittsburgh's Steelers Now one oh
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Speaker 2 (21:52):
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Speaker 1 (21:59):
Love pride.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
He just horrible, is terrible the EXE.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
The coaching situation talk continues. We speak now with Alan
Saunders of Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, Alan, my choice to coach
would be Stefanski, my expected pick by them is shuelup.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Who would you pick and who will they hire?
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Well, I agree with you that I don't think they
will hire Stefanski, and I have a hard time saying
that a guy is a two time NFL Coach of
the Year would not be one of the better options
out there.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
It just does not feel like the way they do things.
And I do think this is very much a coaching.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
Search where the way they do things matters. The Pittsburgh
Steelers have this strong coaching tradition. Art Rooney as an
owner has generally sought to uphold Steelers traditions, and it
just kind of feels like they're gonna hire the guy
that seems most like Mike Tomlin and Bill Kwer and
Chuck Mole when they hired those guys. And so if
(22:59):
that's the case, I think you make a very good
argument for Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator of the Los
Angeles Rams.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
I don't like the idea of a defensive name.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
I like the idea of getting an offensive guy to
move forward with the times in the NFL, which is
all about score more and faster, but out the defensive names,
Shula isn't unappealing since they're not gonna recycle. They haven't
recycled a guy who had been a head coach in
the NFL since Buddy Parker in nineteen fifty seven.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I might like Clint Kubiak a little more than Sula.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I might like the Rams passing coordinator Shieldhouse a little
bit more too, But he's only thirty. I can't see
them hiring a guy that young, and I'm not sure
that's a good fit for what figures to be an
older locker room.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
I think they could.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
There's a scenario where they could end up hiring Shola
and having him bring Shieldhouse with him as their offensive coordinator.
I think that would be a very attractive option.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
That's a great call, Allen, That's that's a good thought.
What happened with Tom Win? Did he did he jump
or was he pushed? T'd that play out in your mind?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I think he absolutely was was jumping and and and
I think pretty clearly. I mean, when you make the
decision immediately after the game to tell the players, Hey,
we're going to meet tomorrow at two o'clock, I mean
that means the decision was made long before they stepped
on the field Monday night, I you think you could see,
(24:30):
you know, the way he answered questions over the years,
there was definitely a softening of his stance about how
long he was going to do this and and things
like that. You know, very obviously said, you know, I'm
closer to the end than than the beginning a couple
of years ago. I don't know what the thing that
pushed him over the edge was, but I I do.
You know, Ronnie said today that he felt like it
(24:53):
was more about family than football, and you know, his
kids are older, there's maybe not as much keeping him here.
I wonder how much that side of things mattered as
much as the lack of success in the postseason on
the football field.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Did Where did Tomlin fail? And how much in your
mind did he fail? What were the moments that led
to this?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I think that's a great question, and I think it's
an important question when you're looking at how the Steelers
move forward, because if you don't fix those things, you're
just going to repeat them. I think one of the
areas tom I think the biggest area Tomlin failed is
that don't I agree with your take that offensive philosophy
is more important than the NFL right now? And I
(25:36):
do think that you can win with defensive head coaches.
Seattle's had a great year with Mike McDonald, look what
Rabel has done in New England. But I think if
you're gonna have a defensive head coach, that offensive coordinator
becomes about the second most important guy in the organization.
And I don't feel like the Steelers ever treated that
position that way under Mike Tomlin. Now, whether that was
(25:58):
a Tomlin thing or that want to spend money on
coaches thing, I don't know. I guess we're gonna find out.
But to me, that's the big failure of Mike Tomlin
is that he never invested in an offensive mind to
match his defensive prowess.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Totally agree with that.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
In terms of a micro causem one moment drafting Picket,
which was his call that set the organization back at
least five years, maybe longer.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Well, in your drafted picket with Mack Canada as his
offensive coordinator. I mean, maybe Picket would have turned out
okay if he had a Clint Kobiak there. But the
guy I read a chance in the environment that he
was drafted into, and that's really a sort of double
barrel failure.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Another micro cause of Allen just kind of thinking out
a lout here. They traded up to get Broderick Jones,
then constantly put him in a position to fail. They
wanted to make sure Dan Moore got his veteran respect
instead of making their franchise left tackle even the left
tackle at all.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
And now he's about to go into the offseason where
they have to decide whether to pick up his fifth
year option. Really through very little fault of his own,
they don't have any idea if he can play left
tackle at the NFL level.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
No, no question about that. Art Rooney said. The object
is to compete every year. I don't think they're going
to compete next year, and they could make it a
year that's even less beneficial by trying to. I mean,
you try to win, but you know what I mean,
it's just I think they have to accept it next
year as a transition year, and I think the biggest
(27:26):
disaster would be nine and eight.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
Again, I don't know that they're going to I kind
of get for the sense from talking to Art Rooney
today that they very much are not okay with bringing
someone on board who picture for this organization is, well,
let's take a step back and see where it thinks.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
No, he literally said that they don't want to waste
a year.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Yeah, and so I just I don't think that's what's
gonna happen. I think they're going to keep trying to win.
And I look at the talent they have and the
talent that's available to them, especially at the quarterback position,
and I don't see how they possibly do a lot
better than what they were this year. I mean, it
looks like a year where that's about their ceiling, and.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
I think they're gonna shoot for it. Anyway.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Who will be the quarterback next year? What will the
plan be?
Speaker 5 (28:16):
I don't have a clue. It doesn't sound like it'll
be Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Now, No, for sure not. He wanted to play for
Tomlin period.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
I mean, Malik Willis is the one guy who's a
free agent that feels a little bit interesting that maybe
you could develop into something. Ty Simpson from Alabama. The
quarterback class in this draft has completely falling apart with
Dante More going back to Oregon today, ty Simpson from
Alabama is maybe the one guy they could draft who
you would be kind of okay with being a starter
(28:45):
in his first year. I don't even know about that.
It's bleak in terms of, Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
They're not going to start whoever in their first year.
Where do they draft them this year or next year
or whatever year. Again, they're going to adhere to their
traditions and you know, maybe it works, but I don't know.
I think the league's just changed so much. What about
assistant coaches, Alan, I would bet they bring a bunch
of guys back.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
They just have that loyalty at their own expense.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
I think they do have a number of contracts that
are up. They also have a couple of older guys
who are just assistants that I think probably will maybe
not want to work for a first time head coach
that we're comfortable working with Mike Tomlin in a different way.
So I think there will be a good.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Amount of turnover on the coaching staff.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
I would be surprised if they're all gone, but I
think you'll see most of those guys, And I mean
are saying today that he did not even consider Arthur
Smith to be a candidate for this job when he
is being interviewed by other teams for their head coaching vacancies.
Tells me they're probably not real high on him coming
back even though he's under contract.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
So I mean, if I was picking.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Right now, I would say three new coordinators, maybe some
of the assistants.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Day What about the players?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Will they try to get out of some of those
big contracts for older players because that'll be tough to do.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Like obviously signing TJ.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Watson that deal was a grievous error, but I don't
see any way to correct it.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Do you.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Sort of just you know, pad in hand asking him
to take less money. That's about all they can do.
I think they can get away from Jalen Ramsey's deal
if they want to. They could probably get away from
some of the other ones like Patrick Queen maybe if
they wanted to, but I mean I don't And Kim Hayward,
I mean, he got underpaid even though he's he was great.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
I mean he's the one.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
He's the one guy among the big money guys that
I can look at his having done his job with
no disclaimer.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Yeah, so I would be surprised if Ramsey's back at
that price. He has no guaranteed money left on his deal,
so they can play around with that if they want
to try to bring him back at a different salary level,
but I think they be in line to try to
find some ways to make some money. The good news
is they have a lot of cab space. It's not
like they're really hurting for it, that those contracts are
(31:05):
crippling them. And when you look at what they really
need quarterback and wide receiver, there's so little out there
on the free agent market that I don't know that
they need to be aggressive about cutting fat even where
it kind of obviously exists.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Alan, great stuff. I appreciate you taking a time, fantastic input.
I hope we talk soon.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Thanks March. We'll see it.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
That's Alan Saunders of Pittsburgh Steelers now and speaking to
now now.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
It is time to ask Mark anything by dialing A
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Speaker 2 (31:48):
It gets you on quicker.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Or you can leave a talk back via the microphone
icon at the iHeartMedia app.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Some news for tomorrow's show returning triumphantly and.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Boy, this is the perfect week from to do it.
The King of Old School, John Steigerwald and then a
little over twenty years after his famous sermon at DeMont
to the Penguins media, calling the Penguins soft and saying
my favorite line.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
They say they care. I know they don't.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
It's former Penguins coach Mike Terry. And yes we will
play the speech before Iron Mike comes on. But right now,
ask Mark anything.
Speaker 11 (32:31):
One oh five nine, It's the Woody Show tomorrow morning
from six till ten.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
WHOA you got a day Wednesday?
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Maybe on one o seven years here start twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
By showing your gratitude.
Speaker 13 (32:43):
Iheartradios to thank a teacher powered by donors. Choose thanks.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
It's the fast playing Grandma. I'm ready to go to
Tim Horton for the fat Freeze donuts.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
The exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Steelers God PERMISSI interview the two l A.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Rams guys, the defensive coordinator Shoe Lob and the passing
game coach, the young guy thirty years old, Shielhouse.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
And now word is.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Out that they're going to talk as as as predicted
to the LA Chargers defensive coordinator minter So all the
names that uh that we thought they'd talk to the
Steelers are going to Now it's time to ask Mark
anything brought to us by People's hyphengas dot com.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Uh, let's go to Chad. Chad your only double M.
Speaker 10 (33:35):
Hey, double M, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
H question about the video advertising board that are around
the ice and specifically when you go on the road.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
Uh, you see all uh you know, all the Pittsburgh
local advertisements.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
There on those those are done.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Those are done on TV, the local ads for Pittsburgh
companies and places. When you see them when the Penwys
played at Detroit, that's only on TV. They obviously have
local advertising in Detroit. What you thought Eaton Park was
buying advertising in Detroit?
Speaker 6 (34:06):
No, but I was curious if that's like you got
to pay extra for to get that kind of stuff, Honor,
Today I've overtaken video boards.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Let's go to Tommy. Tommy, you're on with double M.
Mark justin goodbye. Let's go to Harry and Westview. Harry,
you're on with Mark.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
Ekes my ears.
Speaker 10 (34:25):
Hey, Mark, question, do you do you think you're gonna
like Mike Tomlinan when he goes into the media and
what do you think he's gonna be a studio guy?
Because I can't imagine Bob.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Says he won't go in the meeting that Tomlin has
expressed to him that he has no interest in doing that.
Art Rooney said today he thinks Tomlin quit because of
family reasons, and there can be all kinds of family reasons.
Uh So, I don't think for a lot of reasons.
I don't think he'll do anything this first year.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Nothing.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
I think he'll just take a year off from everything.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Well, I hope it's nothing bad. I mean, that's the
main thing.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Depends on anyway. Let's go to Dan, Dan, ask Mark anything.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
What's up?
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Double ABM? What not?
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Mind? Hey?
Speaker 8 (35:10):
With respect to Tomlin, So with the Steelers keeping his rights,
I get a question for you, and it sounds stupid,
but it's a question.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
There's no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid people
who ask questions.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
So go ahead, they noted.
Speaker 8 (35:24):
So let's say Tomlin takes a year off he wants
to come back in twenty twenty seven, the Steelers have
his rights. Do you think Rooney would just be willing
to take less because he feels like he owns I
think Rooney will.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Let him go for free. I don't think he'll ask
for anything in return. The Steelers do technically have his rights,
but I do not think Art will indulge that to
the Steelers gain. For example, DK Metcalf smacked that fan
in Detroit lost his guaranteed money, and Art gave the
guarantees right back. He's either a really good guy or soft,
depending on your point of view.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
I agree, and I don't trust the team to bought
him out, So I think the main thing they need
to do is try to get a second first round
pick in twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
However they can, and I think.
Speaker 8 (36:09):
Tomlin might be their best bet. But yeah, I agree,
I don't see it out.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I'm not going to do that.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Nobody would trade a first round pick for Tomlin. Nobody,
Nobody a couple of years ago, maybe now nobody. And
one reason I think Mike's gonna take a year off
coaching is because I think the myth of him getting
a job five minutes after he's available would be exposed
as just that a myth.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
I think you get a job. I don't think it
would be any place where he'd succeed. Let's go to Dino.
Dino ask Mark anything, Oh hey, Mark.
Speaker 5 (36:39):
Real quick?
Speaker 14 (36:40):
Did you hear really the second press conference day where
he made a reference which he must have been talking
about the Rooney rule, where he said that, you know,
the process is going to take longer because of the
procedures in place by the NFL, the higher coach. I mean,
isn't that the Runey that his father put in place?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
He didn't direction of the Rooney roll.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
I don't think the Ruiney rule had anything to do
with this, with this, uh, with Tom win leaving or
what they do moving forward.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Let's go to Steve Hey.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Mark got a question for you, so generational talent, it's
hard to compare athletes across eras or across you know,
across their generations. I feel like athletes today would probably
be successful in older sports. Do you think athletes from
long ago would be successful in today's sports?
Speaker 2 (37:26):
I think I think some would. I mean how long
ago we talking about?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I don't know, like Bobby Orr would.
Speaker 5 (37:32):
He be.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Absolutely absolutely, no question, because don't forget all the things
that make today's hockey players better, like better skates, composite sticks,
you know, training regimens, nutrition, those would all be available
to a Bobby or or Gordy How if they played
in today's era.
Speaker 4 (37:53):
Yeah, like you can't teaching that coordination or athleticism.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
I'll give you another example.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
Yeah, Babe Ruth, you're telling me in the nineties, Babe
Ruth wanted taken steroids hit it hit one hundred and
ten home runs.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Let's get a rick on the south side.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Hey, what up?
Speaker 8 (38:12):
Double m what up?
Speaker 4 (38:15):
The question for you?
Speaker 9 (38:16):
And this is not in a condescending tone.
Speaker 6 (38:18):
It's something I wonder myself.
Speaker 9 (38:20):
When you talk about Tomlin and his shortcomings as the
dealer stands the people outside of the Pittsburgh bubble, you know,
one of the things that they'll say is, oh, well,
he's one of four coaches that's gone ten and seven
in the last three years.
Speaker 6 (38:32):
Great, the other ones are the Bills.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
What's that?
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Yeah, I just don't care that he went ten and
seven the last million years. However, many it was, what's
your point?
Speaker 9 (38:42):
Well, no, I'm asking because the point that they make is,
you know, you got Josh Allen with the Bills, Jalen
Hurts with the Eagles, and Stafford with the Rams, and
then it's us with the Hodgepodge of quarterback.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah, the hodgepodget quarterback is something he's responsible for. He
drafted Pickett. He's recycled all these old bums. He's never
known what to do with the quarterback position. The only
time he had a good quarterback is when and he inherited.
Let's go to Joe and Bethel Park. Joe, you're all
with Mark, Mark.
Speaker 10 (39:14):
I thank you for the compelling hockey talk in the
past couple of days, especially with Pierre.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Not yesterday, but yeah, go ahead, just be really good,
keep it up. Of course it is. What's your point?
Speaker 6 (39:30):
My fact is that I appreciated it, and I wanted
to buy goodbye.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
That I mean, I appreciate you appreciating Maybe that's just boring,
effing radio.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
I just wondering.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
I know you're not the biggest fan of Tomlin historically,
but if you were forced us to name three things
that you thought he did successful or that you.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Admired about him, what would those things be.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
He won to he won a Super Bowl, he got
to a Super another super Bowl, and he inherited a
good team and made the most of it. Other than that,
I think he was a fraud, a myth. I don't
think he was ever a good coach. Nobody can tell
me why he's a good coach. He does this well,
does that well, he's a good coach. Just because I
gotta be honest, I don't have a lot of respect
for the guy or what he accomplished.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
That makes me a bad person. I guess I can
go f myself. Let's go to a talkback.
Speaker 15 (40:17):
Hey, Mark, I think it's becoming more and more evident
that that George Pickens trade was just absolutely mishandled and
will go down as the worst trade in franchise history
and one of the worst trades in NFL history.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Yeah, no, it won't. He George Pickens is a guy
you just don't win with. He's ab two, not as good.
You don't win with guys like that. I had no
problem with him trading Pickens. I did have a problem
with him never getting a number two wide receiver for
either of the last two seasons. Never having a number
two wide receiver for two straight seasons. Let's go to
(40:54):
one more talkback.
Speaker 10 (40:56):
Mark.
Speaker 13 (40:56):
You mentioned what I was thinking. The Steelers had a
good reputation and culture, and since around twenty ten, the
Steelers have had at least one idiot on the team
that chipped away from that reputation.
Speaker 4 (41:08):
Every year.
Speaker 13 (41:09):
So how did this factor in on Toman's legacy and
more importantly, the Steelers reputation outside of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Well, they had idiots on the team when Nolan Cower coached, too,
But those coaches controlled them.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
They had them in pockets.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
As I said earlier, when you got a guy like
DK Smack and a fan during the game behind the bench,
When you got George Pickens showing up late as many
times as he did, all the crap AB and lev
Bell pulled back when jaking out of games, showing up late, Ab,
I mean, just the litany of stuff that disrupted the
team and damaged the culture for years beyond his tenure
with the Steelers. Tomlin was friends with the players. He
(41:48):
didn't control them. It's more important to control than to
be warm and flushy. Like I said, I can't think
of one thing tangible Tomlin did good.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
If that makes me a bad person again, I I
form myself to go to Hell or go screw or something.
Speaker 7 (42:04):
M
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