October 20, 2025 • 37 mins
Tim Benz filling in for Mark Madden He welcomes Phil Bourque to the show
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Segment brought to us by eighty four Lumber Dynasty partner
of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Here's some free advice for Mike.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Tomlin, for Omar Khan, for whoever wants to talk in
behalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers as to what's going on
with their wide receiver position and specifically the departure of
George Pickens in that trade to the Dallas Cowboys for
a draft pick next year shortly after this year's draft
came and went by all means, stepped to the microphone
(00:26):
and tell us what really happened there. Because as time
is getting further and further away and Pickens keeps making
catches like he made in that game yesterday against the Commanders,
people in Pittsburgh are going, what the heck?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Now?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
That was my reaction right away when they traded Pickens
after the draft, after free agency and only got a
pick for next year in return for him.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But I'm pretty sure I know what happened.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'm pretty sure whatever conversation they had with Pickens about
how things were gonna go with DKB and the number
one guy wasn't meant well. I'm pretty sure that there
must have been something back and forth between Omar Khan
and the representation for George Pickens that was to the
extent of, George is gonna hold out, George is gonna
(01:13):
hold in. George is not going to promise you anything
about how he's going to behave and how he's going
to get along here. So the Steelers just said, whatever
we punt, we've lost on this one. We'll get by
with Calvin Austin and hope for the best. And the
best right now is the same result as they had
after six games a year ago. They've got one wide receiver,
(01:35):
they've got very little else besides that. Austin I do
think got a little better since last year, but we
haven't seen much of it because he's hurt. There's no
guarantee he's going to stay healthy the rest of the year,
being that size in the NFL. So they're kind of
in the same spot, aren't they. And maybe Pickens said
he wouldn't report. Maybe Pickens said he was going to
hold in. Whatever the case, they wanted to be rid
(01:57):
of them, and they were all to will for the
minimal price tag that Dallas gave up for him, and
he kept the Cowboys afloat in the pass game while
Ceedee Lamb was out. Now Lamb is back and next
to Chasin Higgins, that might be the best one to
two punch receiver wise in all of football. I don't
blame the Steelers for doing that. I think they could
(02:19):
have gotten better return. I think they could have gotten
better return earlier if they had admitted earlier that it
just wasn't gonna work between those two in Pittsburgh with
him and DK under the same roof, and eventually my
guess is by season's end, it's not gonna work out
great for the Cowboys with Ceedee Lamb and Pickens. Either
that's just my hunch, or Pickens is just using him
(02:41):
for a year. He's gonna hit the market, make it
big in free agency, and make wherever he goes next
the night mere.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
If it wasn't in Dallas, that could happen too.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
But I also know that the Steelers don't have a
number two wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That's the bigger sin.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Not what they did with Pickens was the failing to
backfill yet again, even though they had time between getting
rid of Pickens at the start of the season. Even
though we're still coming up with the trade deadline, and
they can do something about it.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The record masks that the fact that they're four and two.
Metcalf's production at times has masked that. It's also been
masked by the fact that DK's healthy. What if he
isn't like Pickens wasn't at the end of last year
when we went through all this for the first time.
So I still do think there is a need there
(03:31):
for the Steelers to sacrifice some of their draft pool
for next season and go get a wide receiver that's
a compliment to Metcalf. I think that's a huge priority.
I think they're dumbed to not do it. I especially
think they're dumb to not do it because obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Things are working out pretty well with Rogers. Things are not.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Working out well for the draft class next year at quarterback.
So all these draft picks that they've hoarded us some
of them for collateral. Now, when it's worked out well
for you in the AFS, see north and make yourself better,
secure that division championship and make sure what happened against
Cincinnati doesn't continue to be a slide. And if your
defense continues to stink against these next three teams that
(04:12):
you got, well, maybe you can outgun them and outscore
them on offense. If Rogers continues to be that good,
that's my thought on it. This is what Mike Decursi
said when you heard him last week here in the
Mark Madden Show and My Friday Football show over at
Trip Sports.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
There is an obsession in the Steelers nation, so to speak,
whether it's the fan base or it's the people who
cover the team comment on the team about getting another
wide receiver. And I am telling you right now that
if the Steelers were offered, Okay, here's a second wide
receiver that can really help you, and here's a safety,
(04:47):
a free safety that can really help you, I would
take the safety one hundred times out of one hundred.
They are so poor in the secondary. They're getting nothing
from their safety play at all.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Nothing.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
They get no help from those guys on occasion and
on talking about I'm not talking about de Shaun Elliott
as a strong safety as a run support, but the
free safety play. When they traded Mika, they made they
made it a they made a significant choice that having
a highly capable cornerback is more important than having a
(05:19):
highly capable free safety. And they're seeing now that there
are times when that's true, but there are also times
when it's not and they are not getting adequate safety
play at that position.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So let me ask the question, is Mike Wright, should
the Steelers prioritize secondary over wide receiver? And I'll expand
the question, if it's just one, you can't have both,
although I think the Steelers should look to getting both.
(05:53):
If it can only be one, should it be wide
receiver or should it be a position on defense? Eight three,
three four one two ninety nine thirty nine. I'm still
going wide receiver. I get Mike's point. I think he
made it well. I might actually lean more defensive line
honestly than secondary, but I get his point. But if
(06:16):
it's just gonna be one, I'm still gonna go with
wide receiver because that guy can help you now with
who he is, and he can save your butt potentially
whoever it is, if something should happen to DK Metcalf,
because I think they're lost without DK Metcalf, because then
your second best receiver is Pat Fryarmouth, and they don't
seem to want to play that guy, and he's not
(06:38):
even a wide receiver, he's a tight end. Beyond that,
it appears to be Roman Wilson until Calvin Austin is
truly healthy.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You can also.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Tweet me at Tim Ben's PGH. So the simple question
is is Mike right about that? And if he is,
which direction would you go in? Upfront or in the
back third. If it's not gonna be wide receiver, I
would still go with wide receiver. And part of the
reason why, for as much as these holes are being
exploited on defense, they like their defense. I know they've
(07:11):
talked themselves into the wide receiver thing, but I don't
know who's available that can actually play in front of
some of the components that they went out and signed, drafted,
or traded for in the secondary and the defensive line.
That's also a component of this of they go out
and get a guy at one of those positions and
maybe he doesn't play or have the ball thrown his way,
(07:34):
kind of like we saw when Mike Williams a year
ago on the other side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Paul in Washington, You're on one O five nine the X.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Hey, Benzi, I like, lets you unto you. I hearing
you on other areas, but I agree, but I disagree.
I think you got to do something by Joey Porter Junior.
He's obviously a second round bust. I don't know why
they him. Maybe it was a favorite of his dad.
(08:03):
But he's nowhere near the football player his dad was.
But he can run his mouth like his dad. But
he's a bust. Slay is washed up. There's a reason
that Philly let him go. We see that now. And Ramsey,
he was running behind the Fangles receivers all night long.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Well the Ramsey thing, Paul, and thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
I got a bunch of people who just dialed in,
so I got to rattle through a bunch. But you
bring up a good point about the corner versus safety
component if we're talking secondary in general as opposed to safety.
And yeah, I could see where there's a hole beyond
Deshaun Elliott, particularly at the free safety position that Mike
is talking about. But corner might be the more glaring
need because they haven't gotten performance there. You're talking about Porter,
(08:47):
I don't think he's a second round bus, nor was
he a second round reach because he was going to
go in that vicinity. He was going to go in
that vicinity of picks. If he didn't go to the Steelers,
he was going to go a couple picks later. For sure,
he was right about how thirties on the draft board
early second round, regardless of whether Pittsburgh was gonna take
him or not. I don't think it was just a
(09:08):
favor to his dad, like you said. But corners just
don't move. Safeties move. Corners don't because there's such a
commodity of player. Everybody needs corners, and if you have them,
they don't let them go. Viper and Cannonsburg, you're on
one O five nine the X.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Afternoon.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I can't help but disagree, maybe a little bit with
the last ball, right, You're absolutely right you need to
go out to or watch.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Viper will losing you.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But if you say, I believe what you said, there's
more need there for a wide receiver than a safety.
I think the wide receivers will move too, because those
tens to tend to be guys that have decent sized tickets,
that teams that aren't going to benefit from second wide
receiver play that are out of it are willing to move.
That's not a component of this. What are the most
(09:57):
movable commodities? And I think we we'll see a receiver
market to some degree or another but unfortunately health has
got in the way of some of the guys, whether
they're banged up or other players on their teams have
gotten hurt, and then they're just hamstrung as a total
offense with the young quarterbacks, and coaches and gms don't
want to move those guys. Brian and new Brighton, you're
(10:17):
on one of five nine the X good Day, Good Day.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
I think that you hit the nail right on the head.
And one of the things that have a problem with
the Steelers is I feel like they feel like their
system is way more complex than anybody else in the
league that when they do go get these guys like
they think they need to like slow. I'll give you
a good example is they go out and get Jabrill
Pebbers and because of the shawan Elly gets hurt, he
(10:44):
splashes in the first game. They talk about how shoddy
their safety play is, but you haven't seen him on
the field since. Even if they go get the guys,
they feel like they have this buffering period that they
have to work them into these complex systems that you
watch all these that listen to these other players in
(11:04):
the league talk and talk about how it's not a
complex systems.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
It's like, well, yeah, yeah, here's the point where I
counter to. But I get what you're saying when you
say that they think that their own system is so complicated.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I don't think they do.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
I think their system and their minds is easy the
way they compute it, but it's obviously not once it
gets into the field of battle because their players can't
figure it out and they're lost all the time. Like
I bet the coaches feel like this system is pretty
easy to figure out, and they give it to the
players and then they get lost at crucial times, which
(11:38):
is why we keep hearing about all these communication problems,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (11:42):
Yeah, and I'll give you that.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
And even when they go out and get a guy
like I, they go get Peppers. They let Mike Williams
play last year one game and throw them a Mike
Williams ball, because that's what Mike Williams is known for,
deep balls and fades in the corner of the end zone.
Or you let Jabrill Peppers go out and play his
game the reason you got him and he splashes, but
then you don't see him the rest of the year.
(12:05):
You don't give them that opportunity. You know to continue
to for the reason you got them.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, well, I appreciate the call, Brian.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Yeah, I think there is a little bit of a
gap there between how they view how tangible their system
is for the players and what the players really think,
because obviously there's a problem.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
There's a disconnect there. Mike and Cranberry. You're on one,
O five nine the X.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
Hey what's happening? Tim?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Hey, Mike, one like your take the other.
Speaker 6 (12:36):
The replay that you played before. I disagree wholeheartedly. We
need a wide receiver. At the end of the day,
we have a defense that is the highest paid in
the NFL. They're allowed to go make plays.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Especially t J.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
Watt who wanted to hold in Cam Hayward who wanted
to hold in You know, we need a number two,
plain and simple, and we have better quarterback play this
year than we did last year. So I would say
support that the defense just has to step up, plain
and simple, go get a number two.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Appreciate it, thanks, Mike. I'm sort of of that mind.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I think the course, he makes a very good point
about what needs to get better, but to complete that loop,
you also have to have the coaches and Omar Kahan
be on the same thought line, and I think they
feel like they've got enough good players there and the
players just aren't doing the heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
They can't possibly look. I think that they're.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Bs ing us about how confident they are in the
wide receiver room. I think they feel what they're speaking
about the defense, and there's a big difference between those
two things. If you missed the James Franklin SoundBite from earlier,
I played it with Tom, but I'm want to play
it again, and I want to go over one specific
thing that Franklin said in his appearance on College Game Day.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Next one to five nine the X.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Screws to join us for the XS Halloween CRUs.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
On Thursday, October thirtieth.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The Cup says sale at eight pm with live music
from the Clintones playing all your nineties favorites.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Ten dollars and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold
goes to the Mario Lemue.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Foundation Jingux Crew for this twenty one oar old door
event and dressing your Halloween's best.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
To score prizes all night. Tickets are on sale now
at Gateway Clipper dot com.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
The XES Halloway runs on the Gateway Clipper sponsored by
Disaster Restoration Services.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
We'll see you on October thirty.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
iHeartRadio Alter twenty presented by Capitol.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
On Saturday, January seventh, Man, go ahead, you can say
it because it's true. It's damn true remark. I love
the show.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
Thank you for making my day.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yeah, the ex at one oh five nine O.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It's Piccoli tweeted me maybe we can trade for Minka
Fitzpatrick if we need a safety. That's actually pretty funny.
I'll get some more tweets before we're done. Got a
few that I need to get through, as we've stockpiled
a couple. Yesterday, Sorry, Saturday, James Franklin, former Penn State coach,
was on the set of ESPN College Game Day, and
(15:22):
he had a chance to speak his mind about the
dismissal from Penn State and boy Diddy.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
How'd we get here so quickly?
Speaker 9 (15:31):
Yeah, I can't answer that, to be honest with you,
I'm still working through it myself. It feels surreal. I
just got a message, you know, from Drew Aller's dad
that he's sitting home as well. We both should be
in Iowa. It's what we used were used to doing
and how we operate and I've been doing this for thirty.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Years and fifteen years as a head coach.
Speaker 9 (15:53):
To think essentially, six games ago, we were fighting for
a chance to be in the national championship two minute
drive away. So that's the thing I really can't answer that, Kirk.
Twelve years, a ton of good moments, a bunch of
big wins, but decisions were made, and I'm not involved
in those decisions. I'm very, very grateful for the time
(16:16):
I had it, most importantly for the relationships I was
able to build. I thought we were going to win
a national championship there, we were close. That goal hasn't changed.
We're just gonna go win a national championship somewhere else now.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Hell yeah, hell yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Okay, a couple of things there, McAfee's enthusiasm side. First
of all, it didn't happen quickly. This was the culmination
of them very rarely winning big games. And when James
Franklin started to win the games to lose the games
he was not supposed to lose, let alone winning games
that he could never win against very good competition. That
was the cherry on the Sunday, But most of the
(16:53):
Sunday was already built, So let's not act like this
is something that came out of nowhere, as was sort
of the discussion there. Second, he's playing the victim, no doubt. Third,
I have no idea where that's going to be. Where
he thinks he's going to walk in and win a
national championship. I would suggest to him take one of
the ACC jobs and then hopefully Miami and Clemson don't
(17:15):
become your Michigan and Ohio state, and maybe you can
find a path that way. But this notion of him
going to I don't know, Florida or LSU or Wisconsin,
I definitely wouldn't do that. Get out of the Big ten,
he's going to find it awfully hard slogging in the SEC.
(17:35):
I think there's a clearer path to one of those
ACC schools, especially since he tends to recruit well in Virginia.
Harry and Westview, You're on one oh five nine the X.
Speaker 8 (17:47):
Yeah, Tom, I'm sorry, didn't do me to call you that,
But anyway, you know, they say arrogance is pretending like
you know what you're talking about, and confidence who's actually
know what you're talking about. That's what I always thought
about Franklin and I just I think that's what shot
(18:07):
him down in the end. And I want to know
how they handle an IL money, Like why are they
willing to pay fifty million dollars out to Franklin and
like how does.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
He part of that?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Well, there's an IL, but I mean, like that that's
coming from the same sources. You know, it's like people
that are giving to the athletic department, and where the
money is coming in from to the athletic department from
UH television networks and things of that sort. Harry, thank
you for the call, But I mean, so much of
that is going to be offset soon anyway. Like that,
there's whatever offset language is in there, to whatever degree
(18:37):
it exists. You know, he's going to be working again soon.
He's going to get another college job. He just said
it right there. He's not ready to sit on the
shelf and just be an analyst. So with that being said, yeah,
I think it's crazy what the buyouts are. I think
it's crazy what the coaches are making. But it's not
necessarily like, Okay, you're on a college campus and this
(18:59):
money is coming in to the football team, and otherwise
it would go to the drama department. Or to build
a new math building or the Polypsi program. And these
are people who are giving money because they're fans of athletics.
It's not the same thing, Phil Bork Next one O
five nine The X.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Now it's your chance to win one thousand dollars.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
Just entered this nationwide keyword on our website.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Credit. That's credit and it now hits Bunny Diver And
I just love this smart Madden.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
He's a little guy.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
I'd love to get the balls.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
The very good point The X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Phil bork joins us right now on one O five
to nine The X, your flagship station for Penguin games.
You can hear Borky on the call for Penn's games,
including their return against Vancouver coming up on Tuesday after
the West Coast swing, Borkie, did you channel any of
your time with Mike Laying into your play by play
call over the weekend subbing in for Josh gets Off?
Did we get a Michael Michael motors? Do we get
(20:00):
to scratch my back with a hack? Sar, slap me,
silly Sydney, anything like that along the way when you
were forced into play by play duties.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
Oh Man good to be on with you, Tim, And yeah,
the show muscle on right and we're over on the
West coast, and it's good to know that Josh gets up.
By the way, hopefully he'll be back in the move
Tomorrogan's Vancouver, but in the meantime, he just wish him
well and back to health. With that being said, I
(20:29):
waited till we were in sanals A to pull out
to slap me, silly Sydney. I just thought that type
of goal, you know, not that far from where Mike
Lang was born in Sacramento, and I know, you know
he used in twenty sixteen, you know, get the fastling Grandma.
The Bengal game is ready to roll. That was kind
(20:50):
of a salute from him to his grandmother, who lived
into her hundreds. And I just thought, you know, last time,
it's it's kind of my wrong, like Tim that the
last time, I should say first time, which happened last year.
I did play by play Josh, also with Ill and
San Jose. It was there where I also did play
(21:12):
by play, which I had never done before and is
a completely different animal. And I have a whole new
respect for play by play guys after having tons of
respect for playlet play guys. I pulled out a I
think I used to get in the fast line Grandma
last year. It's just kind of a tilt of the
helmet and a tap of the pads. To my old partner, Mikeylan, did.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
You get a clean, Borkie?
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Did you see the deflection from Sid right off the
hop or did you think that La Tang scored it
on his own?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
No, I had an unbelievable angle. And also I knew
it was him, and just the way that the Dulkovich
reacted to I knew it was deflected. So there's a
lot of different factors and on that. I think because
I saw Sid there, because I saw a stick there,
and then I saw the reaction of Nadalkovich, I knew
it had to be him. So yes, I got a clean.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
What'd you think of the jarr Nadelkovitch battle there?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (22:06):
That was great?
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Ohot, that was great. I knew they they liked each other.
I didn't know there was that kind of a friendship
that they showed before the game and after the game. Uh,
and obviously once the puck gets dropped, it was a
nice healthy, come come peek, you know, battle against each
(22:30):
other type of moment in that game, which was was great.
They were trying to outdo each other. I thought both
goaltenders were outstanding. I thought the Dalkavich maybe got a
little bit too frisky trying to play the puck like
he did early in the year against Las Vegas. But
with that being said, I think it brought the best
out in Tristan Jari when he looked down the other
end and saw alex Van Dalkovic.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
In your time as a player, or even if you
want to go on the broadcast route, what's the biggest
line that you remember playing against and what made pure
size so difficult to navigate like we see with this
new geno line that he's playing on.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yeah, it was kind of very end of my career.
It was the legion of doom in Philadelphia, you know,
with John Leclair, Michael Rinberg and Eric Lindross. That's I mean,
those are just three horses. Maybe they weren't at the
you know, six' five six six rains like these three guys,
(23:34):
are but, yeah they they were also physical and And
lindros had a had a mean streak and that was
probably the, biggest baddest. Line of, COURSE i could probably name,
up you, know half a Dozen Philadelphia flyer, lines but
they weren't. Killed they were more just a bunch OF
(23:55):
i want to palm a snot out of. You but
this line here With malkin And brazo And Anthony, mantha
not only are they, big but they're showing you some.
Skill and, uh it's.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
All, RIGHT i have to Call we'll have to Call
borkie back here and get a cleaner line. There but,
yeah well when we Get borki, back we'll talk a
little bit more About malkin specifically on that. Line two,
goals seven, assists and nine points to this. Point and
he has been really good at distributing the. Puck and you,
know one thing THAT i talked about with some of
the players in discussing, this and And Brian rust And
(24:34):
Ricard raquel both talked about this to a great extent as.
Well it wasn't just About it isn't just about size
in terms, of oh my, god this guy's gonna run
me through the.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Board it's it's.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Possession it's puck, possession it's, reach it's that much stick
in front of, you it's that much stick on puck
and being able.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
To control the.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Puck borcire is just picking up in the thoughts about
the size of that line With brazo And mantha And.
Gino what are you Seeing geno do so far this
season to sort of drive that engine and drive that
line with the seven assists he has so.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
FAR i don't have to sex the answer for, you
BUT i have the right answer for. You he's keeping
a sample, turn he really, is and on top of,
that he's trusting his. Linements let's See gino guilty of
two things in the. Past is when things aren't going
his way or he wants to change the tide or
do something, special his heart's in the right, place just
(25:29):
as the compass is not pointed in the right direction
and he tries to do too. Much PART, A PART
b is he hasn't always had. Guilt. Guys you, Know
sid has got kind of the cream as far as,
wingers and Then gino kind of gets the. Leftovers that's
no disrespect to the, players it's just kind of what it.
Was and now he's got some, talent not only size
(25:53):
as we, mentioned but he's got. Talent so the combination
of keeping the game, simple continuing to create and use
your your, skills but also trusting in your linemates That
i'm going to give them that, puck you, know in
that seven eight foot ten foot, area AND i know
they're going to do the right thing with.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
It my, PRESUMPTION, borki is that they want to Keep
brunick And kindle up, right because why else would they
be doing this load management thing with them and giving
them designated days.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Off that's my interpretation of, it is that yours as.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
Well, yeah for, me it's. Twofold and if you want
to add, something jump in man the load management as
far as not giving them too much too soon and
what do they do when they're out of the. Lineup
AND i was really just had a smile on my
face when they both said they studied the, game and
(26:45):
Especially brunick, SAID i Watched. CARLSON i watched the THING
i write the right hand shooting defense on WHICH i.
AM i just watched the way they went about their.
Business AND i wasn't just up, there you, know eating
hot dogs and popcorn enjoy. MYSELF i actually used it
as like a. Classroom so number, one the load, management
but ALSO i think and also by doing that allows
(27:06):
you to keep them here longer and longer and. Longer
so just being around this team and the coaches and
everything else is going to pay. DIVIDENDS i think it'll
all play out at the. END i kind of get
that feeling him that the nine game kind of, first you,
know line in the sand about whether we keep them
(27:28):
here longer than nine, games which would burn the first
year of their entry level. CONTRACT i don't think that's
as strong a line as maybe it's been in the
past with other. PLAYERS i think they're willing to just
blow right by that and worry about the next line
in the, sand which might be so we send them
to The World juniors or are they better just staying
here In, pittsburgh you know, SO i don't think they're
(27:51):
worried about. THAT i think both players are starting to
tell you, that forget about the nine, games we belong.
Here both, Players i'm gonna lup them both. Together both
players play is showing me that they deserve to stay. Here.
NOW i don't make the, decisions And i'm sure there's
other things that go into making that, decision but it
(28:14):
seems pretty obvious to me that they they look and
they play the role that they are. Given they belong
in this hockey.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Team, well this is only a half, sarcastic half serious
follow up to that. Film when they're studying the likes
Of Eric carlson And Crystal, TANG i hope they're studying
the right things and ignoring some of the other, stuff right,
like especially at their age and THEIR nhl skill level
at this, point to not go too overboard with some
of the risks those guys.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
Take, oh fair.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
ENOUGH i understand where you want a little tongue in cheap,
there and that's that's fair because Both Crystal tang And Eric,
carlson you, know could button their game. Up they've been
good and they can be. Better AND i understand where
you're going with that. Question BUT i think they still
do a lot of things, defensively whether it's sick positioning
(29:00):
or angling or you, know just having a presence of
what's around you and moving the put quick when it
needed to move, quick and when to carry it when
the time to carry. It so there's a lot more
positive than Chrys letang And Eric carlson's game right now
that a player Like, brunik who has some similar traits
(29:22):
and qualities in his, game can actually really benefit and
taking a page out of both fifty eight and sixty five.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Games is it?
Speaker 1 (29:29):
WISE i would think that it is that they're distributing
the minutes the way that they. Are i'll focus on
the defenseman for the time, being BUT i suppose you
could also apply this to the forwards, Too, Phil like
when you See Ryan shay at twenty one minutes per,
game when you See watherspoon at twenty one minutes per,
game the same number is as you, know where we're
not so used to seeing other guys get as much
(29:51):
As letang And. Carlson let me put it to you that,
way it seems like they're better distributing the minutes this
year and giving less room for mental and physical fatigue
for those guys to make some blow up.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Mistakes fair.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
Enough, yeah AND i think even and you, Know i'll
talk about the, defense and but even look At sid's.
MINUTES i Think sid's down around eighteen.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Game, yeah there you.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
Go and that's that's a byproduct Of Dan mues trusting
all four. Lines and give that fourth, line you, know
the Laz otteline a lot of credit and let's charity
getting back in the. Lineup give him a lot of.
Credit that. Line, uh they've been difference, makers and especially
in THAT la game and The penguins were, flat they
were the one team that that really GAVE i think
(30:35):
the hockey club a, jump especially the goal By connor Doer.
So but as far as the, defenseman, YEAH i, KNOW i.
Understand you know Where Connor clifton and where he is feeling,
like you know what AM i doing? Here you, know
LIKE I i've Proven i'm AN nhl defense And i've
played a lot of games in this league AND i
(30:56):
deserve to be in the. Lineup and he's kicked off
and that's, fine that's. Healthy he's going to get a.
Shot SO i think there's really healthy competition on the,
backside and guys are realizing that IF i do not
bring MY a, game THE b game is not going
to be good, Enough i'll probably be out of the.
Lineup and so that's healthy. Competition that's where you want
(31:18):
it to. Be and there's every defension that they have
here In pittsburgh right now belongs to be in the.
Lineup but you can only dress six every.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Night fourky before we, go and this is the last
point on this year's. TEAM i want to get more
of a historical analysis from you on something before we.
Go but last point on. THIS i know that phrase
connectivity has been thrown around a. Lot Damn us likes
to talk about, that AND i think when people talk
about structure and, system they think five on. Five where
are you seeing the goal for connectivity and structure on
(31:47):
the special teams? Units is it shining through in any
particular manner to? You on THE pk or the power?
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Play i'll start with the power play for and, yeah
as far as being, connected it goes in all three,
zones and the best way for me to describe, it
you know from a radio, voice is that if you
were watching ON tv and you had your remote and
you could hit pause when The penguins are going and
they're playing their, game and the offensive zone and the
(32:14):
neutral zone and then the defensive, zone if you can
see to hit the pause, button they can see all
Five penguins, jerseys all Five penguin. Players they're doing something.
Right as far as the power, play it's about it's
about being unpredictable to the opponent and being predictable to your.
Teammates number. Two but as far as the term used
(32:36):
about being connected is even with all this movement and,
unpredictability you still need to have triangle FORMATIONS i think
throughout the ice to give you at least two options
of what to do with the puck if you feel.
Pressure AND i have seen a couple of teams try
to go super high pressure against The penguin's power play
(32:57):
and they weren't quite ready for. It BUT i think
they've done a really good job of making the adjustment
of getting those triangle formations throughout the ice when the
puck carrier is looking for OPTION a and OPTION. B
when you move it quick like, that good things.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Happen all, Right, Borky i'll leave you with this during the,
trifecta Which madden And Tommy radio do in the two
o'clock hour of their show every. Day tom's submission today
was because there's A game seven in baseball tonight for The.
Alcs he did three most painful and Greatest game sevens
(33:34):
In pittsburgh sports. History so obviously it's baseball, hockey and
there are plenty Of penguin And pirate nominations during your
time as A penguin player or voice on the broadcast.
Team the most painful and the greatest that you were
a part Of game.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Seven give them to me.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
Well the. GREATEST i think it's pretty. Easy as far
as a game, seven that would be the two thousand
and nine still on The cup, Game Matt's talbot with two,
Goals Joe Louis. Arena he just had a feeling it
was meant to be and it was. SPECIAL i, MEAN
i can remember really getting emotional after that. GAME i
wasn't expecting to get, emotional BUT i. DIDN'T i had
(34:16):
a tough time talking after that game, again working With Mike.
Lain probably the one that hit me in the end
of carriage more than any. Other as far as a
game seven loss would be, in that would be in
nineteen eighty. Nine we had beat The rangers in the
first round and then we were playing The flyers in
(34:40):
the second round and that's When Ron hextall got hurt
And Kane reggett came in and was absolutely. Unbelievable we
had our bags packed to go play The Montreal. Canadians
we had a plane ready to go After game seven
and go To montreal and move on to the next.
Round we were that confident we were going to beat
The flyers in that, Game seve and it didn't. Happen
(35:01):
Kenny reggitt was unbelievable in that game and we got.
Eliminated and that one we weren't over. Confident we were
extremely confident we were gonna win that. Game we just
didn't Expect reggitt to Replace heckstall and play the way he.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Did that's ONE i thought.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
About AND i know you weren't a part of The
volk Or fitzgerald. Goals you weren't here then you were
playing In New york And ottawa right with The rangers
And senators respectively for those two. Years, yeah so we
didn't talk much about That flyer. GAME i probably should.
HAVE i kind of thought On madden's behalf about The
islander game where The penguins blew the three nothing. Lead tom,
(35:39):
said if you've blown three in a row to get
it to game, seven maybe game seven doesn't hurt as,
much WHICH i GUESS i could, see but that one
still has to stick in people's. CRAWL i also thought
about the game seven Against montreal where they closed down the,
arena the old arena.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Too that one came to.
Speaker 5 (35:53):
Mind, OH i forgot about that one, Too and, yeah
just the finality of, it all of what.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
We lost to The canadians at The igloo at The Pacific.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Like that Wasn't, yeah you're, Right AND i remember just
that feeling at the end there was just it was
like a like a funeral. Home it was just so
eerily quiet that nobody expected that one.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Either but the best game seven you played in with
The penguins as a player was what The washington won
in ninety.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Two, Right, oh amen to, that.
Speaker 5 (36:25):
BROTHER i remember like it was yesterday and that was
the big, game, right, yeah that was that was you,
know we made we went to the one three, one
we kind of clogged up the neutral. Zone something completely
different That, NO i know The penguins really team has really.
Done Uh AND i REMEMBER i think it was an
empty net goal By Joey mullen maybe Or Paul, Now
(36:47):
Paul coffee wasn't. There it might have. Been maybe it's Probably. Mary,
ANYWAYS i remember jumping up and down on the Bench
tim LIKE i was a five year old, kid just you,
know won my first hockey Game i'd ever played. IT i,
WAS i. Was that was as happy AS i ever
was winning a hockey, game coming back down three to
one to those bunch of, schmucks In. Washington there was pure. Joy.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Phil this was really good memory lane hockey. Talk thanks
for the, time.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
All, Right, CAM i enjoyed our time.
Speaker 8 (37:18):
Together this Was you're, right it was good hockey.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Talk no bourk here on one o five to nine THE.
X make sure you check him Out vancouver on the.
Call right here on THE, x your flagship station for
The Pittsburgh. Penguins before we get to the top of the,
hour what happened With Kenny pickett in his return to
playing with The Vegas.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Raiders it wasn't pretty one five Nine THE.
Speaker 6 (37:38):
X it's The Woody show weekday mornings at.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Six of COURSE X music on one oh five Nine THE.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
X eighty.
Speaker 9 (37:47):
Four lumber is proud to partner With Anderson windows And
doors to present an all new interactive, showroom now open
And Mount.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Lebanon the showroom features an extensive selection of wind
Segment brought to us by eighty four Lumber Dynasty partner
of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Here's some free advice for Mike.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Tomlin, for Omar Khan, for whoever wants to talk in
behalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers as to what's going on
with their wide receiver position and specifically the departure of
George Pickens in that trade to the Dallas Cowboys for
a draft pick next year shortly after this year's draft
came and went by all means, stepped to the microphone
(00:26):
and tell us what really happened there. Because as time
is getting further and further away and Pickens keeps making
catches like he made in that game yesterday against the Commanders,
people in Pittsburgh are going, what the heck?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Now?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
That was my reaction right away when they traded Pickens
after the draft, after free agency and only got a
pick for next year in return for him.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But I'm pretty sure I know what happened.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'm pretty sure whatever conversation they had with Pickens about
how things were gonna go with DKB and the number
one guy wasn't meant well. I'm pretty sure that there
must have been something back and forth between Omar Khan
and the representation for George Pickens that was to the
extent of, George is gonna hold out, George is gonna
(01:13):
hold in. George is not going to promise you anything
about how he's going to behave and how he's going
to get along here. So the Steelers just said, whatever
we punt, we've lost on this one. We'll get by
with Calvin Austin and hope for the best. And the
best right now is the same result as they had
after six games a year ago. They've got one wide receiver,
(01:35):
they've got very little else besides that. Austin I do
think got a little better since last year, but we
haven't seen much of it because he's hurt. There's no
guarantee he's going to stay healthy the rest of the year,
being that size in the NFL. So they're kind of
in the same spot, aren't they. And maybe Pickens said
he wouldn't report. Maybe Pickens said he was going to
hold in. Whatever the case, they wanted to be rid
(01:57):
of them, and they were all to will for the
minimal price tag that Dallas gave up for him, and
he kept the Cowboys afloat in the pass game while
Ceedee Lamb was out. Now Lamb is back and next
to Chasin Higgins, that might be the best one to
two punch receiver wise in all of football. I don't
blame the Steelers for doing that. I think they could
(02:19):
have gotten better return. I think they could have gotten
better return earlier if they had admitted earlier that it
just wasn't gonna work between those two in Pittsburgh with
him and DK under the same roof, and eventually my
guess is by season's end, it's not gonna work out
great for the Cowboys with Ceedee Lamb and Pickens. Either
that's just my hunch, or Pickens is just using him
(02:41):
for a year. He's gonna hit the market, make it
big in free agency, and make wherever he goes next
the night mere.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
If it wasn't in Dallas, that could happen too.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
But I also know that the Steelers don't have a
number two wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That's the bigger sin.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Not what they did with Pickens was the failing to
backfill yet again, even though they had time between getting
rid of Pickens at the start of the season. Even
though we're still coming up with the trade deadline, and
they can do something about it.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The record masks that the fact that they're four and two.
Metcalf's production at times has masked that. It's also been
masked by the fact that DK's healthy. What if he
isn't like Pickens wasn't at the end of last year
when we went through all this for the first time.
So I still do think there is a need there
(03:31):
for the Steelers to sacrifice some of their draft pool
for next season and go get a wide receiver that's
a compliment to Metcalf. I think that's a huge priority.
I think they're dumbed to not do it. I especially
think they're dumb to not do it because obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Things are working out pretty well with Rogers. Things are not.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Working out well for the draft class next year at quarterback.
So all these draft picks that they've hoarded us some
of them for collateral. Now, when it's worked out well
for you in the AFS, see north and make yourself better,
secure that division championship and make sure what happened against
Cincinnati doesn't continue to be a slide. And if your
defense continues to stink against these next three teams that
(04:12):
you got, well, maybe you can outgun them and outscore
them on offense. If Rogers continues to be that good,
that's my thought on it. This is what Mike Decursi
said when you heard him last week here in the
Mark Madden Show and My Friday Football show over at
Trip Sports.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
There is an obsession in the Steelers nation, so to speak,
whether it's the fan base or it's the people who
cover the team comment on the team about getting another
wide receiver. And I am telling you right now that
if the Steelers were offered, Okay, here's a second wide
receiver that can really help you, and here's a safety,
(04:47):
a free safety that can really help you, I would
take the safety one hundred times out of one hundred.
They are so poor in the secondary. They're getting nothing
from their safety play at all.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Nothing.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
They get no help from those guys on occasion and
on talking about I'm not talking about de Shaun Elliott
as a strong safety as a run support, but the
free safety play. When they traded Mika, they made they
made it a they made a significant choice that having
a highly capable cornerback is more important than having a
(05:19):
highly capable free safety. And they're seeing now that there
are times when that's true, but there are also times
when it's not and they are not getting adequate safety
play at that position.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So let me ask the question, is Mike Wright, should
the Steelers prioritize secondary over wide receiver? And I'll expand
the question, if it's just one, you can't have both,
although I think the Steelers should look to getting both.
(05:53):
If it can only be one, should it be wide
receiver or should it be a position on defense? Eight three,
three four one two ninety nine thirty nine. I'm still
going wide receiver. I get Mike's point. I think he
made it well. I might actually lean more defensive line
honestly than secondary, but I get his point. But if
(06:16):
it's just gonna be one, I'm still gonna go with
wide receiver because that guy can help you now with
who he is, and he can save your butt potentially
whoever it is, if something should happen to DK Metcalf,
because I think they're lost without DK Metcalf, because then
your second best receiver is Pat Fryarmouth, and they don't
seem to want to play that guy, and he's not
(06:38):
even a wide receiver, he's a tight end. Beyond that,
it appears to be Roman Wilson until Calvin Austin is
truly healthy.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You can also.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Tweet me at Tim Ben's PGH. So the simple question
is is Mike right about that? And if he is,
which direction would you go in? Upfront or in the
back third. If it's not gonna be wide receiver, I
would still go with wide receiver. And part of the
reason why, for as much as these holes are being
exploited on defense, they like their defense. I know they've
(07:11):
talked themselves into the wide receiver thing, but I don't
know who's available that can actually play in front of
some of the components that they went out and signed, drafted,
or traded for in the secondary and the defensive line.
That's also a component of this of they go out
and get a guy at one of those positions and
maybe he doesn't play or have the ball thrown his way,
(07:34):
kind of like we saw when Mike Williams a year
ago on the other side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Paul in Washington, You're on one O five nine the X.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Hey, Benzi, I like, lets you unto you. I hearing
you on other areas, but I agree, but I disagree.
I think you got to do something by Joey Porter Junior.
He's obviously a second round bust. I don't know why
they him. Maybe it was a favorite of his dad.
(08:03):
But he's nowhere near the football player his dad was.
But he can run his mouth like his dad. But
he's a bust. Slay is washed up. There's a reason
that Philly let him go. We see that now. And Ramsey,
he was running behind the Fangles receivers all night long.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Well the Ramsey thing, Paul, and thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
I got a bunch of people who just dialed in,
so I got to rattle through a bunch. But you
bring up a good point about the corner versus safety
component if we're talking secondary in general as opposed to safety.
And yeah, I could see where there's a hole beyond
Deshaun Elliott, particularly at the free safety position that Mike
is talking about. But corner might be the more glaring
need because they haven't gotten performance there. You're talking about Porter,
(08:47):
I don't think he's a second round bus, nor was
he a second round reach because he was going to
go in that vicinity. He was going to go in
that vicinity of picks. If he didn't go to the Steelers,
he was going to go a couple picks later. For sure,
he was right about how thirties on the draft board
early second round, regardless of whether Pittsburgh was gonna take
him or not. I don't think it was just a
(09:08):
favor to his dad, like you said. But corners just
don't move. Safeties move. Corners don't because there's such a
commodity of player. Everybody needs corners, and if you have them,
they don't let them go. Viper and Cannonsburg, you're on
one O five nine the X.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Afternoon.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I can't help but disagree, maybe a little bit with
the last ball, right, You're absolutely right you need to
go out to or watch.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Viper will losing you.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But if you say, I believe what you said, there's
more need there for a wide receiver than a safety.
I think the wide receivers will move too, because those
tens to tend to be guys that have decent sized tickets,
that teams that aren't going to benefit from second wide
receiver play that are out of it are willing to move.
That's not a component of this. What are the most
(09:57):
movable commodities? And I think we we'll see a receiver
market to some degree or another but unfortunately health has
got in the way of some of the guys, whether
they're banged up or other players on their teams have
gotten hurt, and then they're just hamstrung as a total
offense with the young quarterbacks, and coaches and gms don't
want to move those guys. Brian and new Brighton, you're
(10:17):
on one of five nine the X good Day, Good Day.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
I think that you hit the nail right on the head.
And one of the things that have a problem with
the Steelers is I feel like they feel like their
system is way more complex than anybody else in the
league that when they do go get these guys like
they think they need to like slow. I'll give you
a good example is they go out and get Jabrill
Pebbers and because of the shawan Elly gets hurt, he
(10:44):
splashes in the first game. They talk about how shoddy
their safety play is, but you haven't seen him on
the field since. Even if they go get the guys,
they feel like they have this buffering period that they
have to work them into these complex systems that you
watch all these that listen to these other players in
(11:04):
the league talk and talk about how it's not a
complex systems.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
It's like, well, yeah, yeah, here's the point where I
counter to. But I get what you're saying when you
say that they think that their own system is so complicated.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
I don't think they do.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
I think their system and their minds is easy the
way they compute it, but it's obviously not once it
gets into the field of battle because their players can't
figure it out and they're lost all the time. Like
I bet the coaches feel like this system is pretty
easy to figure out, and they give it to the
players and then they get lost at crucial times, which
(11:38):
is why we keep hearing about all these communication problems,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (11:42):
Yeah, and I'll give you that.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
And even when they go out and get a guy
like I, they go get Peppers. They let Mike Williams
play last year one game and throw them a Mike
Williams ball, because that's what Mike Williams is known for,
deep balls and fades in the corner of the end zone.
Or you let Jabrill Peppers go out and play his
game the reason you got him and he splashes, but
then you don't see him the rest of the year.
(12:05):
You don't give them that opportunity. You know to continue
to for the reason you got them.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, well, I appreciate the call, Brian.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Yeah, I think there is a little bit of a
gap there between how they view how tangible their system
is for the players and what the players really think,
because obviously there's a problem.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
There's a disconnect there. Mike and Cranberry. You're on one,
O five nine the X.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
Hey what's happening? Tim?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Hey, Mike, one like your take the other.
Speaker 6 (12:36):
The replay that you played before. I disagree wholeheartedly. We
need a wide receiver. At the end of the day,
we have a defense that is the highest paid in
the NFL. They're allowed to go make plays.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Especially t J.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
Watt who wanted to hold in Cam Hayward who wanted
to hold in You know, we need a number two,
plain and simple, and we have better quarterback play this
year than we did last year. So I would say
support that the defense just has to step up, plain
and simple, go get a number two.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Appreciate it, thanks, Mike. I'm sort of of that mind.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I think the course, he makes a very good point
about what needs to get better, but to complete that loop,
you also have to have the coaches and Omar Kahan
be on the same thought line, and I think they
feel like they've got enough good players there and the
players just aren't doing the heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
They can't possibly look. I think that they're.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Bs ing us about how confident they are in the
wide receiver room. I think they feel what they're speaking
about the defense, and there's a big difference between those
two things. If you missed the James Franklin SoundBite from earlier,
I played it with Tom, but I'm want to play
it again, and I want to go over one specific
thing that Franklin said in his appearance on College Game Day.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Next one to five nine the X.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Screws to join us for the XS Halloween CRUs.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
On Thursday, October thirtieth.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The Cup says sale at eight pm with live music
from the Clintones playing all your nineties favorites.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Ten dollars and fifty nine cents from every ticket sold
goes to the Mario Lemue.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Foundation Jingux Crew for this twenty one oar old door
event and dressing your Halloween's best.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
To score prizes all night. Tickets are on sale now
at Gateway Clipper dot com.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
The XES Halloway runs on the Gateway Clipper sponsored by
Disaster Restoration Services.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
We'll see you on October thirty.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
iHeartRadio Alter twenty presented by Capitol.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
On Saturday, January seventh, Man, go ahead, you can say
it because it's true. It's damn true remark. I love
the show.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
Thank you for making my day.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yeah, the ex at one oh five nine O.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It's Piccoli tweeted me maybe we can trade for Minka
Fitzpatrick if we need a safety. That's actually pretty funny.
I'll get some more tweets before we're done. Got a
few that I need to get through, as we've stockpiled
a couple. Yesterday, Sorry, Saturday, James Franklin, former Penn State coach,
was on the set of ESPN College Game Day, and
(15:22):
he had a chance to speak his mind about the
dismissal from Penn State and boy Diddy.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
How'd we get here so quickly?
Speaker 9 (15:31):
Yeah, I can't answer that, to be honest with you,
I'm still working through it myself. It feels surreal. I
just got a message, you know, from Drew Aller's dad
that he's sitting home as well. We both should be
in Iowa. It's what we used were used to doing
and how we operate and I've been doing this for thirty.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Years and fifteen years as a head coach.
Speaker 9 (15:53):
To think essentially, six games ago, we were fighting for
a chance to be in the national championship two minute
drive away. So that's the thing I really can't answer that, Kirk.
Twelve years, a ton of good moments, a bunch of
big wins, but decisions were made, and I'm not involved
in those decisions. I'm very, very grateful for the time
(16:16):
I had it, most importantly for the relationships I was
able to build. I thought we were going to win
a national championship there, we were close. That goal hasn't changed.
We're just gonna go win a national championship somewhere else now.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Hell yeah, hell yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Okay, a couple of things there, McAfee's enthusiasm side. First
of all, it didn't happen quickly. This was the culmination
of them very rarely winning big games. And when James
Franklin started to win the games to lose the games
he was not supposed to lose, let alone winning games
that he could never win against very good competition. That
was the cherry on the Sunday, But most of the
(16:53):
Sunday was already built, So let's not act like this
is something that came out of nowhere, as was sort
of the discussion there. Second, he's playing the victim, no doubt. Third,
I have no idea where that's going to be. Where
he thinks he's going to walk in and win a
national championship. I would suggest to him take one of
the ACC jobs and then hopefully Miami and Clemson don't
(17:15):
become your Michigan and Ohio state, and maybe you can
find a path that way. But this notion of him
going to I don't know, Florida or LSU or Wisconsin,
I definitely wouldn't do that. Get out of the Big ten,
he's going to find it awfully hard slogging in the SEC.
(17:35):
I think there's a clearer path to one of those
ACC schools, especially since he tends to recruit well in Virginia.
Harry and Westview, You're on one oh five nine the X.
Speaker 8 (17:47):
Yeah, Tom, I'm sorry, didn't do me to call you that,
But anyway, you know, they say arrogance is pretending like
you know what you're talking about, and confidence who's actually
know what you're talking about. That's what I always thought
about Franklin and I just I think that's what shot
(18:07):
him down in the end. And I want to know
how they handle an IL money, Like why are they
willing to pay fifty million dollars out to Franklin and
like how does.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
He part of that?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Well, there's an IL, but I mean, like that that's
coming from the same sources. You know, it's like people
that are giving to the athletic department, and where the
money is coming in from to the athletic department from
UH television networks and things of that sort. Harry, thank
you for the call, But I mean, so much of
that is going to be offset soon anyway. Like that,
there's whatever offset language is in there, to whatever degree
(18:37):
it exists. You know, he's going to be working again soon.
He's going to get another college job. He just said
it right there. He's not ready to sit on the
shelf and just be an analyst. So with that being said, yeah,
I think it's crazy what the buyouts are. I think
it's crazy what the coaches are making. But it's not
necessarily like, Okay, you're on a college campus and this
(18:59):
money is coming in to the football team, and otherwise
it would go to the drama department. Or to build
a new math building or the Polypsi program. And these
are people who are giving money because they're fans of athletics.
It's not the same thing, Phil Bork Next one O
five nine The X.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Now it's your chance to win one thousand dollars.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
Just entered this nationwide keyword on our website.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Credit. That's credit and it now hits Bunny Diver And
I just love this smart Madden.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
He's a little guy.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
I'd love to get the balls.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
The very good point The X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Phil bork joins us right now on one O five
to nine The X, your flagship station for Penguin games.
You can hear Borky on the call for Penn's games,
including their return against Vancouver coming up on Tuesday after
the West Coast swing, Borkie, did you channel any of
your time with Mike Laying into your play by play
call over the weekend subbing in for Josh gets Off?
Did we get a Michael Michael motors? Do we get
(20:00):
to scratch my back with a hack? Sar, slap me,
silly Sydney, anything like that along the way when you
were forced into play by play duties.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
Oh Man good to be on with you, Tim, And yeah,
the show muscle on right and we're over on the
West coast, and it's good to know that Josh gets up.
By the way, hopefully he'll be back in the move
Tomorrogan's Vancouver, but in the meantime, he just wish him
well and back to health. With that being said, I
(20:29):
waited till we were in sanals A to pull out
to slap me, silly Sydney. I just thought that type
of goal, you know, not that far from where Mike
Lang was born in Sacramento, and I know, you know
he used in twenty sixteen, you know, get the fastling Grandma.
The Bengal game is ready to roll. That was kind
(20:50):
of a salute from him to his grandmother, who lived
into her hundreds. And I just thought, you know, last time,
it's it's kind of my wrong, like Tim that the
last time, I should say first time, which happened last year.
I did play by play Josh, also with Ill and
San Jose. It was there where I also did play
(21:12):
by play, which I had never done before and is
a completely different animal. And I have a whole new
respect for play by play guys after having tons of
respect for playlet play guys. I pulled out a I
think I used to get in the fast line Grandma
last year. It's just kind of a tilt of the
helmet and a tap of the pads. To my old partner, Mikeylan, did.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
You get a clean, Borkie?
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Did you see the deflection from Sid right off the
hop or did you think that La Tang scored it
on his own?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
No, I had an unbelievable angle. And also I knew
it was him, and just the way that the Dulkovich
reacted to I knew it was deflected. So there's a
lot of different factors and on that. I think because
I saw Sid there, because I saw a stick there,
and then I saw the reaction of Nadalkovich, I knew
it had to be him. So yes, I got a clean.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
What'd you think of the jarr Nadelkovitch battle there?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (22:06):
That was great?
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Ohot, that was great. I knew they they liked each other.
I didn't know there was that kind of a friendship
that they showed before the game and after the game. Uh,
and obviously once the puck gets dropped, it was a
nice healthy, come come peek, you know, battle against each
(22:30):
other type of moment in that game, which was was great.
They were trying to outdo each other. I thought both
goaltenders were outstanding. I thought the Dalkavich maybe got a
little bit too frisky trying to play the puck like
he did early in the year against Las Vegas. But
with that being said, I think it brought the best
out in Tristan Jari when he looked down the other
end and saw alex Van Dalkovic.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
In your time as a player, or even if you
want to go on the broadcast route, what's the biggest
line that you remember playing against and what made pure
size so difficult to navigate like we see with this
new geno line that he's playing on.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yeah, it was kind of very end of my career.
It was the legion of doom in Philadelphia, you know,
with John Leclair, Michael Rinberg and Eric Lindross. That's I mean,
those are just three horses. Maybe they weren't at the
you know, six' five six six rains like these three guys,
(23:34):
are but, yeah they they were also physical and And
lindros had a had a mean streak and that was
probably the, biggest baddest. Line of, COURSE i could probably name,
up you, know half a Dozen Philadelphia flyer, lines but
they weren't. Killed they were more just a bunch OF
(23:55):
i want to palm a snot out of. You but
this line here With malkin And brazo And Anthony, mantha
not only are they, big but they're showing you some.
Skill and, uh it's.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
All, RIGHT i have to Call we'll have to Call
borkie back here and get a cleaner line. There but,
yeah well when we Get borki, back we'll talk a
little bit more About malkin specifically on that. Line two,
goals seven, assists and nine points to this. Point and
he has been really good at distributing the. Puck and you,
know one thing THAT i talked about with some of
the players in discussing, this and And Brian rust And
(24:34):
Ricard raquel both talked about this to a great extent as.
Well it wasn't just About it isn't just about size
in terms, of oh my, god this guy's gonna run
me through the.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Board it's it's.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Possession it's puck, possession it's, reach it's that much stick
in front of, you it's that much stick on puck
and being able.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
To control the.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Puck borcire is just picking up in the thoughts about
the size of that line With brazo And mantha And.
Gino what are you Seeing geno do so far this
season to sort of drive that engine and drive that
line with the seven assists he has so.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
FAR i don't have to sex the answer for, you
BUT i have the right answer for. You he's keeping
a sample, turn he really, is and on top of,
that he's trusting his. Linements let's See gino guilty of
two things in the. Past is when things aren't going
his way or he wants to change the tide or
do something, special his heart's in the right, place just
(25:29):
as the compass is not pointed in the right direction
and he tries to do too. Much PART, A PART
b is he hasn't always had. Guilt. Guys you, Know
sid has got kind of the cream as far as,
wingers and Then gino kind of gets the. Leftovers that's
no disrespect to the, players it's just kind of what it.
Was and now he's got some, talent not only size
(25:53):
as we, mentioned but he's got. Talent so the combination
of keeping the game, simple continuing to create and use
your your, skills but also trusting in your linemates That
i'm going to give them that, puck you, know in
that seven eight foot ten foot, area AND i know
they're going to do the right thing with.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
It my, PRESUMPTION, borki is that they want to Keep
brunick And kindle up, right because why else would they
be doing this load management thing with them and giving
them designated days.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Off that's my interpretation of, it is that yours as.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
Well, yeah for, me it's. Twofold and if you want
to add, something jump in man the load management as
far as not giving them too much too soon and
what do they do when they're out of the. Lineup
AND i was really just had a smile on my
face when they both said they studied the, game and
(26:45):
Especially brunick, SAID i Watched. CARLSON i watched the THING
i write the right hand shooting defense on WHICH i.
AM i just watched the way they went about their.
Business AND i wasn't just up, there you, know eating
hot dogs and popcorn enjoy. MYSELF i actually used it
as like a. Classroom so number, one the load, management
but ALSO i think and also by doing that allows
(27:06):
you to keep them here longer and longer and. Longer
so just being around this team and the coaches and
everything else is going to pay. DIVIDENDS i think it'll
all play out at the. END i kind of get
that feeling him that the nine game kind of, first you,
know line in the sand about whether we keep them
(27:28):
here longer than nine, games which would burn the first
year of their entry level. CONTRACT i don't think that's
as strong a line as maybe it's been in the
past with other. PLAYERS i think they're willing to just
blow right by that and worry about the next line
in the, sand which might be so we send them
to The World juniors or are they better just staying
here In, pittsburgh you know, SO i don't think they're
(27:51):
worried about. THAT i think both players are starting to
tell you, that forget about the nine, games we belong.
Here both, Players i'm gonna lup them both. Together both
players play is showing me that they deserve to stay. Here.
NOW i don't make the, decisions And i'm sure there's
other things that go into making that, decision but it
(28:14):
seems pretty obvious to me that they they look and
they play the role that they are. Given they belong
in this hockey.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Team, well this is only a half, sarcastic half serious
follow up to that. Film when they're studying the likes
Of Eric carlson And Crystal, TANG i hope they're studying
the right things and ignoring some of the other, stuff right,
like especially at their age and THEIR nhl skill level
at this, point to not go too overboard with some
of the risks those guys.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
Take, oh fair.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
ENOUGH i understand where you want a little tongue in cheap,
there and that's that's fair because Both Crystal tang And Eric,
carlson you, know could button their game. Up they've been
good and they can be. Better AND i understand where
you're going with that. Question BUT i think they still
do a lot of things, defensively whether it's sick positioning
(29:00):
or angling or you, know just having a presence of
what's around you and moving the put quick when it
needed to move, quick and when to carry it when
the time to carry. It so there's a lot more
positive than Chrys letang And Eric carlson's game right now
that a player Like, brunik who has some similar traits
(29:22):
and qualities in his, game can actually really benefit and
taking a page out of both fifty eight and sixty five.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Games is it?
Speaker 1 (29:29):
WISE i would think that it is that they're distributing
the minutes the way that they. Are i'll focus on
the defenseman for the time, being BUT i suppose you
could also apply this to the forwards, Too, Phil like
when you See Ryan shay at twenty one minutes per,
game when you See watherspoon at twenty one minutes per,
game the same number is as you, know where we're
not so used to seeing other guys get as much
(29:51):
As letang And. Carlson let me put it to you that,
way it seems like they're better distributing the minutes this
year and giving less room for mental and physical fatigue
for those guys to make some blow up.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Mistakes fair.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
Enough, yeah AND i think even and you, Know i'll
talk about the, defense and but even look At sid's.
MINUTES i Think sid's down around eighteen.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Game, yeah there you.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
Go and that's that's a byproduct Of Dan mues trusting
all four. Lines and give that fourth, line you, know
the Laz otteline a lot of credit and let's charity
getting back in the. Lineup give him a lot of.
Credit that. Line, uh they've been difference, makers and especially
in THAT la game and The penguins were, flat they
were the one team that that really GAVE i think
(30:35):
the hockey club a, jump especially the goal By connor Doer.
So but as far as the, defenseman, YEAH i, KNOW i.
Understand you know Where Connor clifton and where he is feeling,
like you know what AM i doing? Here you, know
LIKE I i've Proven i'm AN nhl defense And i've
played a lot of games in this league AND i
(30:56):
deserve to be in the. Lineup and he's kicked off
and that's, fine that's. Healthy he's going to get a.
Shot SO i think there's really healthy competition on the,
backside and guys are realizing that IF i do not
bring MY a, game THE b game is not going
to be good, Enough i'll probably be out of the.
Lineup and so that's healthy. Competition that's where you want
(31:18):
it to. Be and there's every defension that they have
here In pittsburgh right now belongs to be in the.
Lineup but you can only dress six every.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Night fourky before we, go and this is the last
point on this year's. TEAM i want to get more
of a historical analysis from you on something before we.
Go but last point on. THIS i know that phrase
connectivity has been thrown around a. Lot Damn us likes
to talk about, that AND i think when people talk
about structure and, system they think five on. Five where
are you seeing the goal for connectivity and structure on
(31:47):
the special teams? Units is it shining through in any
particular manner to? You on THE pk or the power?
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Play i'll start with the power play for and, yeah
as far as being, connected it goes in all three,
zones and the best way for me to describe, it
you know from a radio, voice is that if you
were watching ON tv and you had your remote and
you could hit pause when The penguins are going and
they're playing their, game and the offensive zone and the
(32:14):
neutral zone and then the defensive, zone if you can
see to hit the pause, button they can see all
Five penguins, jerseys all Five penguin. Players they're doing something.
Right as far as the power, play it's about it's
about being unpredictable to the opponent and being predictable to your.
Teammates number. Two but as far as the term used
(32:36):
about being connected is even with all this movement and,
unpredictability you still need to have triangle FORMATIONS i think
throughout the ice to give you at least two options
of what to do with the puck if you feel.
Pressure AND i have seen a couple of teams try
to go super high pressure against The penguin's power play
(32:57):
and they weren't quite ready for. It BUT i think
they've done a really good job of making the adjustment
of getting those triangle formations throughout the ice when the
puck carrier is looking for OPTION a and OPTION. B
when you move it quick like, that good things.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Happen all, Right, Borky i'll leave you with this during the,
trifecta Which madden And Tommy radio do in the two
o'clock hour of their show every. Day tom's submission today
was because there's A game seven in baseball tonight for The.
Alcs he did three most painful and Greatest game sevens
(33:34):
In pittsburgh sports. History so obviously it's baseball, hockey and
there are plenty Of penguin And pirate nominations during your
time as A penguin player or voice on the broadcast.
Team the most painful and the greatest that you were
a part Of game.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Seven give them to me.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
Well the. GREATEST i think it's pretty. Easy as far
as a game, seven that would be the two thousand
and nine still on The cup, Game Matt's talbot with two,
Goals Joe Louis. Arena he just had a feeling it
was meant to be and it was. SPECIAL i, MEAN
i can remember really getting emotional after that. GAME i
wasn't expecting to get, emotional BUT i. DIDN'T i had
(34:16):
a tough time talking after that game, again working With Mike.
Lain probably the one that hit me in the end
of carriage more than any. Other as far as a
game seven loss would be, in that would be in
nineteen eighty. Nine we had beat The rangers in the
first round and then we were playing The flyers in
(34:40):
the second round and that's When Ron hextall got hurt
And Kane reggett came in and was absolutely. Unbelievable we
had our bags packed to go play The Montreal. Canadians
we had a plane ready to go After game seven
and go To montreal and move on to the next.
Round we were that confident we were going to beat
The flyers in that, Game seve and it didn't. Happen
(35:01):
Kenny reggitt was unbelievable in that game and we got.
Eliminated and that one we weren't over. Confident we were
extremely confident we were gonna win that. Game we just
didn't Expect reggitt to Replace heckstall and play the way he.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Did that's ONE i thought.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
About AND i know you weren't a part of The
volk Or fitzgerald. Goals you weren't here then you were
playing In New york And ottawa right with The rangers
And senators respectively for those two. Years, yeah so we
didn't talk much about That flyer. GAME i probably should.
HAVE i kind of thought On madden's behalf about The
islander game where The penguins blew the three nothing. Lead tom,
(35:39):
said if you've blown three in a row to get
it to game, seven maybe game seven doesn't hurt as,
much WHICH i GUESS i could, see but that one
still has to stick in people's. CRAWL i also thought
about the game seven Against montreal where they closed down the,
arena the old arena.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Too that one came to.
Speaker 5 (35:53):
Mind, OH i forgot about that one, Too and, yeah
just the finality of, it all of what.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
We lost to The canadians at The igloo at The Pacific.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Like that Wasn't, yeah you're, Right AND i remember just
that feeling at the end there was just it was
like a like a funeral. Home it was just so
eerily quiet that nobody expected that one.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Either but the best game seven you played in with
The penguins as a player was what The washington won
in ninety.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Two, Right, oh amen to, that.
Speaker 5 (36:25):
BROTHER i remember like it was yesterday and that was
the big, game, right, yeah that was that was you,
know we made we went to the one three, one
we kind of clogged up the neutral. Zone something completely
different That, NO i know The penguins really team has really.
Done Uh AND i REMEMBER i think it was an
empty net goal By Joey mullen maybe Or Paul, Now
(36:47):
Paul coffee wasn't. There it might have. Been maybe it's Probably. Mary,
ANYWAYS i remember jumping up and down on the Bench
tim LIKE i was a five year old, kid just you,
know won my first hockey Game i'd ever played. IT i,
WAS i. Was that was as happy AS i ever
was winning a hockey, game coming back down three to
one to those bunch of, schmucks In. Washington there was pure. Joy.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Phil this was really good memory lane hockey. Talk thanks
for the, time.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
All, Right, CAM i enjoyed our time.
Speaker 8 (37:18):
Together this Was you're, right it was good hockey.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Talk no bourk here on one o five to nine THE.
X make sure you check him Out vancouver on the.
Call right here on THE, x your flagship station for
The Pittsburgh. Penguins before we get to the top of the,
hour what happened With Kenny pickett in his return to
playing with The Vegas.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Raiders it wasn't pretty one five Nine THE.
Speaker 6 (37:38):
X it's The Woody show weekday mornings at.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Six of COURSE X music on one oh five Nine THE.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
X eighty.
Speaker 9 (37:47):
Four lumber is proud to partner With Anderson windows And
doors to present an all new interactive, showroom now open
And Mount.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Lebanon the showroom features an extensive selection of wind
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