January 7, 2026 • 38 mins
Mark and Tommy Radio talk Steelers and the Post Gazette closing. Erik Karlsson joins the show to talk about his season so far and his selection to the Sweden Olympic team
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Mark Madden Show. You can follow me
on Twitter at Mark Madden. Next some stunning news just
moments ago. The Post Gazette, who I used to work for,
will cease operations in early May. No more Post Gazette.
The Tribune Review, who I do work for currently now
(00:21):
the only game in town. I could go into why
this happened, because I'm pretty sure I know. Out of
respect for my friends who work for the Post Gazette
and won't be after the start of Mate, I will refrain.
But there's a reason it happened, and one which I
saw coming. But today is not the time. Now is
(00:45):
the time to talk to Tommy Radio tom who has
a superior resume, John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Looking at the resume as a whole, would you have
to give it to Mike Tomlin just forgetting to that
second Super Bowl where Harbaugh has failed to do that.
But I want to look at it more so from
like just the previous you know, six seven years, where
Harbaugh's resume is far superior in that swath than Mike
Tomlin's is. Harbaugh has won playoff games. Harbaugh was in
an AFC Championship game just a couple of years ago.
(01:14):
Harbaugh just beat Mike Tomlin in a playoff game just
last year. So when you look at it from like
just that swath, it's hard Sunday night. He didn't know,
he didn't that was a fake playoff game. Nonetheless, so
you know, looking at it from that perspective, from this
eight year drought from the Steelers of no playoff wins,
Harbaugh's much better than coach Tomlin overall, though I guess
you just give the nod to Tomlin forgetting to the
(01:36):
second Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, Tomlin has the additional Super Bowl appearance, but that
was a long time on time ago. Harbus thirteen and
eleven in playoff games and has won three playoff games
since Tomlin last one to one e zactly.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
And here's the interesting stat. Harbaugh's won eight road playoff games.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
That's incredible, something that should be absolutely celebrated and championed.
Is a great feat to do that on the road
so many times. And I'll give you one more thing
that Harbu's done, not once, Mark, but twice that coach
t has never done. He has identified or his staff
has in a draft that he has headed up two
franchise quarterbacks his first year in two thousand and eight,
they picked Joe Flacco in the first round, won a
(02:16):
Super Bowl. Has not won a super Bowl with Lamar,
but they picked Lamar in the very last pick of
the first round. Whatever year. That was a two time MVP.
He has identified and drafted quarterbacks, whereas coach Dunsky drafted
can you pickt yep? Yeah, and set the franchise back
at least five years. It's looking out like it might
be more like ten. But talking to quarterbacks, then Lamar
Jackson get harbought fired? Yes, I think I don't know.
(02:40):
Do you think it was his cut and dry as
he stormed into the owner's office and is like it's
got to be him, Like he's got to go.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Either that of the owner just you know, divined Lamar's will.
I think that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
No. I think Lamar, or more likely his age, would
have to approach directly because Lamar's not too bright, not
do well spoken. I just don't picture him in the
scenario you described.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Well, his agents, Mom, let's not forget that.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You gotta get my boy a new coach.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You know, it seemed reading between the lines that Lamar
got Hardbaugh fired, and Lamar can do that. No player
currently now in Pittsburgh has that power, but Lamar in
Baltimore does and execute.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It without question. And do you think a quarterback should
have that kind of power. I guess that's a completely
different came I don't think any player in any sports
should have that kind of power.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I think coaches coach players play. I think Lamar needs
to look into mirror. Although he's so ugly, I wouldn't
let me say this.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I think there is certainly a threshold you can pass
as a player where I would maybe yield to you
and your opinion there, but you got to have at
least one ring on your finger to cross that threshold
or even approach that right. And Lamar hasn't even played
in a super Bowl yet.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
No, I'm not and Lamar ain't gonna win no Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I feel like Lamar does have the pinpoint passing and
football guile to beat a quarterback who does in a
playoff game when all the teams are good, although this
year not so much, but usually in the playoffs all
the teams are good and all the quarterbacks are mostly
real good.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You know, people are obviously gonna say, oh, the Ravens
a slam dunk candidate now for our slam dunk job
for any of these candidates. Don't you think you could
really talk yourself out of it?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Though?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
If you were one of these candidates.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Well, the coaches like like a Stefanski, I think he's
the ideal fit for Baltimore because of his offensive nows.
But but you know, even if you do look at
Lamar getting Harbaugh fired, you're gonna think, Okay, that won't
happen to me. A coach of any confidence level you know,
would think it.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
It'd be different.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Uh Now now that I want to stick with the
Harbaugh and Lamar thing, though, Tom, did Harbaugh waste Lamar?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Or did Lamar let Harbaugh down? Man?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
That's a great question. Is it really cut and dry
like that, like one or one or the other? I
feel like they both were Lamar letting him.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Lamar's more, Harbaugh won a super Bowl without Lamar. Lamar
never got to a super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah, And you know, at some point, when you're that
good of a player, like it's on you right, Like
what more could the coach do to set you up
for success? I know Harbaugh has made some boneheaded in
game decisions, much like coach Tomlin has throughout the tenure
that he's had Lamar Jackson. But if I had to
choose one or the other to your question, then you
have to put it on the player. I would almost
ninety nine percent of the time put it on a
player that skilled.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
In this case, like I said, the comparison is that
Harbaugh won with Flacco, right and Lamar has it yet won.
I do feel like Harbaugh and tom One are both outdated,
and that gave tom Win not an edge against Harbaugh
per se. But it's like this Monday night Pittsburgh against Houston,
(05:38):
uh Tom and against Demiko Ryans. Tomlin has a shot
in a one score game in a rock fight. Harball
was fine with that. So is Demiko Ryans.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Absolutely, they played down to kind of coach Tomlin's level.
And I guess if you were to make the argument
the other way from your last question that Harbaugh let
Lamar down, that's where he let him down, right, Like
you didn't go all spaceship when it came to the offense,
Like you were able to get sucked down into the
mud against certain teams, and you couldn't do that with
a player like that you think Harball did a job
quickly somewhere else if he wants it, I think he
(06:10):
gets hired wherever, just like coach t had another job
in five minutes. Hey, the kicker got Harbaugh fired. I
mean no, I'm going to backtrack.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
I think the decision was probably made to fire him
unless they won in a playoff run like won a
couple of playoff games. But it looks like the kicker
got him fired because when B follows A, we always
assumed that A caused to be.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
I bet sometime before that Green Bay game, like maybe
when they blew the game to the Patriots a few
weeks back, they maybe started turning the wheels in their
head ownership, we should probably move on. And then they
had to pause for a little bit because of the
circumstances that played out and the Steelers choking against the Browns.
I love people, though, I've seen a meme on the
internet mark where they put you know, hard Harbaugh fired
on the outside of the field goal post. If you
(06:52):
missed it, I saw that Tomlin fired in the middle.
That's just not true. If he would have made the
field goal, it would not have played out the same
way it did. In Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Here in Pittsburgh, me note needed to be true, Tom
we have Eric Carlson on the Penguins defenseman, three time
Norris Trophy winner two thirty, and we have Steeler fan
maybe Numero Uno, although he don't got holy water from
poison and from Butler Pa. The best frontman in Rock,
Brett Michaels joins me at four pm here on one
(07:19):
oh five ninety X. Some Penguins notes some surprise line combinations,
although danmu said after practice today they were in the
experimental phase, but Malkin did not go right back between
Manta and Brazo.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Tommy Novak will remain there.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I kind of get it because he's, you know, played
well between those guys recently. But the second line right
now is Kindle centering Malkin and Chinnikoff. I thought it
was Kindle at wing, which made me go nuts on
Twitter because he's not a wing. Neither is Malkin, but
I think it makes more sense to put him on
(08:00):
wing than Kindle, even though Malkin will slow that line down.
But but yeah, that's that's three decent lines, including the
sid line and the fourth lines of Quin the central
fourth line, so I got no problem.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
We'll just see how it works out. Now. McGroarty not scratched.
It's worse than that.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
He's concussed and has been placed on injured reserve, and
the Harrison Bruni sag has taken another turn. He has
been sent back to junior A hockey with kam Loops
in the Western Hockey League, where he will finish the
seasons as the agreement between the NHL in Canadian Major
Junior requires him to do once returned. I think they
(08:40):
mangled the Brunic thing, just utterly mangled it. We got
Eric Carlson on just around the corner. Tom, A quick
question about Carlson. Do you feel this has been his
best season as a Penguin of the three?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I do, and if so, why so? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think it's by far. He had a little bit
of a rough stretch when the entire team did, and
they lost eighth straight, but he's bounced back just like
the entire team has. He's been great over this five
game winning streak. He's I don't want to say he's
simplifying his game completely because he's still an awesome player.
He's fast, he's he's dynamic. But I just does Eric
Carlson moments, if that makes sense, just seem to be
(09:17):
fewer and farther between this year. And I don't know
what the reason is for that, if it's Sweden, if
it's a new coach thing, but it's happening, and I
was nervous that it was gonna you know, he was
gonna snap out of it when he did in the
losing streak. But I'm getting confident again that this is
gonna be a season long thing.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Well, I figure it's the motivation of preparation for the Olympics.
He's going to represent Sweden at the Milan Winner Games.
Maybe he's in better shape because that better lot looks
something to shoot for. Because if he's a typical European,
which I sense Carlson is, Olympic gold is the most
important thing he can win, and I think Sweden has
a legitimate chance.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
That might be the most important thing for like USA
kids to win too. The way that all these hockey
players are talking, it seems like that's more important to them.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
These well, not least because the NHL puts the Olympics
at center stage and makes their own season secondary. Yeah,
I think the NHL embracing the Olympics and other players
like it as the league. It's just despicably stupid. As
I wrote about in the Trip not too long ago, Tom,
I wasn't gonna discuss this, but it's such a major
story and I'm gonna give my honest opinion on it.
(10:18):
But what's your take on the Post Gazette ceasing operations today?
It is Pittsburgh's paper of record. Yeah, dating back, you know,
over a century. Dumb, fond, and not surprised, if that
makes any sense.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Yeah, I was gonna say, like, it's just been a
thing for my entire life, but as you just said,
it goes back over a century. It's been everybody's thing
for basically their entire life in town, although.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
That that got a little different when it went mostly digital,
just publishing two days a week. To me, the Post
Gazette was getting the Sunday Post Gazette and laying it
out on the kitchen table while I had coffee. And
it sounds dumb that that was my main reason to
think of the Post Gazette. But once I couldn't do that,
(11:00):
I didn't think of it nearly as much, and I
suspect readers didn't either. But that said, I don't think
this had anything to do with the readership.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
No, And you know, I feel terrible for you. The
people that I've dealt with vices are Paul, Yeah, all
the people that I've come across, you know, doing sports,
doing it on the radio side and working with them,
they're great people. They're great Steelers guys, and it sucks
for them, of course. But yeah, I mean, just like radio.
I know, we have the podcast offshoot though, like print
(11:30):
is just sixty five.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
So it don't matter, right, But it's just such a
sticky media. Radio hasn't faded like like print media, because
you know, radio is in your car. In the podcast,
I mean, you can do that, but but you know,
radio is so accessible easily so in your car, and
until there are legitimate options that are just as easily accessed,
(11:53):
radio is not going to fade too badly, certainly not
in the course of my career, which could wrap up
any minute now.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Like I don't remember no offense. Like the last time
I picked up the physical paper and read a ray
at a Polo story. It's all his Twitter feed, you
know what I mean. It's all clicking the links that
they post. That's where you go well, here's where you
give the trip credit. The trip was much more prepared
to go digital. But that was because the trip doesn't
have a union. And that brings me to point B.
(12:21):
This happened because they won the strike. That the union
down there won the strike, I think it's why. And
you know it was gonna it's costing the Block family
that owns the PG financially, so they said, okay, you.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Win, fu no more paper exactly. I think it's as
simple as that.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
They sut the city paper down just last week, so
I kind of saw this coming.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
That doesn't make it any less regrettable.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
And I'm not blaming the sports guys because to a man,
they almost all cost the picket line because they saw
how stupid the strike was, that it was not winnable.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
And as it.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Turns out, those guys won the battle, but they lost
the war, and they should feel stupid because the strike
was never going to end any other way than this.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
And Tom, you'll recall I said that literally years ago.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I mean, billionaires have no reason to not act on
a whim whenever they want, and to not act as
petty as they want to write Mark, I mean, he's billionaires.
The blocks are billionaires. They literally are set for generations
and generations and generations to come. They can do whatever
they want. They don't need the paper, they don't need
anything there.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
And it shows where sports media, well media in general,
because this goes far beyond sports. And boy, I hope
Gene Callier finds somewhere to write. That's my selfish reaction
to the post that folding. You know, he was writing
once a week for the PG. He's the best writer
in the city's history. So I hope he finds someplace
and if he wants to, we obviously will. Heck, Gene
(13:43):
could do it for free. I don't think Gene's hurting
for money. He could do it for free on a
sub stack and people would immediately sign up to read that.
But but yeah, it's sports journalism now is like do
it yourself, like your blog, your podcast, all that crap.
Athletes are taking over and that's stuff gonna, you know, lesson,
(14:03):
that's going to become more prevalent. You look at the
athletic they've been cutting personnel, yes, for months now, you know,
including like Kabali. They made up some phony reason to
get rid of Kabali, but the reason was that they
didn't want two guys covering this stealer. Yes, the subscriptions
didn't merit. So this is a bad day for Pittsburgh.
(14:25):
It's a bad day for those employed by the Post
because that more than anything.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
But it's a bad day for the industry.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Oh, without question. That last part is what rings the
most true. I mean, again, a century's long thing here
is just coming to a screeching halt in May. It
just sucks for all the people that we know that
work there, It really does. It's tough to find another
thing to say than that.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Although to be honest, Tom, I do harken back to
when twelve fifty fired me didn't get a lot of calls. So,
you know, everybody's problems with their problems. But I do
feel bad for the people I know.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I was like ten years old Mark. In my defense,
I would have called you if I knew. Did your
parents call to complain about the Kennedy thing?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Are you sure?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
I'm pretty sure they did not call about that.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
I find out they did.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
The fired Eric Carlson up next, one oh five to nine.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
It's The Way Show weekday mornings at six one.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
X.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Rob King here staying connected to your It's the mark
Man Show on one O five nine d X.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
My guest right now is a three time Norris Trophy winner,
is the NHL's best defenseman, and he's headed to the
Olympics to compete for his native Sweden. From the Penguins,
he is Eric Carlson. Eric, thank you for taking the time.
Do you feel like you're playing the best this year
of your three years in Pittsburgh?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
And if so, why is that?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, good question. I think we all are collectively.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Yes, as a team obviously, Uh, we're right in the
thick of things now, and uh, you know, it's feeling
good at the moment.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
It seems like you're very comfortable with Watherspoon is a
defense partner. What's he bringing to the table playing alongside you?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
No, I think it's been great ever since day one.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Obviously, we've been sticking together this whole time, which makes
things easier. I think he's done a good job and
you know, showing that he can handle, uh, you know,
day in and day out, you know, playing a lot
of minutes, and you know he's he's doing a good
job and carrying himself and you know I can, I
can focus on my stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
What kind of pointers do you give your defense partners?
What's a partner have to do to do well alongside you?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, good question too. Play with a lot of guys
now over the years.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
But you know, like I said, I think he he
handles himself well out there himself, and he can figure
out his own situations. And you know, we don't have
to bail each other out as much. I think, and
and you know I trust him when when he gets
in situation that he's going to sort it out and
I can get ready for the next play. And he's
doing he's doing a good job of getting me the
(16:59):
pocket the right situation in the offensive zone, which is obviously,
you know, nice for a player, Like it's.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
An Olympic gear you're on Sweden. How much does that motivate?
That's not far off.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Now, Yeah, I know it's coming up quick, but obviously
you know it's it's uh, it's a good thing. You know,
it's something that's been missing, I think for for the
past twelve years.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Here.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
So very excited to be back in the position to
be able to play for for your nation again and
in a best on best tournament. You know, so hopefully
it's here to stay, but definitely looking forward to, uh
to have that opportunity again and create those experiences.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Did a bug you to not be named among Sweden's
initial six players, Eric, because I kind of concluded that
when you came out of the gate flying at the
start of the season.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Yeah, I mean, I I you know, I was always
counting on myself to be there, you know. Obviously, uh,
I think everyone that got picked was well deserved of it.
But you know, definitely, I think that I've shown over
the of course of my career and a national team
that you know, I would have liked that.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
But at the same time, I.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Never doubted myself that I wouldn't be able to, you know,
take a spot on the on the on the full roster.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
What are your chances in the tournament?
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I gotta tell you, I like the team's balance and
I think you guys really nailed the roster.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Yeah, I mean, I think we we We are definitely
you know, in the mindset that we're there to win
the whole thing. I think we have a good enough
team just like some other teams do though, so it's
going to be a battle. But you know, if we
if we can get some some guys to to play
some of their best hockey and you know, play the
way that they are for their club teams right now,
especially some of the younger guys that you know haven't
(18:42):
been in this situation before. You know, if we can
get that, I think we have, we have a great
chance of making it all the way.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
What would be a.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Bigger deal to you to win a Stanley Cup or
Olympic gold medal? And I know you still have designs
on both.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
Yeah, I mean I would like to start with one.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
You know, obviously the Olympic Gold is the one I
can win, you know, closest to to this time, so
I would have to.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Say that right now.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
But you know, obviously the ultimate goal obviously is to
to win a Stanley Cup. You know, been in this
league for seventeen years now, and you know that's why
I started.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Playing hockey, is to win.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
So hopefully this later part of my career, you know,
I get the opportunity to at least fight for it.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
You've won three Norris Trophies as the league's best defenseman,
You're nailed on Hall of Famer. I know you're still playing,
but but do you look back on accomplishments like that
yet or are you too busy just playing?
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Yeah, no, I'm too busy just playing.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Obviously it's it's it's gonna be nice to have at
one point in my life. But but at the same time,
you know, like I said, I I started playing this
sport and I love this game for, you know, the
camaraderie and and to be able to win with your teammates.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
So that's that's what I'm still striving for.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
We're talking to Eric Cross from the Penguins who're on
the Home of the Penguins one oh five nine the
x Okay, the Penguins that won five straight. Has anything
a particular caused that uptick after a fairly rough time
before that?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah, no, it's hard to say. I think that.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
You know, obviously we went through a little bit of
a difficult spell there in December, but I think that
in general, except for maybe a few teams in the league,
you're going to have some sort of ups and downs,
and and you know, hopefully that was our only down
this year, you know, so we moved past that pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
And obviously since Christmas break here, you know, we've been.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Feeling just as good about ourselves as we did, you
know in October. So we just got to keep that
feeling and not look too far ahead and definitely not
look back.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I thought the last two games were amazing, Eric, just
twelve shots a lot at Detroit, A comeback from four
to one down to Columbus. What did those games say
about the team and maybe tell the dressing room.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
No, I mean, I think we've we've done a good
job this year and finding ways to win different games.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
We've also found ways to lose different games.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
But I think in general throughout in you know, eighty
two game season, uh, nothing's going to be you know,
the same every game, no matter who you play, it's
going to be very different, even if you play the
same team, you know, two games in a row. So
I think it's an important thing to you know, kind
of figure out a way within the game. You know,
what you're going to have to do that day to
(21:22):
be successful and what's going to be required of you.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
And and obviously, you know, the.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
Previous two games that we just play were two completely
different games, you know, from our team, and and I
think we found a good way and on you know,
what needed to be done in those particular moments, and
we've been doing a good job of that, I think
all year.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
It's just it's adapting and and you know, feeling out.
You know what today is going to bring.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
What does this team need to do to make the
playoffs and win playoff series? Because I'm sure you'd agree
the Eastern Conference is really legitimately wide open.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, I think, you know it's it's a tight race,
and you know, no one is really out of it,
no one is really in it. So yeah, I think,
like I said, I think we just have to stay
in the moment and not look too far ahead, you know,
try and you know, build on the things that we've
done so good this year, and and also at the
same time, you don't learn from from the mishaps that
(22:16):
we've had as well.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
If we can just do that, I think we're going
to give ourselves a really good chance.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
And if you do get in, and once you do
get in, you know, the playoffs and the door is
wide open, and you know a lot of things can happen.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
It doesn't matter if you end up eighth or or
first seed.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
How much of a difference has Dan Muse made the
new coach the guy seemed to have responded, well, you included.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think he's he's he's done a
great job since day one, him and his entire staff.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I think, you know, it's a big change for for.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
A lot of people here, a lot of a lot
of new things and you know, different views on things.
But I think that he's he's done a tremendous job
in realizing when you know, he needs to insert himself
and hammer certain things out, and then sometimes when he
just needs to let things play it out the way
it's supposed to.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
And you know, so kudos to them for for being
able to recognize the group that we have right now, and.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
Being able to integrate themselves in a in a positive
way and and you know, trying to help us, you know,
become the best we can meet.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Now, we knew you were good on the power play, Eric,
but this year you're killing penalties to which you haven't
always and it turns out you're good at it.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I mean, who knew, right.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
I knew, but no one else did.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
No, It's obviously it's obviously great for you know, someone
like me, I'd like to, you know, play an important
role on the team, no matter what that is and
and you know, having responsibilities. You know, penalty killing is
something that I've always liked to do. But you know,
with with the style of play that I have and
(23:52):
the other personnel usually on the team, you know, I've
been taking a back seat there, which I've been okay
with also, but I enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
You know, it requires a lot of thinking and thinking
ahead of the next play when you're not in control
of the park. So I think our entire group though,
has done a great job in in you know, finding
ways to be successful against you know, different power plays
rat League.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Now you've played against Sid before with with your prior teams,
but if you play against Tim at the Olympics, how
will you try to contain him?
Speaker 3 (24:25):
That'd be a matchup I'd be looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Yeah, I mean I've done that longer than I played
with him.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
So hopefully those instincts can kick in again and and.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
You can try and figure it out.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
But you know, it's just a guy that you always
have to be aware of it, and you always have
to be on your toes and be ready for for unexpected.
You can't give him too much time out there, and
you know, let him do do his thing too much.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
So I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
You know, that's one of the best parts of this
game is you know, playing against other best players. So
h you know when we go to Milan, Uh, we're
going to see a lot of.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Those before we wrap up. Eric, I got to ask
you about your pregame meal. Let me see about this, right,
it's pasta, meat sauce, alfredo sauce, raw onion hot sauce,
and ketch him.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
I think it sounds great. How'd you come up with that?
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It's kind of an evolution, I think throughout the years.
It started with just spaghetti and meat sauce with ketchup.
That was all we had back in the day.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
You know, now we have a little bit of a
bigger spread, so it kind of just kept adding, you know,
things that I like and it seems to have been
working for me. My stomach can still take it, and
you know, I feel great come seven o'clock, so why change?
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, that's the one thing.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I mean, I'd like to eat it, but it sounds
like heartburn could be a problem.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Does that ever kick up?
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Yeah, it hasn't happened yet, so you know, I'm going
to keep kicking it until I can until my body says,
you know, maybe it's time beats some carrots and chicken instead.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Eric, thank you so much for taking the time. This
was great stuff. We'll see at the rink.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
Yeah sounds good. Take care.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
That's Eric Carlson. What that was great? He should have
his own talk show. Uh number to call, well, not
just Jack, because we got calls on well get in
line now eight three, three, four to one two WXDX
if you're just tuning in. The big news is the
Post Gazette is shutting down after over a century of operation. Uh.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
We got Harbaugh getting fired to discuss the Steelers in
Texas this Monday night.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
That's the biggest story. Don't forget.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
You can come watch the game with me Monday night
at Pittsburgh Brewing Company just off through twenty eight. That's
in Creighton's biggest big screen TV anywhere. And you can
watch the Penguin game with me at the same place
Sunday at five pm. So a lot of stuff going
on for me the super genius. And we got Bretton
Michaels of Poison talking Steelers way through the show.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
One oh five to nine the X.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Tomorrow night the Pens take on the Devils.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Game time is set. Our coverage starts at six here
every game, and the best coverage right here on your
home of the Pens one O five nine DX on
one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
DX terrific deb Eric Carlson our tenth Penguin guests of
the season. So there ain't no better place to hear
about the hockey team than here. And if you're just
tuning in, it looks like Malkin's definitely in for tomorrow.
Looks like he's gonna play left wing on a line
with Kendall and Chinnikov, and Tommy Novak will stay in
(27:32):
between the twin towers of Brazo and Mantha. Also, Harrison
Brunnick sent back to Junior a Tom, what have we
got for today's trifecta?
Speaker 2 (27:41):
For today's trifector mark, the Steelers are playing Houston. Houston
is known to be linked with NASA, Right Houston, we
have a problem. So I've got three movie heads of NASA.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
I know, I know somebody gonna have a problem.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Number three, I'm gonna go with Ed Harris in the
movie Apollo thirteen. The True story about The Apolo thirteen Astronauts.
I like Harris, and Harris is a great a.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Ed Harris always has an air of gravitas.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Perfect for a role like head of NASA, right right?
Speaker 1 (28:09):
And in the Uh Director of the Truman Show, Yes,
he's fantastic. Basically defrauded Truman of his life and was
able to justify it in every turn.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Now, Ed Harris was great and crucial in getting those
boys back home. But Gary Siniese's character was the main
player there. I the guy who was sick and had
to stay back on Earth.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
I would feel good about Ed Harris being the actual
head of NASA.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Now have you ever seen the movie Hidden Figures? My
number two guy is Kevin Costner in that movie. Hidden
Figures is a very good movie. If you haven't seen it,
I would watch it.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Okay, what period of Costner's career was that shot in?
Speaker 2 (28:38):
This was probably twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen. It sucked.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Anything Costner did later in his career sucked.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
It was a movie.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
It was all filled with vanity shots. You like ever
see Water World? Yes, Water Roll was a great movie
except for that like thirty minutes wasted shooting him.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
You know, semi shirtless from Afar to make him look good.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That's not in this movie. That's none of the vanity
shots with Hinnen figures.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
In this movie.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
He just plays a total role part as far as
the head of NASSA is concerned.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Did you know what like cost.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
An extra like tens of millions of dollars to shoot
water World because they always had to reposition so you
couldn't see any land in the background.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
It makes sense, Yeah, yeah, I mean it was water.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
World number one.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Though.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
In the movie Armaged and Billy Bob Thornton, I mean
what ahead of nask.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
So it was basically playing Billy Bob Thornton, yes, as
the head of NASSA.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And basically told the US government to go screw themselves
by backdooring the way to disable the nuke. When you
remember they remote activated it on the ship, which one
had the ariosmis song that was Armageddon. That's when Ben
AFFLECKX going at it with Lift Tyland, who was.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Yeah, but like I hate that you hate that song.
That's well close, shut up, shut up.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
You know what it's like though, It's like it's like
Ron Stewart, did you think come sexy and Foreigner?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Did I want to Know what Love is.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
It went against the grain of what each normally did
and Offen I did some of the fan base, but
at the end of the day increased the fan base.
The old ones didn't go away. It's just what I
hate is they have to play it in concert. Rod,
would you think I'm sexy foreigner? I want to know
what Love is? And Aerosmith. But Aerosmith, uh, you know,
(30:17):
is an old man.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Tom.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
I have to go to the bathroom all lot to
wearing a concert. The Armageddon song is my bathroom break
for Aerosmith. It was a truly Armageddon song too, right,
like they made it for the movie. It wasn't like
they grabbed a song from Aersmith and put it into
the movie, right, like with dream on a Miracle, Like
that's an Arismith song that he just attached to the
end and it was great. I think that was written
specifically for the movie, right because of lif Toddler's involvement.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Too, although they didn't know that they were related for
the beginning portion of their life. Right, wasn't there some
story about that?
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Yeah? Uh? She was the daughter of Steven Tyler and B. B.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Buell, who was a noted model, and I guess groupie
is the proper word to use.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And she was living with Todd Runggren, another musician.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yes when hello, it's me when when uh Tyler knocked
her up and uh, the very understanding Todd Runggren more
understand than I would have been. Then again, maybe to
stay with BB buell a a you know, eating some
humble pie, although I don't think Steve Marriott bangered well
maybe he did, but at any rate, Todd Rungren agreed
(31:20):
to uh raise live Tyler as as their daughter, and
it wasn't until years later that lived Tyler because she
looks exactly like Steven Siler, like when in the Aerosmith
memoir Walk This Way, when BB turns up pregnant, Stephen
Tyler says, says that baby better than have droopy eyes
and big ears bybe but it did.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
No doubt the same lips pretty much too. Yeah right,
it's the same exact face, just one's male, one's female.
So if Bbe wanted to pull a fast one on
run Grin, that's gonna be tough to dick.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Can you think of any other songs that compromised group's
general ethos? But but turn out be a big hit.
Those are the three big examples. That was kind of
like a trifecta within the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
It's very tri trifect deception ish. But uh, I can't
think of one off the top of my head. That's
a good The Aerosmith one's a really good one. Rod Stewart,
do you think I'm Sexy is such a popular song
for him?
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Well, it was what they all done back then. It
was his disco song, like the Rolling Stones had missed you.
I like it, but yeah, but you know what, it
didn't quite go too far in the direction of disco.
There was some rocky stuff about it. Jagger's vocal on it,
I mean Rod's vocal though on Do you think I'm
Sexy's really good as well?
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Of course Stewarts.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, it was just like and like and like, it's
the encore, the last song for every show he plays,
and I know he has to do it. Well, that's
not true, that's not true. The last time I saw him,
it wasn't the last song.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Now see, I was gonna say, if it's the last song,
every here's the thing, here's the.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Thing, and maybe why should be the last song?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I saw him in Baltimore this past summer, and I
know it wasn't the last song, but I forget what
the last song was, so maybe it should have been
do you think I'm sexy?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
You don't like the song? Same way you treat the
arm again and song with Aerosmith as a bathroom break.
If this was the closer every time, that's your early exit, right,
that's the beat traffic home.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I would never leave a Ron Stewart concert early. That.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's like, I mean, I don't need to hear that
song ever again, but it's the same. Skinnard always wraps
up with Freebird, and I've heard that song more than
I ever cared to. But I outter respect and especially
for the for the guys who died. I mean, you
can't leave a Skynard so early. I remember I saw
Gary Rossington's second last show. He was the last surviving
(33:38):
original and founding member of Skinnered, and he was in
real bad shape. And the last couple of shows he played,
he came on just did like two or three songs,
and you knew and rumor had it that it wasn't
going to be long. And I and I Gary Austin,
He's like the last man standing. I gotta respect that, right,
And like I was in Atlantic City and there's no
reason to leave Earlan in Atlantic City because just walked
(34:00):
on the boardwalk to your hotel.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
But it was like really surreal to know.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
That was gonna be the last time I saw Gary
Rossington play Freebird.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I mean both, you know, hand in hand, the man
in the song.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Yeah, that's an unbelievable experience. I used to play free
Bird all the time on Guitar Hero. It was so fun.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
You know, the most.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Amazing thing about Freebird though, And we've gone way off
on a tangent.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Here, but I like it.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Alan Collins, who did not die in the plane crash
but had a car wreck later, Like those guys have
endured so much tragedy, to be fair, much of itself inflicted.
But Alan Collins wrote free Bird and that guitar solo
when he was seventeen.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
That's just unfreaking believable.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
That's like Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogan wrote Super Bad
when they were like fourteen years old in high school.
It's insane to hear people do that at such a
young age.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah, but do you think the script from when they
were fourteen still held when the movie was.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
At all shot.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
It absolutely evolved. But just to have the Braves premise
for a brilliant coming of age movie like that, or
to have a song like that written when you are
in yourself.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Originally, Seth Rogan envisioned him and Goldberg is the two
kids right as Jonah Hill and Michael Sarah.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
That's what they were writing them as. Yes, and Evin
Goldberg's not in the movie at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
No.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
And Seth Rogan plays the bill, which is tremendous.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Is the best, maybe the best two characters in the
movie is the two cops.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
The fastest kid alive. Can't catch him.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Uh, we got Brett Michaels at four o'clock. He's gonna
be in tom for the Steeler game and for the draft.
Plus you get to find out what his plans concert plays.
I plan my summer around Brett's concerts.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
I'm not kidding.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I would straight up be nervous as hell if he
wasn't gonna be in the four one two Vicinity come
Monday night, and especially not in the stadium. You need
Brett Michaels, then well we're trying to talk to Joe Manganello.
I think he should be there as well. I think
he should be as well. I haven't heard back from
them yet. They're the agent, so I might have to
follow up today.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
You know what, Brett is the perpetually optimistic Steeler fan
and he's a Tomlin friendon too, and Joe is the
perpetually cynical Pittsburgh sports fan. So that if we can
get Joe on later this week, that would be a
good point.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Connor point.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Uh did you see Tom Wain did at lengthy interview
with Rich Eisene. Yeah, yeah, he doesn't do crap with
Pittsburgh media, but he'll do you know, he'll kiss national
media ass. But by the same token Rich eisen and
who's the other guy, Jay Glazer. They certainly put time
in with the lips in Tomas backside.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
The only local thing that Tomlin does in that one
on one setting is Bowman in the morning show right
every year training.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
I didn't know he still did that.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
He doesn't, well, Mark, that's when he sat down and
said the defense this year was going to be historic,
when he was talking to Randy and then on the
DV morning.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Well that that didn't turn out to be true.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
You see one thing, and I respect Mario for so
many reasons, and I would never compare Mario to Mike
common in any way. Mario lem you give Pittsburgh and
Mike Tomlin's a Pittsburgh underachiever.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
But one thing Marioll understood, you know what media.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
He always took care of Pittsburgh media and Montreal media
because he told I think it was Tom McMillan when Tom,
you know, was their vice president in charge of media.
He said, those are the guys who can affect my life,
the Pittsburgh media and the Montreal media. So he took
care of them, didn't pay as much attention national media.
Then again, at that time, the national media wasn't what
(37:17):
it is now, you know everywhere and the influence that's.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Been kind of passed down to said too. Don't you
think like he only does your show locally as far
as one on one radio.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
But Sill do No, Sid does one on one with
like Yojo.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
That's what I'm saying. The print medium. He'll give them
the time.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
No, I mean, I.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Mean, Sid, Sid and Mary are just good guys. Mike
Tomlin isn't to be frank, I mean, how many times
we have to have that proven. Well, I mean, nobody
knows that. I'm not even sure I know that, but
I got a pretty good idea up next.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
We've been saving it since yesterday.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
This sound bite from James Harrison and Joe Hayden on
their podcast talking about how uh Joe Burrow the sence
he quarterback laid down, sat down is what Harrison says,
and let Miles Garrett have the sack record. It's just
so freaking ridiculous. And I'll tell you why in just
a moment here one oh five ninety x
This is the Mark Madden Show. You can follow me
on Twitter at Mark Madden. Next some stunning news just
moments ago. The Post Gazette, who I used to work for,
will cease operations in early May. No more Post Gazette.
The Tribune Review, who I do work for currently now
(00:21):
the only game in town. I could go into why
this happened, because I'm pretty sure I know. Out of
respect for my friends who work for the Post Gazette
and won't be after the start of Mate, I will refrain.
But there's a reason it happened, and one which I
saw coming. But today is not the time. Now is
(00:45):
the time to talk to Tommy Radio tom who has
a superior resume, John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Looking at the resume as a whole, would you have
to give it to Mike Tomlin just forgetting to that
second Super Bowl where Harbaugh has failed to do that.
But I want to look at it more so from
like just the previous you know, six seven years, where
Harbaugh's resume is far superior in that swath than Mike
Tomlin's is. Harbaugh has won playoff games. Harbaugh was in
an AFC Championship game just a couple of years ago.
(01:14):
Harbaugh just beat Mike Tomlin in a playoff game just
last year. So when you look at it from like
just that swath, it's hard Sunday night. He didn't know,
he didn't that was a fake playoff game. Nonetheless, so
you know, looking at it from that perspective, from this
eight year drought from the Steelers of no playoff wins,
Harbaugh's much better than coach Tomlin overall, though I guess
you just give the nod to Tomlin forgetting to the
(01:36):
second Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, Tomlin has the additional Super Bowl appearance, but that
was a long time on time ago. Harbus thirteen and
eleven in playoff games and has won three playoff games
since Tomlin last one to one e zactly.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
And here's the interesting stat. Harbaugh's won eight road playoff games.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
That's incredible, something that should be absolutely celebrated and championed.
Is a great feat to do that on the road
so many times. And I'll give you one more thing
that Harbu's done, not once, Mark, but twice that coach
t has never done. He has identified or his staff
has in a draft that he has headed up two
franchise quarterbacks his first year in two thousand and eight,
they picked Joe Flacco in the first round, won a
(02:16):
Super Bowl. Has not won a super Bowl with Lamar,
but they picked Lamar in the very last pick of
the first round. Whatever year. That was a two time MVP.
He has identified and drafted quarterbacks, whereas coach Dunsky drafted
can you pickt yep? Yeah, and set the franchise back
at least five years. It's looking out like it might
be more like ten. But talking to quarterbacks, then Lamar
Jackson get harbought fired? Yes, I think I don't know.
(02:40):
Do you think it was his cut and dry as
he stormed into the owner's office and is like it's
got to be him, Like he's got to go.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Either that of the owner just you know, divined Lamar's will.
I think that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
No. I think Lamar, or more likely his age, would
have to approach directly because Lamar's not too bright, not
do well spoken. I just don't picture him in the
scenario you described.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Well, his agents, Mom, let's not forget that.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You gotta get my boy a new coach.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You know, it seemed reading between the lines that Lamar
got Hardbaugh fired, and Lamar can do that. No player
currently now in Pittsburgh has that power, but Lamar in
Baltimore does and execute.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It without question. And do you think a quarterback should
have that kind of power. I guess that's a completely
different came I don't think any player in any sports
should have that kind of power.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I think coaches coach players play. I think Lamar needs
to look into mirror. Although he's so ugly, I wouldn't
let me say this.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I think there is certainly a threshold you can pass
as a player where I would maybe yield to you
and your opinion there, but you got to have at
least one ring on your finger to cross that threshold
or even approach that right. And Lamar hasn't even played
in a super Bowl yet.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
No, I'm not and Lamar ain't gonna win no Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I feel like Lamar does have the pinpoint passing and
football guile to beat a quarterback who does in a
playoff game when all the teams are good, although this
year not so much, but usually in the playoffs all
the teams are good and all the quarterbacks are mostly
real good.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You know, people are obviously gonna say, oh, the Ravens
a slam dunk candidate now for our slam dunk job
for any of these candidates. Don't you think you could
really talk yourself out of it?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Though?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
If you were one of these candidates.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Well, the coaches like like a Stefanski, I think he's
the ideal fit for Baltimore because of his offensive nows.
But but you know, even if you do look at
Lamar getting Harbaugh fired, you're gonna think, Okay, that won't
happen to me. A coach of any confidence level you know,
would think it.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
It'd be different.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Uh Now now that I want to stick with the
Harbaugh and Lamar thing, though, Tom, did Harbaugh waste Lamar?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Or did Lamar let Harbaugh down? Man?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
That's a great question. Is it really cut and dry
like that, like one or one or the other? I
feel like they both were Lamar letting him.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Lamar's more, Harbaugh won a super Bowl without Lamar. Lamar
never got to a super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah, And you know, at some point, when you're that
good of a player, like it's on you right, Like
what more could the coach do to set you up
for success? I know Harbaugh has made some boneheaded in
game decisions, much like coach Tomlin has throughout the tenure
that he's had Lamar Jackson. But if I had to
choose one or the other to your question, then you
have to put it on the player. I would almost
ninety nine percent of the time put it on a
player that skilled.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
In this case, like I said, the comparison is that
Harbaugh won with Flacco, right and Lamar has it yet won.
I do feel like Harbaugh and tom One are both outdated,
and that gave tom Win not an edge against Harbaugh
per se. But it's like this Monday night Pittsburgh against Houston,
(05:38):
uh Tom and against Demiko Ryans. Tomlin has a shot
in a one score game in a rock fight. Harball
was fine with that. So is Demiko Ryans.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Absolutely, they played down to kind of coach Tomlin's level.
And I guess if you were to make the argument
the other way from your last question that Harbaugh let
Lamar down, that's where he let him down, right, Like
you didn't go all spaceship when it came to the offense,
Like you were able to get sucked down into the
mud against certain teams, and you couldn't do that with
a player like that you think Harball did a job
quickly somewhere else if he wants it, I think he
(06:10):
gets hired wherever, just like coach t had another job
in five minutes. Hey, the kicker got Harbaugh fired. I
mean no, I'm going to backtrack.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
I think the decision was probably made to fire him
unless they won in a playoff run like won a
couple of playoff games. But it looks like the kicker
got him fired because when B follows A, we always
assumed that A caused to be.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
I bet sometime before that Green Bay game, like maybe
when they blew the game to the Patriots a few
weeks back, they maybe started turning the wheels in their
head ownership, we should probably move on. And then they
had to pause for a little bit because of the
circumstances that played out and the Steelers choking against the Browns.
I love people, though, I've seen a meme on the
internet mark where they put you know, hard Harbaugh fired
on the outside of the field goal post. If you
(06:52):
missed it, I saw that Tomlin fired in the middle.
That's just not true. If he would have made the
field goal, it would not have played out the same
way it did. In Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Here in Pittsburgh, me note needed to be true, Tom
we have Eric Carlson on the Penguins defenseman, three time
Norris Trophy winner two thirty, and we have Steeler fan
maybe Numero Uno, although he don't got holy water from
poison and from Butler Pa. The best frontman in Rock,
Brett Michaels joins me at four pm here on one
(07:19):
oh five ninety X. Some Penguins notes some surprise line combinations,
although danmu said after practice today they were in the
experimental phase, but Malkin did not go right back between
Manta and Brazo.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Tommy Novak will remain there.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I kind of get it because he's, you know, played
well between those guys recently. But the second line right
now is Kindle centering Malkin and Chinnikoff. I thought it
was Kindle at wing, which made me go nuts on
Twitter because he's not a wing. Neither is Malkin, but
I think it makes more sense to put him on
(08:00):
wing than Kindle, even though Malkin will slow that line down.
But but yeah, that's that's three decent lines, including the
sid line and the fourth lines of Quin the central
fourth line, so I got no problem.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
We'll just see how it works out. Now. McGroarty not scratched.
It's worse than that.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
He's concussed and has been placed on injured reserve, and
the Harrison Bruni sag has taken another turn. He has
been sent back to junior A hockey with kam Loops
in the Western Hockey League, where he will finish the
seasons as the agreement between the NHL in Canadian Major
Junior requires him to do once returned. I think they
(08:40):
mangled the Brunic thing, just utterly mangled it. We got
Eric Carlson on just around the corner. Tom, A quick
question about Carlson. Do you feel this has been his
best season as a Penguin of the three?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I do, and if so, why so? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think it's by far. He had a little bit
of a rough stretch when the entire team did, and
they lost eighth straight, but he's bounced back just like
the entire team has. He's been great over this five
game winning streak. He's I don't want to say he's
simplifying his game completely because he's still an awesome player.
He's fast, he's he's dynamic. But I just does Eric
Carlson moments, if that makes sense, just seem to be
(09:17):
fewer and farther between this year. And I don't know
what the reason is for that, if it's Sweden, if
it's a new coach thing, but it's happening, and I
was nervous that it was gonna you know, he was
gonna snap out of it when he did in the
losing streak. But I'm getting confident again that this is
gonna be a season long thing.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Well, I figure it's the motivation of preparation for the Olympics.
He's going to represent Sweden at the Milan Winner Games.
Maybe he's in better shape because that better lot looks
something to shoot for. Because if he's a typical European,
which I sense Carlson is, Olympic gold is the most
important thing he can win, and I think Sweden has
a legitimate chance.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
That might be the most important thing for like USA
kids to win too. The way that all these hockey
players are talking, it seems like that's more important to them.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
These well, not least because the NHL puts the Olympics
at center stage and makes their own season secondary. Yeah,
I think the NHL embracing the Olympics and other players
like it as the league. It's just despicably stupid. As
I wrote about in the Trip not too long ago, Tom,
I wasn't gonna discuss this, but it's such a major
story and I'm gonna give my honest opinion on it.
(10:18):
But what's your take on the Post Gazette ceasing operations today?
It is Pittsburgh's paper of record. Yeah, dating back, you know,
over a century. Dumb, fond, and not surprised, if that
makes any sense.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Yeah, I was gonna say, like, it's just been a
thing for my entire life, but as you just said,
it goes back over a century. It's been everybody's thing
for basically their entire life in town, although.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
That that got a little different when it went mostly digital,
just publishing two days a week. To me, the Post
Gazette was getting the Sunday Post Gazette and laying it
out on the kitchen table while I had coffee. And
it sounds dumb that that was my main reason to
think of the Post Gazette. But once I couldn't do that,
(11:00):
I didn't think of it nearly as much, and I
suspect readers didn't either. But that said, I don't think
this had anything to do with the readership.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
No, And you know, I feel terrible for you. The
people that I've dealt with vices are Paul, Yeah, all
the people that I've come across, you know, doing sports,
doing it on the radio side and working with them,
they're great people. They're great Steelers guys, and it sucks
for them, of course. But yeah, I mean, just like radio.
I know, we have the podcast offshoot though, like print
(11:30):
is just sixty five.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
So it don't matter, right, But it's just such a
sticky media. Radio hasn't faded like like print media, because
you know, radio is in your car. In the podcast,
I mean, you can do that, but but you know,
radio is so accessible easily so in your car, and
until there are legitimate options that are just as easily accessed,
(11:53):
radio is not going to fade too badly, certainly not
in the course of my career, which could wrap up
any minute now.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Like I don't remember no offense. Like the last time
I picked up the physical paper and read a ray
at a Polo story. It's all his Twitter feed, you
know what I mean. It's all clicking the links that
they post. That's where you go well, here's where you
give the trip credit. The trip was much more prepared
to go digital. But that was because the trip doesn't
have a union. And that brings me to point B.
(12:21):
This happened because they won the strike. That the union
down there won the strike, I think it's why. And
you know it was gonna it's costing the Block family
that owns the PG financially, so they said, okay, you.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Win, fu no more paper exactly. I think it's as
simple as that.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
They sut the city paper down just last week, so
I kind of saw this coming.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
That doesn't make it any less regrettable.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
And I'm not blaming the sports guys because to a man,
they almost all cost the picket line because they saw
how stupid the strike was, that it was not winnable.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
And as it.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Turns out, those guys won the battle, but they lost
the war, and they should feel stupid because the strike
was never going to end any other way than this.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
And Tom, you'll recall I said that literally years ago.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I mean, billionaires have no reason to not act on
a whim whenever they want, and to not act as
petty as they want to write Mark, I mean, he's billionaires.
The blocks are billionaires. They literally are set for generations
and generations and generations to come. They can do whatever
they want. They don't need the paper, they don't need
anything there.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
And it shows where sports media, well media in general,
because this goes far beyond sports. And boy, I hope
Gene Callier finds somewhere to write. That's my selfish reaction
to the post that folding. You know, he was writing
once a week for the PG. He's the best writer
in the city's history. So I hope he finds someplace
and if he wants to, we obviously will. Heck, Gene
(13:43):
could do it for free. I don't think Gene's hurting
for money. He could do it for free on a
sub stack and people would immediately sign up to read that.
But but yeah, it's sports journalism now is like do
it yourself, like your blog, your podcast, all that crap.
Athletes are taking over and that's stuff gonna, you know, lesson,
(14:03):
that's going to become more prevalent. You look at the
athletic they've been cutting personnel, yes, for months now, you know,
including like Kabali. They made up some phony reason to
get rid of Kabali, but the reason was that they
didn't want two guys covering this stealer. Yes, the subscriptions
didn't merit. So this is a bad day for Pittsburgh.
(14:25):
It's a bad day for those employed by the Post
because that more than anything.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
But it's a bad day for the industry.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Oh, without question. That last part is what rings the
most true. I mean, again, a century's long thing here
is just coming to a screeching halt in May. It
just sucks for all the people that we know that
work there, It really does. It's tough to find another
thing to say than that.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, no question.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Although to be honest, Tom, I do harken back to
when twelve fifty fired me didn't get a lot of calls. So,
you know, everybody's problems with their problems. But I do
feel bad for the people I know.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I was like ten years old Mark. In my defense,
I would have called you if I knew. Did your
parents call to complain about the Kennedy thing?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Are you sure?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
I'm pretty sure they did not call about that.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
I find out they did.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
The fired Eric Carlson up next, one oh five to nine.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
It's The Way Show weekday mornings at six one.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
X.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Rob King here staying connected to your It's the mark
Man Show on one O five nine d X.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
My guest right now is a three time Norris Trophy winner,
is the NHL's best defenseman, and he's headed to the
Olympics to compete for his native Sweden. From the Penguins,
he is Eric Carlson. Eric, thank you for taking the time.
Do you feel like you're playing the best this year
of your three years in Pittsburgh?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
And if so, why is that?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, good question. I think we all are collectively.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Yes, as a team obviously, Uh, we're right in the
thick of things now, and uh, you know, it's feeling
good at the moment.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
It seems like you're very comfortable with Watherspoon is a
defense partner. What's he bringing to the table playing alongside you?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
No, I think it's been great ever since day one.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Obviously, we've been sticking together this whole time, which makes
things easier. I think he's done a good job and
you know, showing that he can handle, uh, you know,
day in and day out, you know, playing a lot
of minutes, and you know he's he's doing a good
job and carrying himself and you know I can, I
can focus on my stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
What kind of pointers do you give your defense partners?
What's a partner have to do to do well alongside you?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, good question too. Play with a lot of guys
now over the years.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
But you know, like I said, I think he he
handles himself well out there himself, and he can figure
out his own situations. And you know, we don't have
to bail each other out as much. I think, and
and you know I trust him when when he gets
in situation that he's going to sort it out and
I can get ready for the next play. And he's
doing he's doing a good job of getting me the
(16:59):
pocket the right situation in the offensive zone, which is obviously,
you know, nice for a player, Like it's.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
An Olympic gear you're on Sweden. How much does that motivate?
That's not far off.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Now, Yeah, I know it's coming up quick, but obviously
you know it's it's uh, it's a good thing. You know,
it's something that's been missing, I think for for the
past twelve years.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Here.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
So very excited to be back in the position to
be able to play for for your nation again and
in a best on best tournament. You know, so hopefully
it's here to stay, but definitely looking forward to, uh
to have that opportunity again and create those experiences.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Did a bug you to not be named among Sweden's
initial six players, Eric, because I kind of concluded that
when you came out of the gate flying at the
start of the season.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Yeah, I mean, I I you know, I was always
counting on myself to be there, you know. Obviously, uh,
I think everyone that got picked was well deserved of it.
But you know, definitely, I think that I've shown over
the of course of my career and a national team
that you know, I would have liked that.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
But at the same time, I.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Never doubted myself that I wouldn't be able to, you know,
take a spot on the on the on the full roster.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
What are your chances in the tournament?
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I gotta tell you, I like the team's balance and
I think you guys really nailed the roster.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Yeah, I mean, I think we we We are definitely
you know, in the mindset that we're there to win
the whole thing. I think we have a good enough
team just like some other teams do though, so it's
going to be a battle. But you know, if we
if we can get some some guys to to play
some of their best hockey and you know, play the
way that they are for their club teams right now,
especially some of the younger guys that you know haven't
(18:42):
been in this situation before. You know, if we can
get that, I think we have, we have a great
chance of making it all the way.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
What would be a.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Bigger deal to you to win a Stanley Cup or
Olympic gold medal? And I know you still have designs
on both.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
Yeah, I mean I would like to start with one.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
You know, obviously the Olympic Gold is the one I
can win, you know, closest to to this time, so
I would have to.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Say that right now.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
But you know, obviously the ultimate goal obviously is to
to win a Stanley Cup. You know, been in this
league for seventeen years now, and you know that's why
I started.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Playing hockey, is to win.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
So hopefully this later part of my career, you know,
I get the opportunity to at least fight for it.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
You've won three Norris Trophies as the league's best defenseman,
You're nailed on Hall of Famer. I know you're still playing,
but but do you look back on accomplishments like that
yet or are you too busy just playing?
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Yeah, no, I'm too busy just playing.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Obviously it's it's it's gonna be nice to have at
one point in my life. But but at the same time,
you know, like I said, I I started playing this
sport and I love this game for, you know, the
camaraderie and and to be able to win with your teammates.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
So that's that's what I'm still striving for.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
We're talking to Eric Cross from the Penguins who're on
the Home of the Penguins one oh five nine the
x Okay, the Penguins that won five straight. Has anything
a particular caused that uptick after a fairly rough time
before that?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah, no, it's hard to say. I think that.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
You know, obviously we went through a little bit of
a difficult spell there in December, but I think that
in general, except for maybe a few teams in the league,
you're going to have some sort of ups and downs,
and and you know, hopefully that was our only down
this year, you know, so we moved past that pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
And obviously since Christmas break here, you know, we've been.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Feeling just as good about ourselves as we did, you
know in October. So we just got to keep that
feeling and not look too far ahead and definitely not
look back.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I thought the last two games were amazing, Eric, just
twelve shots a lot at Detroit, A comeback from four
to one down to Columbus. What did those games say
about the team and maybe tell the dressing room.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
No, I mean, I think we've we've done a good
job this year and finding ways to win different games.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
We've also found ways to lose different games.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
But I think in general throughout in you know, eighty
two game season, uh, nothing's going to be you know,
the same every game, no matter who you play, it's
going to be very different, even if you play the
same team, you know, two games in a row. So
I think it's an important thing to you know, kind
of figure out a way within the game. You know,
what you're going to have to do that day to
(21:22):
be successful and what's going to be required of you.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
And and obviously, you know, the.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
Previous two games that we just play were two completely
different games, you know, from our team, and and I
think we found a good way and on you know,
what needed to be done in those particular moments, and
we've been doing a good job of that, I think
all year.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
It's just it's adapting and and you know, feeling out.
You know what today is going to bring.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
What does this team need to do to make the
playoffs and win playoff series? Because I'm sure you'd agree
the Eastern Conference is really legitimately wide open.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, I think, you know it's it's a tight race,
and you know, no one is really out of it,
no one is really in it. So yeah, I think,
like I said, I think we just have to stay
in the moment and not look too far ahead, you know,
try and you know, build on the things that we've
done so good this year, and and also at the
same time, you don't learn from from the mishaps that
(22:16):
we've had as well.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
If we can just do that, I think we're going
to give ourselves a really good chance.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
And if you do get in, and once you do
get in, you know, the playoffs and the door is
wide open, and you know a lot of things can happen.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
It doesn't matter if you end up eighth or or
first seed.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
How much of a difference has Dan Muse made the
new coach the guy seemed to have responded, well, you included.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think he's he's he's done a
great job since day one, him and his entire staff.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I think, you know, it's a big change for for.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
A lot of people here, a lot of a lot
of new things and you know, different views on things.
But I think that he's he's done a tremendous job
in realizing when you know, he needs to insert himself
and hammer certain things out, and then sometimes when he
just needs to let things play it out the way
it's supposed to.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
And you know, so kudos to them for for being
able to recognize the group that we have right now, and.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
Being able to integrate themselves in a in a positive
way and and you know, trying to help us, you know,
become the best we can meet.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Now, we knew you were good on the power play, Eric,
but this year you're killing penalties to which you haven't
always and it turns out you're good at it.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I mean, who knew, right.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
I knew, but no one else did.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
No, It's obviously it's obviously great for you know, someone
like me, I'd like to, you know, play an important
role on the team, no matter what that is and
and you know, having responsibilities. You know, penalty killing is
something that I've always liked to do. But you know,
with with the style of play that I have and
(23:52):
the other personnel usually on the team, you know, I've
been taking a back seat there, which I've been okay
with also, but I enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
You know, it requires a lot of thinking and thinking
ahead of the next play when you're not in control
of the park. So I think our entire group though,
has done a great job in in you know, finding
ways to be successful against you know, different power plays
rat League.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Now you've played against Sid before with with your prior teams,
but if you play against Tim at the Olympics, how
will you try to contain him?
Speaker 3 (24:25):
That'd be a matchup I'd be looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Yeah, I mean I've done that longer than I played
with him.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
So hopefully those instincts can kick in again and and.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
You can try and figure it out.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
But you know, it's just a guy that you always
have to be aware of it, and you always have
to be on your toes and be ready for for unexpected.
You can't give him too much time out there, and
you know, let him do do his thing too much.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
So I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
You know, that's one of the best parts of this
game is you know, playing against other best players. So
h you know when we go to Milan, Uh, we're
going to see a lot of.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Those before we wrap up. Eric, I got to ask
you about your pregame meal. Let me see about this, right,
it's pasta, meat sauce, alfredo sauce, raw onion hot sauce,
and ketch him.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
I think it sounds great. How'd you come up with that?
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It's kind of an evolution, I think throughout the years.
It started with just spaghetti and meat sauce with ketchup.
That was all we had back in the day.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
You know, now we have a little bit of a
bigger spread, so it kind of just kept adding, you know,
things that I like and it seems to have been
working for me. My stomach can still take it, and
you know, I feel great come seven o'clock, so why change?
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, that's the one thing.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I mean, I'd like to eat it, but it sounds
like heartburn could be a problem.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Does that ever kick up?
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Yeah, it hasn't happened yet, so you know, I'm going
to keep kicking it until I can until my body says,
you know, maybe it's time beats some carrots and chicken instead.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Eric, thank you so much for taking the time. This
was great stuff. We'll see at the rink.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
Yeah sounds good. Take care.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
That's Eric Carlson. What that was great? He should have
his own talk show. Uh number to call, well, not
just Jack, because we got calls on well get in
line now eight three, three, four to one two WXDX
if you're just tuning in. The big news is the
Post Gazette is shutting down after over a century of operation. Uh.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
We got Harbaugh getting fired to discuss the Steelers in
Texas this Monday night.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
That's the biggest story. Don't forget.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
You can come watch the game with me Monday night
at Pittsburgh Brewing Company just off through twenty eight. That's
in Creighton's biggest big screen TV anywhere. And you can
watch the Penguin game with me at the same place
Sunday at five pm. So a lot of stuff going
on for me the super genius. And we got Bretton
Michaels of Poison talking Steelers way through the show.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
One oh five to nine the X.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Tomorrow night the Pens take on the Devils.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Game time is set. Our coverage starts at six here
every game, and the best coverage right here on your
home of the Pens one O five nine DX on
one O five nine.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
DX terrific deb Eric Carlson our tenth Penguin guests of
the season. So there ain't no better place to hear
about the hockey team than here. And if you're just
tuning in, it looks like Malkin's definitely in for tomorrow.
Looks like he's gonna play left wing on a line
with Kendall and Chinnikov, and Tommy Novak will stay in
(27:32):
between the twin towers of Brazo and Mantha. Also, Harrison
Brunnick sent back to Junior a Tom, what have we
got for today's trifecta?
Speaker 2 (27:41):
For today's trifector mark, the Steelers are playing Houston. Houston
is known to be linked with NASA, Right Houston, we
have a problem. So I've got three movie heads of NASA.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
I know, I know somebody gonna have a problem.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Number three, I'm gonna go with Ed Harris in the
movie Apollo thirteen. The True story about The Apolo thirteen Astronauts.
I like Harris, and Harris is a great a.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Ed Harris always has an air of gravitas.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Perfect for a role like head of NASA, right right?
Speaker 1 (28:09):
And in the Uh Director of the Truman Show, Yes,
he's fantastic. Basically defrauded Truman of his life and was
able to justify it in every turn.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Now, Ed Harris was great and crucial in getting those
boys back home. But Gary Siniese's character was the main
player there. I the guy who was sick and had
to stay back on Earth.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
I would feel good about Ed Harris being the actual
head of NASA.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Now have you ever seen the movie Hidden Figures? My
number two guy is Kevin Costner in that movie. Hidden
Figures is a very good movie. If you haven't seen it,
I would watch it.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Okay, what period of Costner's career was that shot in?
Speaker 2 (28:38):
This was probably twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen. It sucked.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Anything Costner did later in his career sucked.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
It was a movie.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
It was all filled with vanity shots. You like ever
see Water World? Yes, Water Roll was a great movie
except for that like thirty minutes wasted shooting him.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
You know, semi shirtless from Afar to make him look good.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That's not in this movie. That's none of the vanity
shots with Hinnen figures.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
In this movie.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
He just plays a total role part as far as
the head of NASSA is concerned.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Did you know what like cost.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
An extra like tens of millions of dollars to shoot
water World because they always had to reposition so you
couldn't see any land in the background.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
It makes sense, Yeah, yeah, I mean it was water.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
World number one.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Though.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
In the movie Armaged and Billy Bob Thornton, I mean
what ahead of nask.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
So it was basically playing Billy Bob Thornton, yes, as
the head of NASSA.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And basically told the US government to go screw themselves
by backdooring the way to disable the nuke. When you
remember they remote activated it on the ship, which one
had the ariosmis song that was Armageddon. That's when Ben
AFFLECKX going at it with Lift Tyland, who was.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Yeah, but like I hate that you hate that song.
That's well close, shut up, shut up.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
You know what it's like though, It's like it's like
Ron Stewart, did you think come sexy and Foreigner?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Did I want to Know what Love is.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
It went against the grain of what each normally did
and Offen I did some of the fan base, but
at the end of the day increased the fan base.
The old ones didn't go away. It's just what I
hate is they have to play it in concert. Rod,
would you think I'm sexy foreigner? I want to know
what Love is? And Aerosmith. But Aerosmith, uh, you know,
(30:17):
is an old man.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Tom.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
I have to go to the bathroom all lot to
wearing a concert. The Armageddon song is my bathroom break
for Aerosmith. It was a truly Armageddon song too, right,
like they made it for the movie. It wasn't like
they grabbed a song from Aersmith and put it into
the movie, right, like with dream on a Miracle, Like
that's an Arismith song that he just attached to the
end and it was great. I think that was written
specifically for the movie, right because of lif Toddler's involvement.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Too, although they didn't know that they were related for
the beginning portion of their life. Right, wasn't there some
story about that?
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Yeah? Uh? She was the daughter of Steven Tyler and B. B.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Buell, who was a noted model, and I guess groupie
is the proper word to use.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And she was living with Todd Runggren, another musician.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yes when hello, it's me when when uh Tyler knocked
her up and uh, the very understanding Todd Runggren more
understand than I would have been. Then again, maybe to
stay with BB buell a a you know, eating some
humble pie, although I don't think Steve Marriott bangered well
maybe he did, but at any rate, Todd Rungren agreed
(31:20):
to uh raise live Tyler as as their daughter, and
it wasn't until years later that lived Tyler because she
looks exactly like Steven Siler, like when in the Aerosmith
memoir Walk This Way, when BB turns up pregnant, Stephen
Tyler says, says that baby better than have droopy eyes
and big ears bybe but it did.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
No doubt the same lips pretty much too. Yeah right,
it's the same exact face, just one's male, one's female.
So if Bbe wanted to pull a fast one on
run Grin, that's gonna be tough to dick.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Can you think of any other songs that compromised group's
general ethos? But but turn out be a big hit.
Those are the three big examples. That was kind of
like a trifecta within the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
It's very tri trifect deception ish. But uh, I can't
think of one off the top of my head. That's
a good The Aerosmith one's a really good one. Rod Stewart,
do you think I'm Sexy is such a popular song
for him?
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Well, it was what they all done back then. It
was his disco song, like the Rolling Stones had missed you.
I like it, but yeah, but you know what, it
didn't quite go too far in the direction of disco.
There was some rocky stuff about it. Jagger's vocal on it,
I mean Rod's vocal though on Do you think I'm
Sexy's really good as well?
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Of course Stewarts.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, it was just like and like and like, it's
the encore, the last song for every show he plays,
and I know he has to do it. Well, that's
not true, that's not true. The last time I saw him,
it wasn't the last song.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Now see, I was gonna say, if it's the last song,
every here's the thing, here's the.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Thing, and maybe why should be the last song?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I saw him in Baltimore this past summer, and I
know it wasn't the last song, but I forget what
the last song was, so maybe it should have been
do you think I'm sexy?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
You don't like the song? Same way you treat the
arm again and song with Aerosmith as a bathroom break.
If this was the closer every time, that's your early exit, right,
that's the beat traffic home.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I would never leave a Ron Stewart concert early. That.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's like, I mean, I don't need to hear that
song ever again, but it's the same. Skinnard always wraps
up with Freebird, and I've heard that song more than
I ever cared to. But I outter respect and especially
for the for the guys who died. I mean, you
can't leave a Skynard so early. I remember I saw
Gary Rossington's second last show. He was the last surviving
(33:38):
original and founding member of Skinnered, and he was in
real bad shape. And the last couple of shows he played,
he came on just did like two or three songs,
and you knew and rumor had it that it wasn't
going to be long. And I and I Gary Austin,
He's like the last man standing. I gotta respect that, right,
And like I was in Atlantic City and there's no
reason to leave Earlan in Atlantic City because just walked
(34:00):
on the boardwalk to your hotel.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
But it was like really surreal to know.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
That was gonna be the last time I saw Gary
Rossington play Freebird.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I mean both, you know, hand in hand, the man
in the song.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Yeah, that's an unbelievable experience. I used to play free
Bird all the time on Guitar Hero. It was so fun.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
You know, the most.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Amazing thing about Freebird though, And we've gone way off
on a tangent.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Here, but I like it.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Alan Collins, who did not die in the plane crash
but had a car wreck later, Like those guys have
endured so much tragedy, to be fair, much of itself inflicted.
But Alan Collins wrote free Bird and that guitar solo
when he was seventeen.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
That's just unfreaking believable.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
That's like Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogan wrote Super Bad
when they were like fourteen years old in high school.
It's insane to hear people do that at such a
young age.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah, but do you think the script from when they
were fourteen still held when the movie was.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
At all shot.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
It absolutely evolved. But just to have the Braves premise
for a brilliant coming of age movie like that, or
to have a song like that written when you are
in yourself.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Originally, Seth Rogan envisioned him and Goldberg is the two
kids right as Jonah Hill and Michael Sarah.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
That's what they were writing them as. Yes, and Evin
Goldberg's not in the movie at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
No.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
And Seth Rogan plays the bill, which is tremendous.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Is the best, maybe the best two characters in the
movie is the two cops.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
The fastest kid alive. Can't catch him.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Uh, we got Brett Michaels at four o'clock. He's gonna
be in tom for the Steeler game and for the draft.
Plus you get to find out what his plans concert plays.
I plan my summer around Brett's concerts.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
I'm not kidding.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I would straight up be nervous as hell if he
wasn't gonna be in the four one two Vicinity come
Monday night, and especially not in the stadium. You need
Brett Michaels, then well we're trying to talk to Joe Manganello.
I think he should be there as well. I think
he should be as well. I haven't heard back from
them yet. They're the agent, so I might have to
follow up today.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
You know what, Brett is the perpetually optimistic Steeler fan
and he's a Tomlin friendon too, and Joe is the
perpetually cynical Pittsburgh sports fan. So that if we can
get Joe on later this week, that would be a
good point.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Connor point.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Uh did you see Tom Wain did at lengthy interview
with Rich Eisene. Yeah, yeah, he doesn't do crap with
Pittsburgh media, but he'll do you know, he'll kiss national
media ass. But by the same token Rich eisen and
who's the other guy, Jay Glazer. They certainly put time
in with the lips in Tomas backside.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
The only local thing that Tomlin does in that one
on one setting is Bowman in the morning show right
every year training.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
I didn't know he still did that.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
He doesn't, well, Mark, that's when he sat down and
said the defense this year was going to be historic,
when he was talking to Randy and then on the
DV morning.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Well that that didn't turn out to be true.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
You see one thing, and I respect Mario for so
many reasons, and I would never compare Mario to Mike
common in any way. Mario lem you give Pittsburgh and
Mike Tomlin's a Pittsburgh underachiever.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
But one thing Marioll understood, you know what media.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
He always took care of Pittsburgh media and Montreal media
because he told I think it was Tom McMillan when Tom,
you know, was their vice president in charge of media.
He said, those are the guys who can affect my life,
the Pittsburgh media and the Montreal media. So he took
care of them, didn't pay as much attention national media.
Then again, at that time, the national media wasn't what
(37:17):
it is now, you know everywhere and the influence that's.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Been kind of passed down to said too. Don't you
think like he only does your show locally as far
as one on one radio.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
But Sill do No, Sid does one on one with
like Yojo.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
That's what I'm saying. The print medium. He'll give them
the time.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
No, I mean, I.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Mean, Sid, Sid and Mary are just good guys. Mike
Tomlin isn't to be frank, I mean, how many times
we have to have that proven. Well, I mean, nobody
knows that. I'm not even sure I know that, but
I got a pretty good idea up next.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
We've been saving it since yesterday.
Speaker 5 (37:50):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
This sound bite from James Harrison and Joe Hayden on
their podcast talking about how uh Joe Burrow the sence
he quarterback laid down, sat down is what Harrison says,
and let Miles Garrett have the sack record. It's just
so freaking ridiculous. And I'll tell you why in just
a moment here one oh five ninety x
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