Pregame Show - Jarry Trade, Watt's Lung

Mark and Tommy Radio talk about Tristan Jarry getting traded and the latest on TJ Watt.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
So let's talk about the trade with Tommy Radio. Tom
what are your thoughts on this Jarry deal?

Speaker 2 (00:06):
I love the deal, Mark, I mean, you get two
players coming back on expiring deals. That's money is pretty
much equal to what you were paying Jari this year.
You get a second round pick on top of that,
which is just unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
And that's like when twenty twenty nine. I'll be dead
by then, So I'm not so concerned whatever, right, I mean,
you've got a second round pick on top of that.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
But most important that you got out of that Jarr deal.
And you say this so often, Mark, gms are never
going to be perfect, but the mark of a really
good one is one that gets out of his mistakes fast.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
Right, which Jim rodther For did all the time. He
admitted his mistakes and corrected him. Now Kyle Dubas has
done that after mistakenly extending Dubis. Excuse me, extending Jarry
for too much and for too long. How's the locker
room going to react? Jarry played bad last night and
the team needed to shake up. I think him playing
poorly last night did Dubis a favor.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, I'm sure the locker room is not gonna like
it in the immediacy, but they need to get over
it and get over it fast because there's their playoff positioning.
Their hot starts of the season slip away pretty drastically
right now, Mark, And I mean that lost last night.
I didn't realize this. They've lost five of their last
six games at home. I mean, they're just abysmal really
on home ice, especially lately. If the team needed to
shake up, things were going in a bad direction. And

(01:17):
I hope they take this the right way and they
come out and they play two great games on Saturday
and Sunday.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well, they'll look good Skinner and they'll think he did
get to the last two Stanley Cup finals. I think
it might be an easier sell to the room if
it was Skinner and more Shoff. I think they've seen
enough of Shilloffs, especially his pathetic performances in the shootouts,
to kind of maybe be weary of him. I'm not
sure how to look good Skinner is stats in Edmonton

(01:42):
this year were not great. And the question is, and
it's a tough one, is he a success because he
got Edmonton two Stanley Cup finals? Or is he a
failure because he won neither of them.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
I think it might be more of the latter. I
feel like Edmonton did a lot of heavy lifting getting
him to the Cup finals, and those statistics are not impressive.
This year and last year he's had a save percentage
of under ninety. So I mean it's not good for
him or in the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
I mean, yeah, he got them to two finals, but
he didn't steal no games. You don't look back and think, Okay, Skinner,
you know, won this game that game. He was just
the guy in goal as they progressed to the finals.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
But just like Edmonton's hoping with Jarry, you know, get
a change of scenery, a place that he's comfortable in.
They will obviously reference his junior championship right winning them
amorial with Edmonton Oil.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
They you know, they probably got the greater talents than Jari, Yes,
but they also got the lesser goalie over the course
of his career compared to Skinner, although Joy did make
those two All Star thingies back when. But this is
a gamble by Stan Bowman, the GM at Edmonton that
Jari can live up to his talent in a setting
where you might win a Stanley Cup.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, and he's hoping that that change of scenery helps
bring the best out of Jarry. You can kind of
hope for that too. On the Pittsburgh side of things though,
right when it comes to Skinner, like, Hey, maybe this
guy just needed to change of scenery. Maybe he needed
that wake up call a little bit, unplug himself from
the m in situation, fresh start in Pittsburgh, maybe he
can realize some of the attention.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Well, my only disclaimer to that, Tom would be he
knows he's a rental. They're I mean, they're not gonna
reup him there. I mean I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Well, if they do, he'd be a backup too in
the future, because is the one moving forward.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
I think honestly, he'd be grateful for any job in
the NHL when when when the time comes, I think
people see it the way you do and really the
way I do that in him making those two finals
was a product of Edmonton and maybe despite him now
again getting back the shilloffs, I'm not impressed. Maybe it's
because I just I am so frustrated by him being

(03:35):
an automatic loss in every shoot up, but I'm not impressed. Uh,
if he went don and have to clear waivers, I'm
not sure that would be a big deal if he
got claim because you still have Blum, Twist and Larsen
behind Morrishov, and then you got the kid you drafted,
that Dag who's still in junior, but you certainly have
enough goalie prospects. I would go to Morishoff and Skinner
sooner or not later, and just risk she loves passing

(03:58):
through waivers, because I bet you're surprise or not surprised
if you think he may he will clear, because I
bet he does. I think he could get through, but
I don't think it would be a big deal if
he didn't.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
No, it wouldn't. But what is he twenty four? So
I guess there would be some temptation from some teams
out there, perhaps, but he he had been really good
in regulation and then terrible in shootouts, But that first
part has started to fade too, don't you think, Like
he's not even been that good in his recent starts
in regulation and then all I think he is what
he is.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
I think he's a he's a four A goaltender. Like
you know, he won that championship in the AHL. You know,
had the one run with that playoff series win for Vancouver,
but I think he's basically a four A goalkeeper. I
think his ceiling at best is to be a quality backup.
You know. It's funny, Tom, I see like tributes to
Jari from the Penguin's website, and I'm sure there will
be a tribute video when he comes back with Edmonton

(04:45):
on Tuesday. I mean, I guess she got to do that.
But I kind of roll my eyes and say, who'd
he ever beat? How about Jar? Like I said here
Tuesday with Edmonton, I bet he beats the Penguins in
a shootout.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Do you think they'll play him Edmonton? Yeah? You got to,
don't you think? Sometimes sports leans away from showbiz? Though
I saw Bucci, our buddy, actually tweet something along those lines,
Like you'd think it'd be a no brainer for the
Penguins to start Skinner too and have that kind of
narrative Skinner VERSU Jari on the new teams. But that's
not a guarantee. Sometimes they'll go with a backup or
or Jari won't get the start. I don't know. Yeah,
but here's the thing.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
If you're muse and you play Skinner against Jari, that's
a direct comparison but if you play Shiloffs against Droy,
that is also a direct comparison. I think you're more
likely to look bad with the Shilloffs comparison than the
Skinner comparison. And I would think that Skinner would be
motivated about a team that dumped him after he got

(05:38):
them to two Stanley Cup finals.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
And as far as the tributes are concerned, I guess
the Penguins do have to do that when he comes
to town on Tuesday, little video board thing. But the
fan base, I mean, all Jari has been as a
disappointment here for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I don't see it
any other way than that. Yeah, but you know, you
know what, here's how this fan base is.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
They're gonna look at Skinner having lost the two Stanley
Cup finals and x amount will think he's a loser.
The ones that are never happy, that look for something
to nitpick.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
Okay, but like Skinner is not a big deal to me.
Skinner is not the future of the net, probably not
even in like a.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
Month from Skinners are rent till he's a placeholder for
Morishaw he'll be here all year.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
I think they're gonna stick to the plan.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Tom where morrishof stays in Wilkes the whole year, but
he is so dominant there I can't help but wonder
if the numbers.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
He's posting might at some point change that plan.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
And certainly a goal is gonna get hurt and he's
going to be back, at least in a temporary capacity.
What about q Lak He played a lot of games
in Edmundon. He's thirty one, left handed, not too bad.
What guy on the left side would you Subbut because
I think he's gonna.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Go in the lineup, I think you're onto something with
the Watherspoon thing, because Shay and Watherspoon have been very
pleasantly surprising this year, and Shay especially like he seems
to be a very consistently good defenseman. But you don't
want Watherspoon to get too comfortable, right, like start feeling like, oh,
this is an everyday thing. Now I just get written
into that lineup and this is a way to kind
of be like, hey, you've been slipping slightly lately. This

(07:00):
is not just like a default that we put you
out there.

Speaker 1 (07:02):
You know what they could do that they could send
gravy back to the miners and hope he doesn't clear
waivers because he's played good.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
But with that big ticket, he's going to clear waivers.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
And I think the guy who's played the worst should
hit the bench, and that is Waterspoon. Graves has been
honestly on the left side. Arguably they're their best defenseman
over the past week or so.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
You can find no worries with Graves, and hopefully that
can continue so you can get something out of that contract,
because that is the one mistake that Dubis made that
he's just not going to be able to undo.

Speaker 1 (07:31):
No, they're worries with Gravy, they just haven't been realized
as much lately. Next week, get an update about TJ
Watt from his brother JJ. It's the Mart Maddon Show,
brought to us this hour by Senderova, Schendorovitch and Fisherman.
They got your back, not your wallet, one oh five nine.

(07:55):
You know, I never talk about pro wrestling anymore because
I'm very far removed from working at it, except for
that brief, you know, comeback couple of matches a couple
months back when TNA tape TV out an RMU. But
tomorrow night is supposed to be John Cena's final match.
He's taken on Gun Throw on Saturday Night's made Events.

(08:16):
Gun Through retires everybody. It makes sense for gun to
retire him too, except one thing.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
This ain't seen his last match. I mean, give me
a freaking break.

Speaker 1 (08:26):
You're dumb enough to believe that he's only forty eight,
which is young for wrestling, and he's just gonna come back.
So you can look at tonight as this fawn farewell.
But John Cena ain't done. I mean, come on, it's wrestling.
How many times has anybody who retired stayed retired? We've

(08:47):
been talking about the TJ Watt health situation. Here's JJ
Watt tweeting about his brother and I quote yesterday TJ
had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapse
long suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at
the facility. Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went

(09:07):
well and he is being released from the hospital today.
It sounds like the Tyrod Taylor thing, although this dry
needling it reads like it's a stem type of thing
for some kind of injury. I'm assuming ribs, whereas Taylor
was a painkiller. But either way, the lung seems to

(09:28):
have gotten punctured because of treatment with the needle. Maybe
Rogers is right about the vaccine. It sounds like TJ's
gonna be okay, but it doesn't sound like he's going
to play on Monday. And I'm not making remote light
of the situation. But that's okay because I think Nate

(09:50):
Herbig will pick up the slack. Tom what say you
no knock on what? But I'm not so sure that
her Big in limited snaps has not performed a.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
Lot this year. He definitely has outperformed Wat in limited snaps,
and I think high Smith, when healthy, has clearly outperformed
Watt too. Now some of that is the ripple.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Why Smith went health. He's been their defensive ENVA. I
think you're right about that, and I'm not a fan
and he's hurt too much, but he's been there. He's
had the most good games by defensive player.

Speaker 2 (10:18):
Because you tell the truth, Mark, right, even if you're
not a fan of something, You're gonna tell the truth
if it's the truth.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
In high Smith's but sometimes I'll conceal it if it's convenient.
If you don't mention it, it's not a lie.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
But you have to also acknowledge there is a ripple
effect from wat. I think that helps them, But still,
what has just not been effective at all. He's got
single digit sacks, he's lost half of ste He's clearly
in decline. You know, gonna be honest.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
If he misses a couple games and the Steelers can
you know, split the games or win both the games,
then maybe it helps him. Maybe he comes back all
the fresher and ready to put his best game out there.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
I am excited to see it, to see what the
Steelers look like without him out there. I'll tell you
where I'd be more excited to see it if they
didn't sign him to that freaking contract, all right, because
you can't cut him and much dead money. Imagine if
you didn't, though, Mark, and you could have this little
trial run here with high Smith and herbig for the future, potentially.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
In the modern day warrior Jack Sawyer great point. I'm
excited to see him too.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
I'm surprised he didn't play as much as he did,
or he didn't play more against the Ravens. I sensed
that they don't like him.

Speaker 1 (11:16):
I sense that they think he's a he's a non
traditional edge guy, and I think they ignore that. Maybe
exactly what they need is an alternative at that spot
is a non traditional edge guy. He is an a
big guys who can stop the run, who's a physical player,
not just a speed rusher.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
That's his calling card. He's going to be like a
seven or eight sack a year, maybe a little bit
more than that. Maybe he'll get to double digits, but
he's going to be a run stuffing edge. That's what
he projects to be at the NFL level. And that's
definitely why you drafted him, right because all your edges
aren't that great at stopping the run. Wat's good at it,
but they run away from him. Heismith's overrated at it,
and Herbig isn't good at it. Is the book on him.
So you get Sawyer, but you don't use him in

(11:55):
that capacity. Last week was a perfect spot for him.
This week's a perfect spot for him, Jamiir Gibbs. Next
week is a perfect spot for him. Start leaning into
him more.

Speaker 1 (12:04):
This hour The Mark Man Show brought to us by Shandorovic,
Shendrovic and Fisherman. They got your back, not your wallet, Tom.
Next segment, I'm going to talk about it's a it's
a big question, and really shame on Dubas for trading
Jari because it kind of upstage. This is my main copic.
But don't answer now, save it for next segment. Has

(12:25):
Rogers been worth it? Is it a good thing that
they got him? Or is it just kind of more
of the same with a different quarterback. But in the interim, Tom,
tell me why the Steelers will win this game. Come
up with your best answer, because I can come up
with why Miami will win. I can't come up with
why the Steelers will win.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
It's so inconsistent to rely on the Steelers run defense.
But there has been moments this year where he has
shut down good rushing attacks, great running backs. If they
can do that against the Dolphins, there's nothing else Miami
can do on offense that's gonna hurt the Steelers. It's
all about the running game for yeah.

Speaker 1 (12:57):
But but the Steelers defense has played horribly consistent on
Twitter wins yeah, whereas the Miami defense is red hot.

Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, playing some pretty bad offenses, and the Steelers have
such a juggernaut offense though, so well, that's my point.

Speaker 1 (13:09):
Like somebody said on Twitter that Miami's got this four
game win streak just beating bad teams. And I tweeted back, Oh,
as opposed to the Steelers.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
I mean, the.

Speaker 1 (13:18):
Steelers are not a juggernaut. The Steelers are just another
middle of the road mad team. And I'm not so
sure that right now Miami's not better certainly playing.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
Oh, they're definitely playing better than the Steelers are right now.
Running the football wise, it's light years ahead of the
Steelers right now. They know what their identity is. That's
something that you've been talking about for weeks with the Steelers.
What's the identity for this football team?

Speaker 3 (13:37):
Oh?

Speaker 1 (13:37):
And doestment Tom that the Steelers have no identity and
no physicality either. We got a sound bite later from
Bruce Arian saying that the Steelers don't play Steeler football.
I'll go one step further, Bay, the Steelers really don't
play any kind of football. They're not physical, they're not
overly skilled. They just got nothing happening.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
Yeah. Matt Williamson pointed out this week, I think in
his stat blast that running backs are averaging like two
point three yards per carry before contact against the Steelers defense.
I mean, the defensive lines is getting blown back, new
lines and scrimmages are being established two three yards down
the field. You're not getting hands on backs until they're
almost three yards down the field.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
On you. I wonder if Cam gets a bonus for
getting blown off the ball all the time. You know,
I'm tired of people saying, well, Cam's having a pretty
good season. Well, not by the definable metrics.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
He's not. He's He's average at best. It's so funny
people reference Pro Football Focus for that, right, because that's
the metric that keeps putting him up and saying.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
Say, reference Pro Football Focus whenever it's convenient to help
their argument for a player they like.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
Now, here's my best bet for the Steelers winning.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
If I define how they win, Rogers the DK like
at Baltimore, Miami soils the bid in cold weather. Yes,
and the defense gets takeaways because that if there's a
calling card, it is the defense getting takeaways. They're like,
what second in the league. But you can't count on that.
It's so haphazard.

Speaker 2 (14:53):
You can't count on that. And I don't think it
happens against Miami unless you stop the run. McDaniels just
isn't pass with Tua. He knows he stinks. He averages
twenty one pass attempts in their four game streak. Like,
if you don't force them to throw the ball by
scoring points on offense and stopping the run on defense,
I don't know if the turnovers are gonna happen, you
won't have the opportunities.

Speaker 1 (15:12):
Do you buy that the influence of cold weather hurts
the Florida team like Miami because all these guys have
played in the cold at various points in their careers.
They just happen to have home games at Miami.

Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, but this streak is just so over. I think
it's like twenty sixteen the last time since dipped below
forty degrees that the Dolphins have been able to win
a game. They won in New York last years.

Speaker 1 (15:33):
That's like the Stumers have won how many straight timesday
Monday Night twenty two? Yeah, But then again, the two
streaks tom they meet at the corner of hidden and vigoroush.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
But I do think there is something to it when
it comes to Tua, because you're right, there are players
on the Dolphins that are you know, the from Michigan
who house they've played at other places, other teams. Well
that's my point. But two as a Hawaii boy went
to Alabama drafted by the Dolphins like he has never
been north and he is terrible in cold weather. So
I think there is something to it. With the most
import position on the field there, here's my ps to
winning the game.

Speaker 1 (16:02):
Maybe the fat kid is still in concussion protocol and
they play legitimate tight ends and Friarmouth and John who
have a big game, or at least one of the
above bring them out of the shadows. Say might happen
with Herbig too. Her Big has been playing under forty
percent of the snaps recently, and he should be in
there more.

Speaker 2 (16:21):
They're just not creative enough as a defensive mind on
the coaching staff. You have three good to great edge
rushers and you just don't use them adequately enough. One
of them always takes the back seat. It always seems
to be her Big that takes the back seat. They
need to be on the field together more, and Herbig
needs the splash in more.

Speaker 3 (16:37):
For wa.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Wat's just not been effective, and you'll see it this week.
When Wat's not out there, Herbig and Heigtsmith will get
the job done pretty well.

Speaker 1 (16:43):
I wonder what the opposition thinks when they watch tape
of the Steelers. It probably confused him, like, what are
these guys trying to do?

Speaker 2 (16:52):
What are we supposed to do? We said that I
think a couple of weeks ago with Ben Johnson and
the Bears, Like it was so easy for him. He
had to, you know, second guess himself sometimes on some
of these play calls, like wait, they know something I
don't know right, because this is just a this is
an free first down. How's this possible?

Speaker 1 (17:09):
I ignite the big debate. Has it been worth having
Aaron Rodgers this season? That's just around the corner on
one O five to nine.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
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Speaker 1 (17:26):
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Speaker 2 (17:29):
Tis this season.

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Speaker 2 (18:22):
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Speaker 1 (18:26):
Here's a question I think worth asking at this point,
has it been worth bringing in Aaron Rodgers? And I
think it's time to discuss that because he's taken over
the offense. You got MVS in there, You've got Adam
Thielan in there. The elderly Steelers got even older, which
is the last thing they needed to do. Roman Wilson

(18:49):
don't get a helm at Calvin Austin. The third has
been minimized and you can trace that to Aaron Rodgers
for sure. And I asked, has it been worth bringing
in just because the Steelers are seven and six and
lucky to be that His stats are mediocre, no better
than that. He's played a couple of good games, but
he's played a couple of stinkers too. He's mostly been man.

(19:13):
I talk about his guile all the time, and he
is smart. But the Steelers are still only seven and
six and haven't won two games in a row in
two months. I don't think the Steelers look any better
off than last year, and we remember how that ended.
They lost their last five games, one and done in
the playoffs, and that's eight straight years without a postseason win.

(19:39):
They just don't look no better. It looks samey, same,
It looks stale. Despite Aaron Rodgers had, for that matter,
a whole bunch of other acquisitions. They probably would be
doing worse with Rudolph at quarterback, probably, but maybe not.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
And I don't think they'd be doin a lot worse.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
And every seas spent with an old timey quarterback like
Ross and now Rogers, it's another season spent wallowing in
staleness and not moving forward. If all you want is
to win a playoff game, that could happen. It's a possibility.
But boy, the bar has been set low lately for

(20:21):
a team that's won six Super Bowls, and it shows
how incredibly haphazard the organization has become. So get your
call set up for next hour for calls on the fifteens.
Do you think it's been worth bringing in Aaron Rodgers.
I'm not sure. I'm leaning toward no. Let's not talk

(20:42):
to Tommy Radio. Tom what do you think has Rogers
been worth it. What are the pros and cons?

Speaker 2 (20:47):
If you are a fan of the status quo of
you know, weezing your way to nine wins, ten wins,
maybe having a puncher's chance to win a playoff game
because you have that veteran quarterback. Yes, it was worth
it for you. I'm not a fan of that anymore, though.
I want something different drastically, especially at that position. I
want younger at that position. No, this isn't worth it.
This is kicking the can down the road. This is

(21:09):
just delaying the inevitability. You need to get younger at
that quarterback position. It's been more fun than years pass
with Rogers. I don't think so. I don't have to
get there because Rodgers is cool. I like Roger. I
don't think it's any different than it was with Russ.
Russ sucked, his personality was terrible. Russ's record at this
time last year was ten, but it was but Russ
was doing it. Their defense was a lot better last year.

(21:30):
I think at the beginning of the season, Rogers has
put this team on his back a lot more than
Russell Wilson. I think you're exaggerating. I don't know.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
I think he's had a couple of good games and
a couple stinkers, and otherwise he's been just medio.

Speaker 2 (21:42):
He's thrown for way more touchdown passes than Russell Wilson did,
way more.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
They're seven and six, No, no doubt. Hey, I don't
think it's worth it overall. Isn't it amazing the power
he's accrued and very quietly where mvs and and Fieland
are getting more snaps than yes, well, Wilson's not getting
a helmet and the third has been minimized, just like
Friarmouth and John who and I can't help but think
that what's happened with Friarmuth and John who has been

(22:07):
don to Rogers deciding it too.

Speaker 2 (22:09):
He's in love with the fat kid, just like tomlin
And and Oppenheimer. And maybe he was the reason why
tom On and Oppenheimer fell in love with the fat
kids so much like maybe Rogers was the reason that
that was spurned on so much.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
He fanned those flames. I get so much criticism for
making fun of the fat kid. Why well I can
because I'm fat. But but h and by the way,
are our weights are going in opposite directions? Me and
me and me and Darnell Washington. But people talk about
that that jumbo package and him the number one tight end.

Speaker 2 (22:40):
What good's it done? They're running game stinks? What good
is all that big done. That's where it's supposed to
translate the most, too, is in the running game, and
they can't run the ball. They don't commit to running
the football despite being in love with that jumbo package,
which should translate to good running. You're so right about
him pulling the strings with the Roman Wilsons and the
Calvin Austins. He's so crafty about it too. I mean,
he has gas those two up all year long. Pat

(23:02):
Fryarmouth too said how great they are. He loves them.
They're great, but you can clearly see behind the scenes.

Speaker 1 (23:07):
Please you heard what he said about MVS and about
feeling how things are so much more precise run there.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
Yeah, it puts everybody in the right spacing, YadA, YadA.

Speaker 1 (23:16):
Now would it be any different or much worse with
Rudolph at quarterback?

Speaker 2 (23:21):
I think it would be worse, not much worse, probably
like what six and seven, five and eight instead of
where they're at right now. I think they would probably
have won less win.

Speaker 1 (23:29):
Yeah, I think that's fair and still be in it
just as much as they are now, albeit with a
bit more.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
Work to do and less optimism that you would probably
get it done. I have no optimism now.

Speaker 1 (23:40):
I think if they do get whatever it is done,
it'll be because the division turned out to be crap
and Burrow got hurt.

Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, I was gonna say, isn't that where your optimism
is coming from them? Is that the Ravens just probably
aren't gonna get off the mat this year. It's just
gonna be a wasted year for them.

Speaker 1 (23:53):
My only optimism, and I'll still be drawing breath at
six o'clock when this freaking show wraps up.

Speaker 2 (23:59):
And if you want to give.

Speaker 1 (24:01):
Rogers credit for carrying them to seven and six, well
they's still seven and six.

Speaker 2 (24:05):
And you didn't get Rogers to just squeak in and
be won and done.

Speaker 1 (24:09):
No, although you know what will be made a big
deal out of even if they win the division at
nine and eight Tech, If they win the division at
eight nine, they'll get those shirts we win the North,
the fans will buy them and that'll be Aaron Rodgers'.

Speaker 2 (24:21):
Hero hatt and T shirt game. Yeah, if they win
a playoff game, I guess I'd have to say it'd
be worth it, because at the beginning of the year,
I said, win a playoff game this year, I think
it'd be a good season.

Speaker 1 (24:31):
But man, I don't know in the moment would it
really feel that great. Yeah, you get the monkey off
your back, you finally end that streak. You got to
have a win in the playoffs, But it ultimately would
just lead to nowhere because you have a forty.

Speaker 2 (24:41):
Two year old quarterback. Yeah, but now we have even
the slightly lower bar.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
We could lose the first round playoff game, the wild
card round, but winning the division will be celebrated like
VJ Day.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Like you said, the hat and T shirt game. And
on top of that, if they just keep it close
right in the wild card game, like if they lose
by a field goal, ah, what a good try. Football
is back, you know, because they've been getting blown out
in these playoff games.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
Well, my other point about Rogers is, after this year,
where does having Rogers and not succeeding greatly leave you?
Because Rogers hasn't been terrible, but he's not been great,
And then you're starting all over at quarterback again next year.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
Kirk Cousins does it lead you to that he lit
it up on Thursday Night football? Do they do it
again with the veteran? I swear to god?

Speaker 1 (25:25):
Do they bring in an another veteran? I will just
stop watching it. If I I'll do it All Penguins,
show all Penguins and beat them. Bucks one O five
ninety X.

Speaker 4 (25:33):
From the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center. This report is
sponsored by Flynn's Tire and Auto Service. Partly Cloudy Today's
slight chance of fleur. He's a high of thirty two.
Partly it's the Mark menad. If you're just tuning in.

(25:54):
Penguins traded Jari to Edmonton. I thought that would happen.
I didn't think it would happen. Now Jari and Samuel
Poulin and they get in return the.

Speaker 1 (26:06):
Edmonton goolie Stewart Skinner who got them to the last
two Stanley Cup finals, defenseman Brett Kulac, and a second
round pick. I think in twenty twenty nine, when I'll
be dead, que Lax should probably go in the lineup,
I said. Waters Spoon's been struggling. We'll see what happens
tomorrow when the Penguins host San Jose at PPG for

(26:27):
a third straight home game, having lost the first two.
Having lost three straight home games dating back to before
the road trip. Ricard Rickel's been activated, so it looks
like he could be in the lineup tomorrow. I'm sure
the temptation would be to put Requel with Sid and Russ,
but with Gino out, if he's still out, I might
put Raquel at center for the time being, because the

(26:49):
Penguins is a one line team.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
Well, I mean, the kids are playing good.

Speaker 1 (26:54):
We have Rutger McGroarty on the show at three thirty,
but they're not scoring, so I might try to divvy
up a little of the firepower and have for Kel
center the second line. Tom I break news on this show,
and I remember to I probably should have said this
at the top of the program, but I have it
from an unimpeachable source that the driving force behind Penn

(27:15):
State firing James Franklin, the.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
Football coach, was Terry Pagola.

Speaker 1 (27:20):
They're a big donor to the hockey program, the owner
of the Buffalo Sabers and the Buffalo Bills, and that
he paid Franklin's buyout of nine million dollars out of
his own pocket.

Speaker 2 (27:30):
That's how anxious he was to get rid of James Franklin.

Speaker 1 (27:34):
Again, I thought they did that prematurely after Franklin had
had a good run at Penn State. I can't help
but wonder if there was personal animosity there. And I'll
leave it for others to decide if a booster should
make that decision based.

Speaker 2 (27:46):
On the size of his pocketbook. For me to decide that,
I don't know, Like that's a really sticky situation in true.
Oh yeah, I'm not denying that. I'm saying, like the
fact that Pegoula had that kind of influence and was
able to do that. I mean, he's essentially the owner
of Penn State football, right, Like he would be like
a Rooney to the.

Speaker 1 (28:03):
Penn to me, like, he's essentially the owner of Penn
State and State University. Yeah, So that's kind of the
vibe that you're getting from it. But it's not that's
the problem with Nil. Yes, the power that guys like
him get it's not just him, right, all right, right,
And and those guys always were there with their money,
but when it had to be kept quiet, the power
wasn't as lot, If that makes any sense, You were.

Speaker 2 (28:23):
Able to say no as a university back then, right
because Pogle couldn't make like a big public stink about it.
I think Pagol was still.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
Could have bought out Franklin's contract before nil, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (28:34):
But you, like you said, he was always under the
you know you have to sweep that under the rug, right, No, No,
with with the coach, I don't think it has to be.
You're probably right about that. It's always had to be.
What do we got for the trifecta top?

Speaker 1 (28:43):
For today's trifecta mark per your request, we are going
with top three sports center anchors. These are my top
three sports center anchors. This is a very polarizing topic,
ripe for debate. We're gonna want calls in about this,
about this fifteen, but most I want you to tell
me if Rogers coming to the steel has turned out
to be worth it. That's calls on the fifteens A three, three, four,

(29:04):
one two WXDX. We got Tim Benz at the top
of the hour, But go ahead, top three sports center anchor.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
I'll just fire mine off because this is, like I said,
there's so much discussion here. Number three is Kenny Maine.
Number two. I'm going to that VP. Yeah, I love
Kenny Maye. This is my trifact. This is my last
SVP at number two, Scott Van Pelt, and I'm going
with number one, Dan Patrick the goat.

Speaker 1 (29:24):
Okay, I go with Dan Patrick number one. He's going
to Golberman number two.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
I doesn't know how you Jerman fan. I recognize his
greatness though at Sports Center, his.

Speaker 1 (29:32):
Greatness is unparalleled because he was semi baby face, semi
heel and played off Patrick tremendously Patrick straight Man. Yeah,
I don't put Berman in there. I thought he was
too over the top.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
And is he really an anchor?

Speaker 1 (29:44):
Really?

Speaker 2 (29:44):
Like he's more like a post studio as you call
him anchor.

Speaker 1 (29:47):
He did a lot of anchor stuff. I might put
Van Pelt third, I might. I might put Steve Levy third,
But the problem with Levy and Boucie is I think
of them more.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
As hockey guys. Their sleeper picks, though, and Linda kne two,
and then it comes more than a sleeper pick. She
might be number four on my list, like right on
the outside looking.

Speaker 1 (30:04):
If you made me pick a third, though, I'd probably
say Scott van Pelt behind Patrick and Oberman.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
And I noticed neither of us mentioned Stuart Scott, No,
Skiet Scott's not on my list. SVP still doing it
at such a great level. It's the only really watchable
sports center. It might be the only piece of original
programming that ESPN has that you can actually stomach. Is
the late night Sports Center hosted by Scott Van.

Speaker 1 (30:24):
It's not a game or yes, a desk show, you know,
with the game and you know, I you know, and
I gotta admit. I mean, like, I'm not a college
football fan, but I think Game Day's gone way too.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
Over the top. Okay, I love Game Day. I'm not
a true you know, disciple of the original sports center
anchors at their height of their power because I was
like four years old, right, like you'd say the mid
to late nineties was when they were really hitting their peak, right,
like with the Patricks and the Scotts and those guys.
But SVP, when I was becoming a sports fan and
entering my prime, like he was the anchor for me.
Don't don't disagree with that at all. Yeah, So like

(30:56):
for my generation, I think we're SVP guys.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
We talked a little bit about Stewart Scott, who has
this you know, Big thirty for thirty out on him. Okay,
I didn't get it, and it doesn't mean I think
he sucks. It doesn't mean I'm denigrating him. You know,
years after his death. I just didn't get it. Didn't
get it then, And I think it was Oberman who said,
I don't think quoting the latest rap song makes you

(31:19):
a good sports anchor. And that's my opinion on Stuart Scott.
I thought it was pretty good, like kid be in
my top ten or twelve.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
Yeah, but I don't know if he's deserving of an
isolated thirty for thirty. The thirty for thirty if you're
gonna do it about that, days of Sports Center should
be all encompassed over the.

Speaker 1 (31:34):
Let's be blunt. I don't say this flippantly. He got
it because he's died, died prematurely, yeah, exactly, died young,
battle cancer, became a hero because of it, and rightly so. Sure,
but it doesn't mean he's the talent he's being made
out to be, because I don't think he was.

Speaker 2 (31:47):
And you can have a nice little portion of this, uh,
spanning wide spanning thirty for thirty be about Stuart Scott
in his fight, but I think you should give a
lot of the other anchors credit to not just isolate
on him. What's your beef with Kenny Mayne? Why do
you hate Kenny Maine so much?

Speaker 1 (31:59):
Boring? He's funny, boring, charge of the Light Brigade spelled
l I t E. Don't just just not not terrible professional,
just boring.

Speaker 2 (32:10):
And what about John Anderson. I feel like everybody forgets
about John Anderson. He's been around forever.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
When I worked for ESPN and I went up there
a couple of weekends to do weekend radio with like
Shawn Salisbury because they were kind of eyeing me up
and I guess didn't like me and didn't like my
Pittsburgh accent. In a national radio form told me that
point blank. They named my weekend show, which I did,
you know, uh, Saturdays and Sundays. For about a year
or so, they called it outside the Lines because they

(32:38):
wanted to hear me mispronounced as they were like making
fun of me. But but getting back to John Anderson,
I met it when I was up there. Total ass
really totals okay surprising. I feel like he would have
dress a good guy, Patrick, great guy, asked, but in
kind of a a way you respect e gauging way. Yeah, yeah, Salisbury.

(32:59):
Great guy, Stuart Scott. Okay, kind of full of himself.
You know what Stuart Scott did that Salisbury flipped out about. Uh,
we were on the air, me and Salisbury. He needed
to find something out from Salisbury. He came in during
the show, shut off Salisbury's mic and asked him a question.
We had like dead air for thirty seconds and then

(33:20):
he walked out and uh, after the break, Salisbury. When
we got to the brake, Salisbury flipped out. He went
running down the hall yelling at it was never do
that again. How dare you do that to me? No?
I'm not sure what he said, but he was bellowing,
bellowing up. Next, gonna talk Steelers with Tim Ben's Mark
Man one oh five to nine