Pregame Show - Outscoring Detroit, Pens Sale

Mark and Tommy Radio talk Steelers and Pens in the pregame show

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Mark Mannon Show. I'm gonna break you
with my will of steel. We got a lot of
hot news today, gonna give you my in depth analysis
of the Penguin sale from NFSG to the Hoffman Group
from Illinois. I'm getting the criticism you said a couple
of weeks ago it was a dead deal. It was

(00:21):
a dead deal. Then the Hoffman Group had to go
out and get more money. And if anything worries you
about this, that should time out to talk to Tommy Radio. Tom,
how many points will it take to win this game
at Detroit?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
I think you nailed it with twenty eight being the
bare minimum that you have to achieve. You have to
get in the end zone at least four times. That
might not even be enough because this is an offense
that averages thirty points a game, best in the NFL.
And they know how bad their defense is right now,
especially in the secondary, So they're shifting into a mindset
where it's like, we gotta get to forty to win
these football games.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Right, They're gonna come out trying to score and score again. Yes,
and the Steelers have to the same approach. Do you
agree Tom that Tom win and the Steelers could not
force a rock fight in this.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Oh there's no chance you could accomplish a win in
Detroit by doing that.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Unless Detroit's offense falls apart on its own.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, and they have played a rock fight this year
in Philadelphia.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
They lost that game sixteen to nine.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
I think that was a Sunday night football game, so
it's happened to Detroit, but that game seemed to be
more of Detroit getting in their own way.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
A lot of different factors that affected that game that
will not at Detroit now at home their rock fight proof.

Speaker 4 (01:32):
Right exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
I do give tom and credit for his fourth down
approach against Miami three out of three, and frankly, it's
about time he got some guts.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, it didn't lead to any that's the way the
league is now, though you got to do that. It's
funny though it didn't lead to any points right on
that first possession when he kept going for it on
fourth down over and over again, so he didn't see
the dividends on the scoreboard. But I really hope he
leans more into that. I do hate though, that it's
always via the Connor Hayward special package that we're calling

(02:02):
Spartan now got to get the mascot out there.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Well, well, Tom, it's appropriate to call it Spartan. Spartan
is Michigan State's mascot, and Connor Hayward is a Steelers mascot.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
It's very true. Uh, you force feed him onto the field.
But I guess whatever works as long as the coach
is going for it on fourth down, that's what's most important.

Speaker 4 (02:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
I I don't know if he'll keep it up though
against Detroit because, like you said, it didn't pay tangible
dividends against Well, no, it did because they kept the
ball war.

Speaker 5 (02:35):
Game.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
They one time a possession, But I don't know if
it didn't directly lead to points.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
I'm not sure Tom it will keep doing it.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
But but there's a lot of stuff I don't know
and can't figure with Tom win, Like why is Rogers
in the backfield on the tush push?

Speaker 4 (02:50):
Why not an extra blocker?

Speaker 1 (02:52):
And why does Connor Hayward got to be the tushu? Uh?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Tom, would do you have a better name than Spartan?
I do what you No, you go first. I like
the Pittsburgh plunge. I've been trying to get that going.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
Well, that was Shane Douglas's finisher.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
I don't know that of Beaver Connie and ECW Fame, No,
I'm sure he'd be honored. I would call it the
Ask Clown because it's a tush push that involves a mascot.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
I love the Ask Clown way more. I mean, that
just shot way past Pittsburgh Plunge. As far as my
rating is concerned, let's call it the Ask Clown.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
You know why Tomlin shouldn't even want a rock fight
at Detroit, tom because the Lodges are missing three out
of four in their starting defensive backfield.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
Air it out.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
I mean, you got Rogers, let him be Rogers, and
we saw it. We've seen a little bit more of Rogers,
like that throw to DK for the third touchdown. But still,
I mean, I think we're overrating badly how he's played.
Even when he plays good and he was very efficient
against Miami, but no more than that, and a lot
of that efficiency was just dumping it off to gain.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Well, he's been good, not great, But I do think
what's encouraging from the previous two games as far as
passing the ball. When you look at the Ravens game,
they were pushing the ball down the field a lot,
you know, twenty air yard fifteen air yard passes and
they were hitting on them. And then when you look
at his passing chart in this previous game against the Dolphins,
while some of these were dumpoffs, there was a lot
more middle of the field being used against Miami. So

(04:16):
they're starting to recognize where they're just woefully inefficient in
that passing game, and they're addressing it somewhat, but they
need to go all the way in with that against Detroit.
They need to eat the middle of the field alive,
and they need to attack those defensive backs on the
outside with speed and DK running by them.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
A roster moved by the Steelers at edge rusher. They
did not go get Matthew Juden on Nepgree got released
by Miami.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
Because they should have. They need this team to get older.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
But they did add Jeremiah Moon to the active roster
from the Carolina Panthers practice squad. I wish that I
had a Jackie Moon instead, but adding Jeremiah Moon Tom
probably says something about her bing and obviously what not
being available.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, I pretty much assume that Watt wasn't going to
be able to play any games. But the fact that
you had to go out and get somebody with some
familiarity with this defense played here last year for a bit,
so you can plug and play him. I think that
signals that they're expecting Herbig to be down in this game,
which is terrible news. If Jared Goff doesn't get any pressure,
he eats you alive. He'll throw for four hundred yards
in four touchdowns. It's all about getting in his face

(05:24):
and making him feel that pressure.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
Do you think that'll make Goff throw more than he might?
Because the Steelers still do have Jack Sawyer and Highsmith,
who were both effective on the edge against a run.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
See, that's tough for me to predict because.

Speaker 4 (05:36):
Detroit I can't bypass Gibbs.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
That's what I mean.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
I don't think it matters who's on the edge. With
their offensive line and with their two running backs, gives
a Montgomery.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
When they win games, it all goes through Gibbs. Gibbs
has big games, whether it's on the ground all purpose
yards combined with the passing game, scoring touchdowns like it
has to flow through him if the Lions want to
be successful, I bet you Goff will feel more comfortable
throwing the ball when he has to.

Speaker 3 (05:58):
But they they'll orbit around Gibs like they always do.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
Pat Bostik, the former Pitt quarterback on the B team,
who I like. He said the Steelers are more dangerous
now than they've been in five years. Maybe he was
referring to stabbing players in the lungs, which is dangerous.

Speaker 4 (06:16):
Five nine. Listen to the X everywhere you go everywhere,
tell your sport device Alexa playing one oh five point
ninety X on iHeartRadio. Oh, who is a cross America
loved Alter Ego a lot whokin the coup of the

(06:42):
La Rams receiver.

Speaker 1 (06:44):
His brother stole a car belonging to a Laker and
he's been arrested. Who can the coup? He's a shady guy.
I got more about him later. But we're talking about
the Steelers like we're obligated to do, whether I want
to or not.

Speaker 4 (07:00):
Tom, let me see if I have this right.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
If the Steelers lose and Baltimore wins, which would put
the teams back in the time for the AFC North lead,
then Week seventeen don't matter what either team does. Week
eighteen would be for the division title no matter what
Baltimore at Pittsburgh. Is that right, because that's what I'm
rooting for. I want that showdown.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, that is correct, because even if Week seventeen were
to play out where the Steelers beat the Browns and
the Ravens lose to the Packers, they'd still just be
that game back and every time break.

Speaker 4 (07:28):
Baltimore wins and they get the tie break.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, they split the series in the season, and then
it goes to they got the other time break. It's
common opponents, I think, and it's just already locked up
for the Ravens if it goes to that point. So, yes,
you are correct. If that plays out on Sunday, then
Week seventeen is moot.

Speaker 4 (07:42):
You sound like Ed McMahon. You are correct there. That
is what I'm rooting for.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
Don't you want to see that Baltimore Pittsburgh last game
Division title?

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Selfishly, no, because then that's going to be Sunday night
football that week and I'm gonna have to work until
two in the morning. You're right, I would rather that
be meetingless and be at one o'clock on Sunday.

Speaker 4 (07:57):
I don't want.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
I don't want Sunday night football either, And you know
that's a lot if that game comes down to winning
the AFC North between those two teams.

Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yeah, you know what, do Ice still wanted? Screw you?

Speaker 2 (08:07):
The football fan in me wants it because of the drama. Yeah,
it'd be great. You have an easy life. He's go
home late, go home late, sleep in a little bit
the next day. You know, I'm disappointed in de Fabo,
whoa he wrote a story about the cast offfs kind
of glamorizing Roders talking about all the cast offs we have.
I will say, though, that the primary focus of the
story was Kenneth Gainwell, and he does fit that description.

Speaker 4 (08:31):
Doesn't make much money, it has done well.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, I would say he's the only legitimate cast off
that you could circle and say he's done really well.

Speaker 3 (08:37):
Better than not only I.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
Think a lot of us expected entering this season, but
what the rest of the league expected was capable from
Kenneth Gainwell. And I'm not saying that you make him,
you know, the workhorse number one back mark. But maybe
he gets sixteen carries and Warren gets ten. Now moving forward,
maybe Warren slides into more of that third back down
back roll and on first and ten, that first carry
goes to Kenneth Gainwell because every single time we see

(09:01):
him fit that role, you know, kind of be that
early down back, Gainwell does better than Warren, or at
least adequately enough.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
Which begs the question, who's the number one back right now?
Who's going to be the number one back at Detroit
right now? It's probably going to go back to Jalen Warren.
So I think they'll just go right even after the
game Gainwell hat, Yes, I see, that's just bad coaching.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
He's surprised. Well, no, no, I'm not surprised.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
But but you got two backs who are basically, you know,
one in one A and one A clearly had a
better game, even though you know, I mean, you're not
supposed to lose your job when you're injured or ill.
But we both know there's a different reality in a
lot of situations.

Speaker 4 (09:36):
I'd just go with Gainwell.

Speaker 3 (09:37):
He's not even really losing his job.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Warren like this is just you know, a way to
you know, limit his ability to get on the field
and expand on Gainwell's role. I'm not saying you bench
Jalen Warren at all. You're still gonna have to use him,
But they're going to revert back to what they'd like
to do with that running back tandem.

Speaker 1 (09:52):
Now, who are the edge rushers? We know wat Isott
and Herbie got that hamstring. They picked up Moon, so
she got high the Sawyer and I guess Smoon although
le all you know on the practice squad, you know
he's out there practicing as well.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
I guess that that would be it. I don't know
if Leo would get a helmet though. I wonder if
they would just run with Jeremiah Moon, have him got
out there, spend.

Speaker 4 (10:13):
Time with the Steelers. What a couple of years back.

Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yeah, so you go, he's a bum. Lew's a bum
exactly so, But how's.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
A part of that just brutal twenty twenty two draft
with Pickett and Pickens's gone, Lee all my god?

Speaker 3 (10:25):
And Sawyer's not a bumb.

Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I don't think I'm ready to see him get
that big of a role, you know what I mean,
like be almost an every down player at that edge
rushing position. He's he's certainly got a lot more room
to grow as far as a pass rusher is concerned.
He's he's more of an edge setting, you know, run defender.

Speaker 4 (10:39):
Yeah, but isn't that okay?

Speaker 1 (10:41):
Against Detroit because they do run the ball so well
with both running backs.

Speaker 3 (10:44):
It is.

Speaker 2 (10:45):
But then also the other side of it is you
gotta get pressure on golf because they're going to pass
the ball, and if he's comfortable, he's gonna he will
pick you apart.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
He's good enough when there's no pressure.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
Let me ask you this point blank, because he's gonna
be the lead of tomorrow show.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
Doesn't feel like they're gonna get killed. It feels like
a could look like Buffalo did. It feels like that
there is a chance that this could happen, especially because
the Lions like they cannot lose anymore and their goal
this year was to win the Super Bowl, so they're
feeling even more desperate than most teams now.

Speaker 1 (11:11):
Baltimore is host to New England on Sunday Night. I
kind of like Baltimore in that game. They know what
time of year it is. They have an outstanding roster
that's underperformed badly, but that doesn't mean it can't pick
it up. And the Ravens, despite losing to Pittsburgh in
a game they should have won, has had a pretty good,
you know, second part of the season. I'd bet on

(11:32):
Baltimore to win out before I'd bet on the Steelers
to win out.

Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yeah, because I still think Baltimore is a better team.
I've been kind of waiting for Baltimore to come around
all year long.

Speaker 4 (11:40):
Though I said before a.

Speaker 1 (11:41):
Year that I thought they had the best roster in
the NFL, and I'm I'm not so sure they don't.
You know what's killed them as Lamar being dinged up
and playing just way underneath. I mean, he's played underneath
when I thought a four was, let alone a ceiling.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
And they need shake it up with a coaching change.
I mean a lot of the stuff that plagues the
Steelers I think plagues the Baltimore Ravens, but they feel
it even worse because they have the franchise quarterback that
they're wasting right now, the all time great in Lamar Jackson,
two time MVP. The Ravens definitely can beat the Patriots.
They didn't look good, or as good as a twenty
four to nothing went over the Bengals would make you
think they looked. The Bengals just looked like a team

(12:14):
that totally quit, and Lamar didn't play exceptionally well in
that game, So it was tough to say, like, oh,
they look like they're rolling into the New England game.

Speaker 1 (12:24):
A lot of shows have something called like an overreaction Monday, overreaction.

Speaker 4 (12:28):
Tuesday McAfee has that get up.

Speaker 3 (12:30):
As that Eisen has that.

Speaker 1 (12:32):
Why does everybody have that? Well, because it's easy. It's
embraced debate. You can say stuff that's stupid and it's
under the guys of being stupid overreacting and the big
overreaction this week that I've seen New England lost the
Buffalo and it's being put out there that the Patriots
are in decline.

Speaker 4 (12:53):
New England won ten games in a.

Speaker 1 (12:56):
Row before that, and they still are in first place
in the AFC East over.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
Buffalo, and they put up thirty one points in that game,
and they ran the ball right down Buffalo's throat. Their
rookie running back Travon Henderson looks like he's really coming
on stroke did blow the game.

Speaker 4 (13:09):
But I mean the thing you blew Buffalo got Josh Allen.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yeah, you blew a twenty one to nothing leads, So
you should be criticized for that, and there should be
kind of a notice of Okay, there's some weaknesses there
with the Patriots but it was Josh Allen, Like you
just said, He's gonna do that to a lot of teams.

Speaker 1 (13:24):
Steelers beat the Patriots, Tom, Steelers beat them.

Speaker 3 (13:27):
Patriots beat themselves a lot in that game.

Speaker 1 (13:29):
Steller's well, speaking of beat yourself, a lot of people
out there think that means the Steelers are legit contenders
and that is all about beating yourself.

Speaker 4 (13:37):
They're just nowhere near that.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
I have no more optimism now than I did before
the last two games, because they should not have beat Baltimore.
The referees, I don't want to say handed them that game,
but they got every break in Miami, just came to
Pittsburgh determined to suck. Who's the best team in the
AFC right now? Because I might bet on Houston and
that defense. It's bone crunching Will Anderson ten and a

(14:01):
half sacks, that d got it all.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
You stole my answer. I think it is Houston. Buffalo
is there though I think Josh I was wondering. I
think it would help if Houston won the division. I
think that would greatly heighten their chances. Yeah, it would,
Jackson If Trevor Lawrence plays like this, I give Jacksonville
a puncher's chance as well in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (14:17):
He's been playing outstanding in the past couple of weeks.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
You know what, you know what seed you need to
get in the NFL playoffs either conference. You need to
get no lower than third, because if you finished third,
you're gonna get a home game in the wild card round,
and then you're just an upset away from getting another
home game if it can very easily happen. Not to
be fair, one does get a bye, So you need
the two.

Speaker 4 (14:38):
Seed to get upset.

Speaker 2 (14:39):
Houston's the best team right now, and their offense is
starting to come along too, which is scary if they
can compliment their defense more with CJ. Stroud playing well.
But I was skeptical Mark that Josh Allen was going
to be able to, you know, put on the Superman cap,
win three straight games and get to the Super Bowl.
I still am skeptical about that. Their defense isn't good.
Like I said, Patricks ran all over them. I want
to see it, though. I think he might be able

(14:59):
to do it and just you know, win games thirty eight,
thirty five on his way there. Now that Mahomes is
out of the way, his boogeyman.

Speaker 4 (15:06):
Cleveland host Buffalo.

Speaker 1 (15:08):
Will Garrett get Watt's single season sack record one sack
ties it, two sacks breaks it?

Speaker 2 (15:13):
The tough opponent for him to get it against, because
Allen will be able to get away from Garrett a lot.
I hope he does not get it and comes into
that Steelers game still stuck at twenty one and a half.

Speaker 1 (15:23):
I hope that he comes into the Steelers game tied
with Watt so he can break it. It, breaks it
right there with what watch it? Do you think he points?

Speaker 2 (15:30):
Do you think he points right at the sideline, will
probably won't even be there, won't even travel.

Speaker 4 (15:34):
Oh that's a good point. He should. He should skype
him or FaceTime.

Speaker 3 (15:39):
Like pull it out of his pants and FaceTime.

Speaker 1 (15:41):
And say, TJ, I'm afraid I've got some bad news.

Speaker 4 (15:45):
One oh five nine. It's The Woody Show weekday mornings
at six. Of course, you thing is.

Speaker 3 (15:54):
Wschrist Christmas Music's.

Speaker 6 (16:03):
We'll go commercial free starting Christmas Eve at ned all
the way through Christmas Day. Enjoyed NonStop Christmas music.

Speaker 5 (16:11):
You know, Christmas Street and Christmas.

Speaker 6 (16:15):
With your family and friends, brought to you by Giant Eagle,
Edgar Snyder and associates and only on ninety four point
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Speaker 1 (16:26):
The holiday hustle is real, the traffic, the crowd's, the
never ending to do list.

Speaker 4 (16:30):
And nowhere to park. Bel I'm on the X.

Speaker 1 (16:35):
This hour of The mark Man Show, brought to us
by Shenderovichendrovitch and Fishmen. They got your back, not your wallet.
We got the Penguins at Ottawa seven pm here on
the X. Come watch the game with me and michelob
Ultra at Dino's in Latrobe, hanging down at Dino's.

Speaker 4 (16:51):
If the boys want to fight, you better let them.

Speaker 1 (16:54):
The Penguins have been sold by Fenway Sports Group to
the Hoffman Group from Chicago. I will talk at link
about that at the top of the hour. But the
game at Ottawa, well, I mean, you gotta win sooner
or later, or do you Ottawa ain't great. Is one
two out of three, but lost five out of six

(17:15):
before that. Currently not in a playoff spot. It's a
roster stutchless okay, up front fifteen goals. No word on
who's starting for the Sins yet, but Olmark obviously has
a pretty good track record. But Tom, the bottom line
is the Penguins really need to win Ottawa's not good,
but they often struggle in Ottawa.

Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah, because I mean we're saying it's too late right
to really start slipping and sliding down the standings to
maybe get yourself into five.

Speaker 4 (17:43):
Too wait to get way way down.

Speaker 1 (17:45):
Although the New York Islanders barely missed the playoffs last
year and won the lottery to get shafer, so you know,
there's no guarantees offered by finishing real low with the
lottery like that. But but yeah, they're at the point
now where they might as well keep trying to make
the play until it's very evident that they can't. Now,
I will say this, if it becomes evident that they
can't before the trade deadline, then they're gonna have a

(18:07):
fire sale.

Speaker 4 (18:08):
Everything must go. And that's if Sid's agent likes it
or not.

Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (18:12):
And that's the only thing that I think would save,
you know, a little bit of face from this collision.
Course they seem to be on with finishing in ninth place,
which I feel it in my bones.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
Well, the worst thing it could have happened is them
getting off to a good start because it changed their agenda.

Speaker 4 (18:27):
It's made mus coach different. I'm sure, he doesn't think
he is, but he is.

Speaker 2 (18:32):
Dubis did pull the trigger on Jari when he had
to and the opportunity was appropriate to do so, so
I have a faith that he can do that when
he is there.

Speaker 1 (18:40):
Though, Tom, even though Jari was popular in the room,
let me tell you the penless pr staff, I cracked
a joke about being well rid of Jari and they
got real mad in the press box. And I don't
regret it because he's sucked and I'm glad he's gone.
But trading Jari was different because it's not seen as
a significant blow to the goaltend because they still got

(19:01):
the lost term guy with Morishoff Skinner was in two
straight Stanley Cup finals and Shilloffs who was starting tonight
at least, well, he does suck, but maybe not that bad.

Speaker 2 (19:11):
So what were trading a Carlson or Rusto or a
kel be viewed as as sort of a long term
blow then? Like, I don't think it would either, Like
I think people would be able to see the reasoning
behind that.

Speaker 1 (19:19):
Because that room never thinks past now. And don't get
me wrong, I don't think any dressing room in any
sport thinks passed right, now, but the GM has to.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
It is amazing that they've lost six straight and they're
still just two points back of the second wild card spot,
and they have two games in hand on New Jersey
Shorgan too. I thought it was one. New Jersey's got
thirty nine right now. The Penn's got thirty seven points,
but they got two games in hand on the Devil,
so they got two opportunities to at least, So that's right.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
The Devil's one last night. One thing that has that
should be noted. I haven't probably talked enough about. The
Penguins are zero and six since Gino got hurt. That
gives the other teams easy matchups with the Sid line,
like McDavid against Sid all night on Tuesday, which Muse
didn't even try to get away from.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
In fact, he really embraced it.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
Do you get the sense that Muse is starting to
really push the wrong buttons here?

Speaker 3 (20:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (20:09):
It really feels that way, like it's becoming a consistent
theme that he's just whatever he's going to is the
wrong move.

Speaker 1 (20:14):
I'll give it an example. He made me nuts when
they blew it to San Jose when he had the
Hayes line out there to try to protect the lead
against their kids, celebrity, et cetera. Yeah, Now, if you're gonna,
you know, not use Sid's line. If sids line's tired,
then let our kids beat their kids. Give them that
opportunity and test them because we're trying to develop.

Speaker 4 (20:36):
We know, Kevin Hayes sucks.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
You get the guy who skates around in mud out
there against Celebrini, who might be the best player in
the NHL this year might be Yeah, and then the
tactical decision to put Latangan Carlson out there on that
face off against the Ducks.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
Well, and it wasn't just in those games.

Speaker 1 (20:51):
It's been like ever since the good start, they're they're
thinking too much about squeaking out a playoff spot and
odd enough about what's important to the team being a
contender in the long run. And I think that falls
on mus. I think he's a good coach. I just
think he's lost his way, even Lizotte being at tom
You know Hayes who played a couple of good games

(21:12):
after being put back in the lineup after being scratched,
But he doesn't have the same intensity as Lizotte and
certainly can't skate.

Speaker 4 (21:20):
Like he does.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
And did they just not have any willingness to dip
back down into Wilkes, right, and to grab another one
of these kids to come up here to bring some
of that.

Speaker 1 (21:26):
Intensequens broadcaster who will remain nameless said they got to
bring bros up.

Speaker 2 (21:30):
Yeah, that's exactly the name that I was thinking of, Like,
just go and give him a couple of runs.

Speaker 4 (21:33):
Actually, no way to Penguin Scott who will remain nameless.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
Okay, I mean I think it's got to be worth it,
and like you just said, you're lacking intensity with a
guy like Hayes, that is what.

Speaker 1 (21:42):
I just take the fourth line much as slow bums
get speed down. Veteran respect but veteran stenched too.

Speaker 5 (21:50):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (21:50):
I will give one guy credit though, who's playing right
now top six because of the injuries. Novak, who I
can't stand how soft he is and non physical and
he makes mistakes in the neutral zone. But he's actually
done okay, recently called upon in a bigger role.

Speaker 3 (22:06):
Yeah, no, very pleased to saw me. No vac for sure.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
I'm trying to think if there's any other guys that
kind of fit that bill that have had to have
a little bit of an expanded role with the Penguins. No,
and if thrived. Yeah, it's hard to really rack your
brain and find one. And that's what's been such a problem.

Speaker 1 (22:19):
Has played well since coming back from injury, but he
needs to produce a bit more.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
Yeah, and he's not really in that same category, right,
like you expect McGroarty to be somebody on this team.

Speaker 3 (22:28):
No, No, I don't really have that.

Speaker 5 (22:30):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (22:30):
Sid needs one point tonight to tie sixty six two
points to pass him. I got a feeling tonight's tonight.
We don't know that Mario's there. I kind of doubted
that he made the trip to Ottawa. I think if
Sid breaks it on the road, Mario will just be
there at the next home game for whatever's perpetrating.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah, that makes sense, And I guarantee you Sid wants
to break it tonight so badly, right, just so it
can stop at I.

Speaker 1 (22:52):
Don't think Sid thinks about stuff like this with most
guys when they say that it's a crock, But Sid
just wants to win. I meant from the I think
said would be very disappointed if he broke the record.

Speaker 4 (23:02):
On a night the peng was lost, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
I also just meant from the perspective of we're all
talking about it right now, right like, ah, here it goes.
Could this be the night? Could this be the night?
I don't think he likes hearing that always looming over it.
But let's just end this, let's put this to bed.
But you're right, it can't come in a losing effort.
That would just kind of put a stench on it.

Speaker 1 (23:17):
When you look at the standings, like you said, the
Penguins are just two points out of a playoff spot.
I'm actually not encouraged by that at all. It just
reminds me of the folly of the loser point and
just the fact that some games are worth three points.

Speaker 4 (23:31):
And others are worth two.

Speaker 1 (23:32):
There is no sport, Tom, Well, that's not true because
in soccer, wins are worth three, ties are worth one,
so games are worth a different amount of points. But
you know this, in this case, the way the loser
points have skewed the standings, it makes no sense. And
I understand why they do it. They want the standings
artificially kept tight, you know, for interest in all the

(23:53):
cities as many as possible, and to keep the GM's
job stacks.

Speaker 4 (23:57):
Because the GMS came up with that.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
In soccer, I think it's a more noble thing because
it makes you play for a win more.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
What really ticks me off about the standings when I
look at it is just the wasted opportunity that you
see from this six game losing streak, because the games
at hand, like we mentioned, are still massively in the
penguins favor. They're only two points back despite losing six
straight games. Like, if they could have just found a
way to not blow these leads, they would really be comfortable.

Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think as far as their playoff positioning would be concerned.

Speaker 1 (24:24):
If they were even five hundred in games decided after
sixty minutes, yes, they would probably be prom You got
the standings up, Yes, how many points the Penguins have
thirty seven?

Speaker 2 (24:34):
Who's second in the metro with thirty four games played
the forty one point New York Islanders.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
So if the Penguins were five hundred in games decided
after sixty minutes, they would be second in a division.

Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah, they'd be tied with the Islanders right now. Yeah,
so with games and ends, yeah exactly. So Yeah.

Speaker 1 (24:50):
You know what, though, they have no one to blame
but themselves. Course, because they've never worked hard enough at
three on three or at shootouts. They just they think
it's incidental, and they couldn't be more effing.

Speaker 3 (25:01):
Wrong, no doubt, do you make anything of there, And
that's not.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
Just I think Doube actually understands. I don't think the
coach does. And I know the players just want to
play good two hundred foot hockey and that's not good
two hundred foot but wait, it gives you an extra Well,
we want to.

Speaker 4 (25:16):
Play good two hundred foot hockey.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
Wasn't also an excuse in previous years for the Penguins
when they were making playoffs, like ah, well, you don't
do this in the playoffs, like this isn't a way
that you get through it.

Speaker 1 (25:24):
And that's true if you know you're going to make
the playoffs exactly. I always gave and I've said this
a million times, I always gave Shiro credit for making
sure they had shootouts specialists like Kristensen and jokin In.
I gave Dan Bosma credit, and not really for very much,
because he was a disappointed coach even though he did
win that one cup because he wasn't Michelle Terran, but
but he knew the shootout was important and emphasized in

(25:47):
practice and where they were lucky was they had four
who's the best shootout goal we ever? Tom, we're talking
about some of the lineup mechanations. Do you think anybody's
getting screwed in the lineup? There's one guy I.

Speaker 3 (25:57):
Think is getting screwed screwed in the lineup? Are you now?
Are you gonna say, Kindle?

Speaker 4 (26:02):
No?

Speaker 5 (26:03):
No.

Speaker 3 (26:03):
I think they've been actually pretty good with Ben Kendall too.
You know what's funny? Who would be screwed Ben?

Speaker 4 (26:07):
Ben?

Speaker 1 (26:07):
Is? Ben struggled a little bit, although you know scored
that great goal on that breakaway was that against That
was against too? They the three not to lead to
that was Utah right right, a great and uh And
I think he and mcgrorty give him a million percent.
So I'm not I'm not disappointed in in Kindle at all. Yeah,
I'm grasping straws here. Graves okay, scratched lately. He should

(26:31):
be in the lineup ahead a waterspoon. Waterspoon is fading.
Graves has been better since his call up. What they
should do is move Kulak to the waterspoon spot, which
I think is with Carlson right, yes, and then and
then bench Waterspoon.

Speaker 4 (26:44):
You don't have to do it forever.

Speaker 1 (26:46):
Like I always say, when you scratch a guy who's
playing bad, you're not, you know, shooting him and dumping
him in a ditch.

Speaker 4 (26:51):
You're just scratching him for a game. You can always
put him back in there.

Speaker 2 (26:54):
Yeah, And it sends a sucking message that Ryan Graves
came up after the tough start of the year starting
in HL, played well at the NHL level and now
goes right back to being in the press, and it's.

Speaker 1 (27:02):
Got to discourage him moving forward, because what can you
do right right right? He says, these guys are not
going to trust me even if I play good. Maybe
by playing bad at a big price, he's earned that,
But I would play him right now at a Waterspoon.
That doesn't mean Waterspoon hasn't done a pretty good job
for a guy who's a career AHL guy mostly, but

(27:22):
Graves is the better player right now. Up next, we
got the trifecta and at the top of the ar
I'm going to go in depth about the sale of
the Penguins from FSG to the Hoffman Group, and I'm
worried about it.

Speaker 4 (27:39):
I don't think it's a pending disaster.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
But I think there's things that should make everybody trepidacious.

Speaker 4 (27:45):
And I'm not saying that for a fact. This is
my team.

Speaker 1 (27:48):
I mean the team I've supported I was six years old,
and I'm gonna look for the bad so it can
be prevented. That's why I don't go to pirate games.
One oh five.

Speaker 5 (27:56):
Nine Tonight the Penz face the Senators. Game time is seven.
Our coverage starts at six here every game and the
best coverage right here on your home of the Pensive
d X.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
From the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
This report is sponsored by super Sure Mexo selling Clouds
Today then Cloud's late to high fifty Mark Madre Game Show.

Speaker 4 (28:30):
Double. I'm on the X. Let's do the trifected Tom.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
What do we got for today's trifecta Mark?

Speaker 2 (28:37):
Since it is the holiday season, I'm gonna go with
rock bands who gave us some pretty good Christmas songs.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
You don't like Christmas music very much, do you? That's
the read I'm gonna make on it.

Speaker 1 (28:45):
I do not, but I do like I know one
song you're not gonna have on there, really Spinal Tap
Christmas with the Devil.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
I thought about putting that on there. But you're right,
these are legitimate rock bands. Not to say Spinal Tap
is not. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but they are a
parent to.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
Come on, they are a parody, No, they're Believe me,
they're more of a rock band. I think there are
bands out there that are a parody of Spinal Path,
all right.

Speaker 2 (29:07):
Number three Twisted Sisters take on Oh come all ye
faithful Boo, Such a weird song, though right, Twisted Sisters
singing that version of a c DC's number two Mistress
for Christmas funny song boo, and number one The Beach Boys,
the Little Saint Nick.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
No, No, they all suck.

Speaker 3 (29:24):
Why do you hate Christmas music?

Speaker 4 (29:25):
I hate this Christmas music.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
I can name a rock and roll Christmas song and
it's very pertinent because it's architect. The guy who did
it turned eighty two today, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.
Happy birthday to Keith. How the frig he's alive? Just don'believing? Incredible? Yes,
he did the Chuck Berry Christmas song, Run Run Rudolph.

Speaker 4 (29:46):
Oh that's a great run Run Rudolph. You're never going
to make it to tan.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
You like that version more than Chuck Berry's that's tough.
Cherry's so good. Chuck was the guy I should have
put that on here. That was a bad omission by me.
I'm glad you brought that up.

Speaker 4 (29:59):
I can't.

Speaker 1 (30:00):
I mean, what were some of your just off the list?
Apparently bad to do better? Tom just a bad bad list,
bad list, the the Trifecta probably much their chagrine today
brought was by Danny's Petron Hogies, Pittsburgh's original of them
baked Hogy since nineteen sixty.

Speaker 4 (30:18):
That's Stanny's Route eighty eight and.

Speaker 1 (30:20):
Bet the Park. Yeah, Keith just Is is incredible. I
can't believe he's alive. I can't believe all the great
work he's done. It is funny that the Stones almost
fell apart when him and Mick didn't get along because
Mick tried a solo career, and then you know, they
realized that, well Mick did. I think Keith always knew,

(30:40):
not no, that nothing was going to ever challenge the
Rolling Stones. I think Mick though, saw guys like Ozzy,
you know, leave Sabbath.

Speaker 4 (30:48):
And have success and have success.

Speaker 1 (30:49):
But then again he should have looked at Robert Plant,
because Robert Plant left Zeppelin and he did very well
and still is. But it wasn't Zeppelin and Ozzy. Did
he surpass Black Sabba? Well, if he did, he kept
going back, didn't he?

Speaker 3 (31:02):
True? Now?

Speaker 4 (31:04):
Were you more?

Speaker 1 (31:04):
What happened with Ozzie All the time though, Ozzy would
get mad that they succeeded with Dio, and then he'd
want to out. He didn't want to like go back
and prove that this is really sad better than well,
not better, but that it's not really Sabbath, huh unless
I'm in it? And you know, they got Ozzie to
come back at one point by giving him the name,

(31:25):
the name Black Sabbath, you know, sharing his wife negotiated that.
And because of that, whenever Iomi and Butler would get
back with Ronnie James Dio, they couldn't tour his Black Sabbath.
They had to be Heaven and Hell, which was the
name of the first album and the best album they
did with Dio. In fact, I consider Heaven and Hell
and this includes the work with Ozzie and whoever else,

(31:46):
to be the best Black Sabbath album ever.

Speaker 3 (31:48):
What was Slash?

Speaker 2 (31:49):
Is more surprising to you that Keith Richards is still
alive at eighty two, or that Ozzie lived for as
long as he did. I don't know exactly know what
old how old he was when he died, but like
both of those lived hard lives, you know, a lot
of miles on it, and lived to old age, died
of ripe old age causes. Well, Keith still alive.

Speaker 1 (32:07):
I think the fact that Keith danced with mister Brownstone
so often, you know, did smack And I'm not sure
Ozzie ever done that, you know what I mean.

Speaker 4 (32:15):
So that's I'm surprised that never cut up with Keith.

Speaker 1 (32:18):
Then again, some guys just I mean Pete Way, my
friend the basis from UFO, who passed away in his seventies,
but he was a lifelong addict and he just had
a system that could tolerate it. I don't even recall
Pete ever having had complications from an OD like never
had to go to the hospital because he odd.

Speaker 3 (32:38):
That's a very good point.

Speaker 1 (32:39):
Like like Nicky six, Nicky six, I mean, I think
he has the same constitution as Pete, which is great
because he and Pete were friends and he is the
closest thing.

Speaker 4 (32:48):
To Pete since Pete.

Speaker 1 (32:50):
But you know, even Nicky went you know, they thought
he died once he was pronounced dad, and they revived
him after an od and and he left the message
on his machine, Hey it's Nikki. I can't answer the
phone because I'm dead. And then he shot up again.
I mean right after that, yeah, right after that. So
some guys, man, some guys.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
Right back on the horse. What you said is so true.
They're like, did you know horse? I mean, come on,
that's great. Keith Richard's like he's been doing this this
whole life, so you're right, Like the tolerance has just
been built up so so much it's almost impossible to
odie as long as he's getting some good stuff. And
I think Keith's getting some real good stuff, some real
clean stuff.

Speaker 1 (33:25):
There was always the story back in like the seventies
that he would go annually to a clinic in Switzerland
to get his blood changed. Keith, Yeah, which would which
would remove the addiction. Now I've been you know, however,
temporarily say still doing it, right, But I've also been
told that that's impossible.

Speaker 4 (33:43):
You can't change a person's blood.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
You can give him transfusions, but you can't take it
all out and put new blood back in, like.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
You can't hit a factory reset on things like that.
I think that's a good way putting it. Yeah, yeah,
And even if you could, it's not working for Keith
because I still think he dabbles into his addictions.

Speaker 3 (34:00):
So the flush of the system isn't taking no question.

Speaker 1 (34:04):
Did you see Nick Gonzalez and the Pirates. We got
Bucco news here on the X. He wore number thirty
nine previously.

Speaker 5 (34:11):
Yea.

Speaker 1 (34:11):
And because Dave Parker's in the Hall of Fame, he
is going to wear number three instead. And he said
I shouldn't be wearing his number if he's in the
Hall of Fame. I think long ago the Pirates should
have retired number thirty nine. I think number thirty nine
never should have been given to Nick Gonzala. Ha's no
offense to him because he's doing the right thing here.
But the Steelers never give up twelve. They never give

(34:34):
out I mean they even like what's retired now, Joe Green, Frankoin,
Ernie Stott, that's right, that's it. But they never gave
out seventy five ever after Joe Green it was informally retired.
I can't believe the Pirates ever gave thirty nine nine.
But good for Nick Gonzalez. And that's how the Pirates
do things. They wait till somebody's dead a lot of
the time to do right by him. I am still

(34:55):
outraged to this day, to this day, Tom that the
frig and Pirates waited till Dick grow passed to put
him in their crappy in house Hall of Fame. Unforgivable,
especially they way inducted a lot of guys who are
already dead because they wanted to get all the dies
in Cooper's time, the National Baseball Hall of Fame wanted
to get them in first. F that Jake Beckley has

(35:17):
been dead for years. F Jake Beckley even know who
that is? That name is right over my head. I
know exactly who Dick Groad is. The Pirates know how
to do nothing but make money, absolutely nothing. Up next,
the real deal when it comes to Penguins, sale, the
pros and cons. What's gonna happen? Who's involved? It's the
Mark Mannen Show one oh five to nine,