December 26, 2022 • 39 mins
Missi Matthews, Craig Wolfley, Max Starks, and Bill Hillgrove are together recapping the Steelers win over the Raiders at Acrisure Stadium on Christmas Eve.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Point After on w d v E Pittsburgh,
brought to you by Parks Casino. The entire Steelers radio
broadcast team is here to break down the last game.
Here's your host, Missy Matthews, Shotgohn, Snap poor Man rushing
first from the check, and the Steelers partead with just
(00:24):
forty six seconds left. Pick Hi, everybody, and welcome to
the Point After Missy Matthews with Bill hill Grove, Craig
Wiffley and Max Starks. Our first segment tonight is brought
to you by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about
the benefits and guys, what a start to the Christmas holiday.
A Christmas Eve, a crisp cool night at Acquisher Stadium,
(00:47):
the Steelers getting the win thirteen ten over the Raiders
thanks to that beauty of a touchdown moving to seven
and eight. There is still a slight chance, but you
never know what can happen. This is the NFL and Billy,
how do you sum up a night that was bitter sweet?
Getting the win, a hard fought win and also honoring
the life and legacy of Frank o' harris Well. I
(01:08):
thought Max called attention to it at the end of
the game. You know, the total of thirteen points eerily
uh similar to a great happening fifty years ago, but
you know, certainly not as as big as that, but
it's big. And the reason that that moment was big.
We watched two rookies and two second year players, key
(01:29):
players in that offense kind of grow up before our eyes,
and I think that is the significant part of what happened. Okay,
it was the Raiders, and we understand that. You know,
they're not the Buffalo Bills or the Cincinnati Bengals, but
they are an NFL team and unless you play well,
you're not gonna win. You know that, if you had
(01:54):
to summarize anything, it would be again, um, Mr Rooney
at the halftime speech, this isn't the way supposed to be.
The big guy was supposed to be here and with
Franco that that whole I know, that moment it was
it's like it really sank in that this is that
this was about, you know it at the start of
the game. It was one thing when Cam came out
(02:16):
with the the thirty two flag, you know, and and
and so forth. Yeah, it was just very cool, very
emotional and just um, just a great thing. And then
when when I heard Art say that though Mr Rooney,
it was just like whoa, And that just sealed it,
and that was That was a tough moment. But the
good thing is that there was a reaction amongst the guys,
(02:37):
and the guys fought hard and it was just a
beautiful thing to watch this thing unfold down the stretch.
Because there's a young man named Kenny Pickett who picked
up some serious uh Street cred points and pulling that
last ten place seventies six yard drive out. That was
in my mind, that was that was a growing up time.
Like Mike Tomlin said, and Max, you were one of
(03:00):
the guys wearing a Franco Harris thirty two jersey during
the pregame, But just to watch the players all walk in,
every single person, every coach, coach Tomlin ward in his
postgame press conference wearing Franco's jersey, And it was an
idea by by Pat friar Muth who went to coach
Tomlin and thought that would be a cool way. Um,
it just felt like everything was done with taste and
(03:22):
very classy. Yeah, it was. It was very special and
adding to the emotion of an already less than ideal evening. Um,
you know that was that was a moment that that
that made you just you know, kind of catch your breath. Um.
You know, yes, it's a football game, Yes it's at
(03:45):
a primetime hour, and yes it's against a team that
has a history with the Steelers. UM, and so that
should already make it mean something. But then, like you said,
you know, like everyone said, you know, not having Franco
there to be a constant, calming, steadying voice and appearance
(04:12):
was number thirty two. Was the man himself, Franco Harris,
um who lifted the mantle for the Steelers and made
them somebody that people should pay attention to and made
them super relevant. And what was done after that play
(04:33):
versus before that play just hopefully kind of gives people
a glimpse into how important that play was for the
trajectory of the Steelers for the next fifty or so years.
I think too, if you guys get a chance, I'm
not sure if you did yet. UM NFL Network did
(04:54):
a Football Life on Franco Harris. They debuted on Friday night.
UM I had a chance to finally watch yesterday, but
just so just done so well and you know what
if you could probably speak to this because you you've
done this with him, but just the outreach and the
community in Pittsburgh making Pittsburgh home. He's not from Pittsburgh,
but he was Pittsburgh UM. And in the feature they
(05:16):
went into the Hill District and just different things projects.
He was working on, things he wanted to do to
revitalize areas. And you know, I think we're just also
used to it because that's how he was. But it's
pretty remarkable when you take a step back and go, wow,
like he's not from here, but he loved this city.
He did indeed, and he became the city. You know.
The interesting thing about it is is you watch Franco
(05:38):
over the years. You saw a guy came in on fire,
young rookie UM, you know, full of vim vigor, all
that stuff. But then as he became the elder statesman, UM,
he took on a different role, different mantle, the mentor um,
you know, doing the things that a mentor mentor does
to his mentees. And then when he left the Steelers,
(06:00):
he became something even bigger because he was so iconic
and he wanted to be involved. He didn't want to
be a bystander. You know. He wanted to be a
problem solver. He didn't want to be a guy pointing
out the problem. He wanted to be that guy that
was able to let's get behind this and let's do
something about it. He was always about doing something about it.
He was never about, hey, can we get that done,
(06:20):
you know, And that's what was so remarkable. Mark remarkable
about him because of the fact that he's one of
those guys that would roll up his sleeves and get
after him and not just talk about it. Billy, I
go Max. No. I was just gonna say, the actions
of the players by the end of that night resembled
(06:42):
what Franco was and I thought that was very eerie.
That was also very special. You know. It was just
continued effort running to the football. Good things happen when
you run to the football, right was what he talked about.
Joe paternal kind of ironing in their head was continue
to finished the play, don't let any play go by.
(07:03):
And I thought it was especially a parent in the defense, right,
make a continually running and boom ball hits, you know,
hits ricochets off into you. Cam Sutton running to the football, right, like,
there was so many moments where you look at you like, man,
the spirit of Franco's in that person or the spirit
of Franco's in that drive, because it's one of those
(07:24):
unlikely it was not supposed to happen. That's not the
way they drew it up. And still because guys cared
and gave a crap, it allowed them to overcome the opponent. Billy,
how about just the performance that Cam Hayward put on,
As one of you guys had mentioned, you know, he
was the last player to be announced it from introductions,
(07:47):
He had the thirty two flag with him and you know,
you just look at his stats and you go, wow,
he played his heart out. Beyond Player of the Week performance,
it was better than that. It was one for the ages. Uh.
He basically took the team upon his broad shoulders and
said this is how we're gonna win this game. And
he did everything in his power to make it happen.
(08:09):
It was absolutely remarkable. You know, one of my great regrets.
For years, I had a Franco's Italian Army helmet and
over that Melana years, Billy, Yeah, and oh but you
know it grew legs and all of listen, it's not there,
and that's a regret, but you know, I was honored
(08:32):
to have it for all those years, no doubt about it.
One of the things about Cam, I just got done
watching some more of the game film and I gotta
tell you something. The fact, first of all, I believe
Cam must have been frosted over not getting the Pro
Bowl from Okay, what he did to Dylan Parham should
be outlawed. Okay, I have rarely maybe never is the
(08:53):
better word, when when a man takes another man and
throws him at the quarterback, I mean lifting him off
the ground seriously worked talking about body throwing, like like
the Hulk would do, or Superman or Ben Grimm from
The Fantastic Four. He lifted the dude up and threw him.
And when he threw him, he spun the guy around
so that the guy's chest smacked Derek Carr right in
(09:13):
the grill. I mean, it was just amazing. It was amazing.
How do you throw a three plus pound man? I
I don't know, but when I saw that, I was
just amazed, and again spoke to the absolute professional that
Cam is and just what he means to this team, uh,
and what he means to uh, you know, the city,
because you gotta love a guy like that that performs
(09:35):
as such. Two sacks, seven tackles, three of them are
tackles for loss, a batted pass, um Max. It just
felt like Cam said to that defense, I don't care
what happens if they can't score points. We're giving them
the ball back and we're gonna try, and we're gonna
try again until we win the starting game. Well, and
that there it is pound half half half how hit
(09:57):
hit hit hit hit, right, it's the attrition that that
that you that you that you want, and I'm just
glad that you know that final drive happened the way
that it did, the way it was supposed to happen,
um and yes, what we have loved for it to
be Nazi Harris running into the end zone for the
go ahead score. So you could say that A Harris
scored the game winning drive, all right, right, I mean
(10:22):
I felt like it was leading up to that because
Nazi was running his butt off on that final drive.
But but yeah, but it was it wasn't meant to
be in that moment. I think, like you said, you know,
like what was hitting that earlier was but at least
we saw guys grow into a role. We saw guys
not be so rookie like in a moment that required experience,
(10:46):
that required them to be perfect, so to speak. And
you saw it being paid off and all the things
that we may harm that they might go through a
practice like now, no excuse, you know what I'm saying,
Like you guys have that will in you. You know,
some things did carry too, um. You know that carried
(11:07):
over from last week. And there's some things that I
think they found new resolve from UM as a unit
and as a team. And I'm just I'm extanted. I'm
extended about the result because I thought, because I wanted
this so bad, you know, for for Danta and for Doc,
but for the Steelers they got a lot on of
(11:28):
this as well, which was which was nice as well,
because you got to know what you're you got to
you have to push the envo phone. You know what's
your quarterback cannon can't do. And the other night we
knew they could come from I mean what was ten points,
I mean almost thirty points down to then being in
a position where you're you're now in place having this
(11:50):
conversation that we can have a game flexed right, um,
and that we can actually potentially have have an opportunity
moving forward to do what Franco did so long ago,
and that was at least being position to actually, um
actually play a postseason game. Max. I love that you
mentioned Nagy and just what he brought to that final drive. Also,
(12:13):
Pat Friar Muth and Billy. I thought that was poetic
in itself, that those were two guys that had very
close bonds with Franco. Yes, and uh it's it was surreal.
The whole evening was surreal. But I will say that
Wolf and I kind of lucked out because we had
a heater in the booth. Lady and and and a
(12:37):
large man down on the sideline had other things to
deal with. The cookies were important to you. Gotta keep
your energy. That was brought Australian liquorice right, Austrian, Australian Australian. Okay, okay,
all right. We survived. We just went through about, you know,
(12:59):
twenty packs batteries because they just kept freezing. But other
than that, we were pretty good. We layered up right, Max. Yeah,
I gave you my best advice. The gatorade trick. Oh,
I spilled some gatorade on my microphone. I guess it's frozen.
I'll have to come in. Yeah. Too good of a game. Yeah,
(13:21):
you're right about that. The m as we were kind
of talking about, you know, and coach Tomlin said it
post game, this was a grow up night for us. Um, well,
if I'll start with you, is that something that just
has to happen on its own? You know, coaches want
to see it happen, but can you manufacture it happening?
Or is it just this organic thing that it's just
(13:41):
like this aha moment and this light goes off. You
know it is organic if you ask me, Because how
do you you know you're not going to put yourself
in a predicament where you need to touch down, drive
right here a ten place seventies six yard or in
the fourth quarter of this ginormous game that took fifty
years in the making to bring this about. You have
a whole whole bunch of hometown fans that are like
(14:02):
looking at you. You're Kenny Pickett. You gotta do it now.
It's up to you. You gotta be the man. And
you know, here he goes and he and he doesn't
he withstands all that pressure, all that sort of excitement
and everything else. You couldn't ask for a better finish
because of the fact you got to put a lump
of hole in the stocking stuffer of the Vegas Raiders
on a night where they celebrate the immaculate Reception. And
(14:25):
it's a Christmas gift that was fifty years in the making,
like I said, and Kenny delivered it. He delivered the
mail appropriately, and he did it to a guy named
George Pickens. But this guy just continues to show us
his potential for superstardom is there. Now will he grab it?
It's up to him, but it's there. Max. Do you
(14:46):
agree with Wolf on that sediment? I do. I think
that this is when you're talking about the resume for players,
you're talking about whether they have the ability to do it?
Can they do with you? Now add that to the
experience bank. You now can actually point back to a
(15:06):
tangible point where you say, remember that time we were
playing against the Raiders and we were down, you know,
we were down a score and we needed to win
the game, and we really needed to have a touchdown drive,
and you know, odds were stacked against us. You know
(15:29):
we're seventy six yards away, but you know I made
I made some plays. All of us made some plays,
and in the end guys made the requisite catches. Pat
friar Muth, thank you for being a security blanket right
being right there on the seams a couple of times
as things broke down, you were an option I could
(15:49):
throw to the extra effort. You had nagy way to
run the ball and get positive yardage and get up
immediately and get the ball spotted, and then of course
George run a great route and make a great catch
in the biggest moment. All those things happen. Offensive line,
block your butts off, give us time, give us holes,
(16:10):
and we will. We will reward you for your effort.
You now have a tangible drive, as you can point to,
not to mention when you think about the team. You know,
a week ago, going on an eleven minute drive in
a in a situation where you needed to have it,
you needed to enforce your will, you were able to
dial it up and against the team that we've seen
(16:33):
now a week later, you know, put the hurt lock
on a red hot Detroit team. So it wasn't like
it was just oh man, you know, you know, Caroline
is not really that good. No, No, these dudes went
back to their formula and they absolutely grounded out against
the Lions and they looked like a shell of themselves
a week ago because we punished them. So it's adding
(16:55):
to that, right, it's adding another game, adding another notch
in the belt, adding another key moment where we all
grew up. And I think that's all you can ask
for in those moments. And a lot of those guys
grew up in that moment because not only does Kenny
get to put this on on his resume, but so
does the rest of the team because it ended in success,
(17:17):
and it in a very dramatic fashion, and when the
chips were stacked against them, they made it happen and
they ended up getting and winning the day um under
unlikely circumstances. All right, we have much more to talk
about the Steelers win over the Raiders on Christmas Eve,
preparing to head to Baltimore to face the Ravens Sunday
(17:37):
Night Football, we'll discuss We're going to take a break.
You're listening to w DV Back to the point after
brought to you by Parks Casino on d V ladies
and gentlemen. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The
big Man was supposed to be standing here right next
to me. But I want to thank Dana and Doc
(17:59):
for being here to night, for sharing Franco with us
for the last fifty years. It's been said life will
bring you sorrow, but it's up to us bring the joy.
Franko brought us joy for fifty years and so and
recognition of his many contributions both on and off the field,
(18:24):
it's my honor to declare number thirty two is officially retired.
Welcome back to the point after everybody and Miss Matthews
with Bill hill Grove, Craig Wolflee and Max Starks and guys,
we were there, We lived it. We heard are ruining
the second say that at halftime with Franco Harris's family,
(18:46):
you know, dozens of his teammates on the field to
officially retire his jersey. And it's still just hits you
will where your It's just it wasn't supposed to be
like that, and he was so excited about this weekend
and always makes it about his teammates, even you know,
at the end of his Hall of Fame speech, it
was about his teammates and he just loved being part
of that group. He did, and he was always an encourager.
(19:09):
He was always one of those positive voices in the
locker room. He was always one of those guys that
was showing the young people how to get it done,
whether it was taking a handoff and running sixty yards
or seventy yards to the end zone at three rivers
on a practice day, or he was taking the time
to sit with a young man like myself the age
of twenty two, going Franco, how do you get your
beard like that? What we gotta do is gotta trim
(19:32):
it up like this. And he's taking me through the
whole thing like this, you know. And so that's a
precious moment to me that, you know, just sitting with
Franco is he's telling me this is how he trimmed
the beard up right, you know. And it was It
was great. And Billy Joe Green, one of the other
two people who had their jerseys retired by the Steelers,
was there. Very emotional for him as well. The Steelers
(19:54):
do not retire jerseys randomly, and you know, what an
honor to be one of three and the first non Lineman.
You know it, it kind of hits it pretty hard. Uh.
Tomorrow will be the public viewing, and we have to
let the fans know that the parking lots will be
open at eleven am. Parking is free, and the viewing
(20:17):
is from one to five at Actressure Stadium. And in
lieu of flowers, the family is asking to donate to
Pittsburgh Promise and you can find that on the website
as well. And you know, I just think that it'll
be a tough day m hm yeah, no, absolutely. UM,
it's one that you know, I hate. I'm gonna miss it.
(20:39):
UM not there to go pay my public respects. But
you know, for a lot of people that might not
be there, you know across Dealer Nation that might hear this. UM.
You know, our spirit was there, you know, whether you
were in the stadium on Saturday night. I felt like
that was the first opportunity to have a memorial for
(21:00):
Franco UM. It was one that it felt special, It
felt really awesome, UM to be there and witness it
and to celebrate him. And now this will be the
physical representation of that memorial going on tomorrow. UM. Our
hearts and thoughts are always with the Harris family, with Dana,
(21:22):
with Doc and with the rest of their family. But
you know, his spirit lives on. So if you can't
be there physically, all you have to do is just
close your eyes, say a quick little prayer. He's in
a position where he's everywhere now. And that's that's the
special thing, um about when when those you love, you know,
(21:45):
pass on or move on to the next plaine, it's
now now they could be in more places than once, right,
I mean, and you can feel their their presence around you,
and their spirit lives on inside of all of us.
And so we carry that memory and we have the
opportunity to continue to live like Franco and do things
(22:05):
as Franco would do them to honor him. And he's
in a better pit, he has a better view to
see them all now, as opposed as telling him. The
other thing I loved about, um, you know, just the
little touches on Christmas Eve on Saturday night, they were
wearing the block letters and numbers on their jerseys, just
a nod to the seventies and those special teams. And
(22:27):
there was the special patch that was very simple, but
you know it was it was emblement of what you
see a Franco at the airport and um, you know,
just to honor the fiftieth anniversary, and the Steelers are
three you know now when they're wearing those throwback jerseys. Um,
so you know it was good to see. For sure.
It's special, you know what I mean. It's it's a
(22:48):
moment in time that you'll remember forever, you know. And
the fact is, um, I'm so glad that this had
a happy ending, you know, as far as that game
simply because you want to look back on this with
that that moment of like wow, it all kind of
came together in a beautiful way. I know. There are
people going out there the symbolism of the thirty twos.
(23:09):
They're talking about the fact that Derek Carr threw the
ball roughly around the two and Cam Sutton intercepted the
ball roughly around the thirty two you know, the the
bus side, and then that it was they said, around
thirty two seconds. And you know, I went by and
you can see what it's. It's in the general area
and it does leave you with that kind of a warm,
(23:30):
fuzzy feeling like wow, you know, something greater was that
was that play here. But it certainly was, as you said,
emblematic of the great career, the great man, uh and
the great friend that Franco was in teammate to so
many people. I didn't realize that he was a great
(23:50):
ping pong player. Yes, yes, and and and you know,
and he had his own paddle and he showed up
at the best of Batch to partake in in the contest.
But they said he and Ben continued to for two
hours after everybody had left. And you know, never trust
a man that brings his own paddle, or if he
(24:13):
plays chest his own board, or checkers his own board,
or pulled his own c stick. You know, it's funny.
One one of my best friends, Trey Essex, Uh, Trey,
so when we all when when he heard the news,
um it was right before going on our show, Trey
called me and he was, you know, he was choked up.
(24:36):
And he actually brought that very thing up his rookie
year at the Glimmer of Hope event for Alan Fannicot
was the first time he got to meet Franco his
rookie year and he said, I'll never forget it. He
kicked my behind up and down, up and down the
ping pong table and he did. It was such a
(24:57):
smile and and soft spoke in the manner He's like,
I felt like I did not get the crap beat
out of me, even though I know I got my
teeth kicked in because it was Franco. And I said, yeah,
I said, that's why you never step in front of
the pink pong table with a legend and they say that,
oh yeah, I like this game. You know, just walked
(25:18):
the other way. They'd be like saying, you know Joe Green,
you know, and walking in front of him and like, hey,
you know what, I like the box? Oh you do,
I do too, trying to trying to box with Joker.
You would never do that. I was like, I was like, Franco,
this is what Franko does. I'm like yeah. So that
those that was. That was some awesome moments. And I
remember watching and Franco being like, hey, I actually want
to come play. I'm like, absolutely not. I'm good. I
(25:41):
saw what you did for the last and for the
last four people that went up against you at the
best of the bet. Absolutely not. I'm still here by
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go. I'm I'm a handle
in the pocket. You know what I'm saying. I'm going,
I got the pool game going. Our segment right now
is brought to you by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food
Bank and Down's Appliance. For every field goal we kicked
(26:02):
this season, Down's Appliance will donate one thousand dollars to
the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. That's five thousand meals
each time. Thank you so much to Don's Appliance. And
you can help by donating to simply by texting goals
to five zero one five five. And as we were
talking about Joe Green, I went back and looked because
I distinctly remember when his jersey was retired at that
(26:26):
halftime ceremony in two thousand and fourteen. I could not
remember who we played. I should have known. It was
the Ravens and the Steelers beat them forty three to
twenty three. And I just remember everybody in the locker
room after saying, you know, Joe Green said a few
words to us before the game just to kind of
set the mood, and you know, very poetic as you
said that, it ended up working the Steelers favor. Also
(26:47):
against the Raiders, no question Green could be intimidating. The
story that John Colb told back in the day when
they were drafted in the same class, the rookies had
to sing at child time. At lunchtime, I had to
sing their fight song and John Cole got through his okay.
So the next day they called Joe greenup sing the
(27:09):
North Texas fight song. He said, if any of you
people think you're mean enough and tough enough to make
me sing, come on up here. Now. The Steelers haven't
sung at lunchtime since. Oh yeah, his behest though, Yeah,
I'm sure. I'm sure if he went there and asked
a rookie to sing, I'm sure they would have. Sun Well,
(27:29):
I can tell you this, he got made. He made
me sing all the way back then. I can tell
you the truth, because I was trying to get in
and out and he caught me at one He said
have you sung yet? And I remember looking at him going,
do I lie to the greatest man killer in the
history of the end of No. I couldn't like tractor
being my brain right, and so I was like, uh no.
(27:50):
So he made me go up and sing. He did
Billy at that one was was it at lunchtime or dinner.
Uh it was. It must have been at dinner. Yeah,
because I think since since that moment, no lunchtime singing. Well,
I can only tell you this. The greatest ruse I
ever pulled on Tone Chilkin was that day because as
I walked like I was going to the gas chamber
(28:12):
because I'm I'm I'm a horrible singer. I just I
have no voice. And I walked over and I met
had met this kid, touch Chilkin, you know, a week
before whatever, roommates and everything, and here I as I
go by, I leaned over. I had this inspiration. I said, um, hey, Tounch.
Joe said, you got it. You and me gotta sing,
and he goes really and he looks over at Joe,
(28:32):
and Joe just nods because I looked back at Joe
and Joe was not at me, but you know, and
so Tounch had to come up and saying with me.
He didn't even realize until I told him years later, Oh,
by the way, I was. I lied. He didn't say
you had to do it. Oh. It was rolland rolland
roland that rowdy gates to him, keep them dog, he's
rolling rowide there you go, oh it was. Let me
(28:54):
tell you, we got booed off after the second stands up.
If it sounded anything like you desc having it, I
can't imagine that there was ever an encore. Yeah, there
was definitely no. That sounds like the way to get
out of it. Similar to how you told Max and
I to dump our mikes and the gatory schooler on Saturday.
You know you were smart. I like it. All right.
(29:18):
We have much more to talk about in terms of
the Steelers team heading to Baltimore to face the Ravens
on Sunday Night Football. We're gonna take a quick break
here on the Point After. We'll be right back back
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(29:41):
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Visit clear View, f CU dot org. Slash Touchdown and Billy.
We talked about the touchdown drive by Kenny Pickett to
George Pickens, ending um with six seconds there, but Cam
Sutton making sure there was no chance that the Raiders
(30:26):
were going to make this into a more interesting game.
I think the defense really played Sterling football. When you
consider that they held the top running back in the
National League to less than three yards to carry and
one of the top receivers in the leg to two catches,
that's quite remarkable. Absolutely. I mean this was a superb,
(30:48):
you know, defensive effort. I mean you think about it.
Since the bye, what five or six, six out of
seven games, I think it is that they have now
not allowed more than seventeen points. I mean, defensively speaking,
they've really been ratcheting it up and doing a good
job of coming along and playing together as a group.
(31:08):
And that group played very well, especially you know, the
offense didn't really get traction until later on, and the
defense kept hanging in there, hanging in there, and and
you know, good things happened at the end. Hey, well,
if I just felt bad that you lost your stat
that was sterling up until that point exactly, you know,
but it's okay, yeah, you know, because the fact of
(31:30):
the matter is, you know, it's no longer that you know,
you gotta score first or lose, you know. And hey,
they the Raiders scored first. And by the way, how
easy did they score? And did it unsettle any anybody
else as much as it did me? Yeah, at the
top of the game, that was that was too easy. Hey,
(31:50):
they marks right down the field. It didn't even uh,
you know, it didn't even it didn't even phase them. Uh.
And I was like, oh my god, is this what
we're in for? Is this really this type of Raiders game?
And did we not learn anything? Because I felt like
I was like, don't let this be like the Ravens.
You know. That was like one of the things where
he just felt like we weren't And now, um, the
(32:12):
defense came alive after that drive, and you saw a
lot more back and forth the offense had his moments.
It was sputtering a little bit. Um. You know, the
kicks definitely were disheartening. I think I think even more
so than the touchdown Wolf. It was when Bobs missed
that first kick from I still that was a good one.
(32:34):
It was sorry, yeah, yeah, you have to, you have to.
I watched it. I'm like, how did he say that that?
As I was watching it, I was like he was convinced.
I'm like, maybe if I squinted, turned my head inside,
you know, remember et a pint of yogurt. I don't know,
(32:54):
I don't know think about this. I played left guard,
so all my traps were to the right, and maybe
that just you know, all that hitting with from going
from left to right. Maybe it just kind of influenced
what I was seeing. What did you say? Cold? Could
be I think you snuck it in. I don't care
what you but you know, but they want anyways, so
were so we're good. We didn't need it to be
sixteen wouldn't have been a special right so correct. Maybe
(33:17):
that maybe that was God or Franco pushing it out, like, hey,
we're gonna get this touchdown we want with my numbers, Billy,
I love to see just the physicality continue. We talked
so much after the Ravens game that lost at home
and just how dominant it felt the Ravens were how
(33:38):
they came out and just did what they wanted to
do against the Steelers. The Steelers, you know, took that
to heart, went to Carolina, controlled the line of scrimmage
and again, other than that first touchdown drive by the Raiders,
um as you were saying, it just felt like they
brought their a game again. And then the next week
Carolina Panthers exploded on the ground. What they have yards rushing? Yeah,
(33:59):
yeah to one utter yard rushers that that that speaks
to the Steelers defensive resolve. And you know, I think,
and we've talked about it, I think if you get
a lead on Baltimore, you make it tougher on them.
But if they have the lead, they can make it
tough on you. So let's get a lead on Sunday night.
That would be nice, no doubt about it. And you
(34:20):
know what, I'm looking forward to this because I think
everybody now it's kind of ratcheting up the physicality factor.
I think this is going to be an awesome output
coming up Sunday night. I'm looking forward to it. And
speaking of the Ravens, I don't know if you guys
saw today John Harball had a press conference and was
asked about Lamar Jackson and was very Mum, wouldn't commit
(34:42):
to him even practicing this week. You know, I was
asked when he played this season, said yeah, probably of course. Um,
So we'll have to see as the week goes on
who the quarterback will be Um and Sunday. But also
interestingly enough, I saw before I came here for the
show that Toa is back in the concussion protocol. He
self reported some sim ms today so that you know,
Dolphins Patriots game that will maybe mean something to the Steelers.
(35:06):
Who knows if he'll be able to go as well.
I didn't know about that. He and another stat that
held up another stat that held up Derek Carr when
the temperature was less than thirty seven was O and six.
He's now in seven. Okay, there we go. There we go.
A way to go, Derek, come back, come back and
(35:26):
play next winter. But I think you know that that
is because because you know, we heard this one earlier
in the show, earlier in our show today UH with
Wolf was that I guess we need the Charges to
lose every game, and we need the Dolphins to lose
every game for us to have a shot here. Well,
I know the Chargers if they win tonight against the
(35:49):
Jeff Saturday's the Colts, they clinch a playoff spot. Um,
I think it it's a little wonky out of there
after there. But like I said that, you know, obviously
the the Dolph what happened yesterday was good for the Steelers,
um in terms of that, but who knows how this goes?
And I think maybe that's also part of what you know,
(36:10):
as Billy said, we got a lump of coal in
our stockings when we found out that the Ravens game
was flexed to Sunday night. You know, we weren't behaving ourselves.
So um, it should be interesting. But that is you know,
the NFL loves this, especially you know we gay team.
This year is just bizarre. No teams, no games are set.
You don't know if it's Saturday, if it's Sunday. You
(36:31):
don't even know what time yet. Um, So it is
interesting to see because as we know, it's all about TV.
It is all all all about the big Eye in
the sky. So yeah, which is why I actually can't
book a flight yet because I don't know when I
was supposed to come in and the Ravens have something
to play for because the Monday night football that follows
(36:51):
is a big one with the Bengals and the Bills,
and so the Ravens. The Ravens just can't say, Okay,
we've made the playoffs and will wrestle people. They're not
going to do that because I think the Bengals have
to beat the Bills to clinch the a f C North.
So if that doesn't happen, and you know, it's a
crazy time of year. This is why we love football,
(37:12):
and this is why we're all celebrating Christmas yesterday watching football.
All you need to know about the current state of
the NFL is that the Rams at five and ten
are still in the discussion in the NFC. Yeah, I
didn't realize that. I stopped on the board today on
television age. And here's the thing I mean, because so
many things still matter because you know, just as we
(37:35):
talk about the Bengals need to win um this game
to clinch the f C North, the Bills also need
to win to try to continue to secure home field advantage.
So everybody has something they're all playing for. So that's
the competition, and that's the absolute mayhem that the NFL
loves because but in Buffalo, is that an advantage, you know,
(38:00):
That's what they keep saying. I don't know, because you
can get shirtless, shirtless men jumping into tables that might
confuse and disorient the opponent on the way into the stadium.
That's all I can see. All I can tell you
is that they're they're saying I'm getting from my folks
up there, they're saying that this blizzard is worse than
the blizzard of seventy seven that just happened, not to
mention a few weeks ago when they got eight inches,
(38:22):
you know when the Bills went to Detroit. I mean
this this this last latest blast um. They've already had
a number of people pass away, you know, and you
know due to the storm. I mean, it's it's it's
a crazy storm that that Lake effects stuff is unbelievable. Man. Well,
we hope everybody stay safe, and we want to remind
you that the Steelers Pro Shop is where you can
(38:42):
get up for the latest sideline apparel, hats, in jerseys
of your favorite players, authentic memorabilia, custom items, and exclusives
you can find only directly from the team. You can
head to Acquisher Stadium, Grove City Premium Outlets, or Tiger Outlets,
or you can shop online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
We'll merry Christmas, guys, will ringing the New Year together
in Baltimore. That is going to do it tonight for
(39:04):
the point after. Thanks to everybody at home for watching
or for listening as well. We'll see you guys next Monday.
Welcome to the Point After on w d v E Pittsburgh,
brought to you by Parks Casino. The entire Steelers radio
broadcast team is here to break down the last game.
Here's your host, Missy Matthews, Shotgohn, Snap poor Man rushing
first from the check, and the Steelers partead with just
(00:24):
forty six seconds left. Pick Hi, everybody, and welcome to
the Point After Missy Matthews with Bill hill Grove, Craig
Wiffley and Max Starks. Our first segment tonight is brought
to you by Brian Patton and associates. It's all about
the benefits and guys, what a start to the Christmas holiday.
A Christmas Eve, a crisp cool night at Acquisher Stadium,
(00:47):
the Steelers getting the win thirteen ten over the Raiders
thanks to that beauty of a touchdown moving to seven
and eight. There is still a slight chance, but you
never know what can happen. This is the NFL and Billy,
how do you sum up a night that was bitter sweet?
Getting the win, a hard fought win and also honoring
the life and legacy of Frank o' harris Well. I
(01:08):
thought Max called attention to it at the end of
the game. You know, the total of thirteen points eerily
uh similar to a great happening fifty years ago, but
you know, certainly not as as big as that, but
it's big. And the reason that that moment was big.
We watched two rookies and two second year players, key
(01:29):
players in that offense kind of grow up before our eyes,
and I think that is the significant part of what happened. Okay,
it was the Raiders, and we understand that. You know,
they're not the Buffalo Bills or the Cincinnati Bengals, but
they are an NFL team and unless you play well,
you're not gonna win. You know that, if you had
(01:54):
to summarize anything, it would be again, um, Mr Rooney
at the halftime speech, this isn't the way supposed to be.
The big guy was supposed to be here and with
Franco that that whole I know, that moment it was
it's like it really sank in that this is that
this was about, you know it at the start of
the game. It was one thing when Cam came out
(02:16):
with the the thirty two flag, you know, and and
and so forth. Yeah, it was just very cool, very
emotional and just um, just a great thing. And then
when when I heard Art say that though Mr Rooney,
it was just like whoa, And that just sealed it,
and that was That was a tough moment. But the
good thing is that there was a reaction amongst the guys,
(02:37):
and the guys fought hard and it was just a
beautiful thing to watch this thing unfold down the stretch.
Because there's a young man named Kenny Pickett who picked
up some serious uh Street cred points and pulling that
last ten place seventies six yard drive out. That was
in my mind, that was that was a growing up time.
Like Mike Tomlin said, and Max, you were one of
(03:00):
the guys wearing a Franco Harris thirty two jersey during
the pregame, But just to watch the players all walk in,
every single person, every coach, coach Tomlin ward in his
postgame press conference wearing Franco's jersey, And it was an
idea by by Pat friar Muth who went to coach
Tomlin and thought that would be a cool way. Um,
it just felt like everything was done with taste and
(03:22):
very classy. Yeah, it was. It was very special and
adding to the emotion of an already less than ideal evening. Um,
you know that was that was a moment that that
that made you just you know, kind of catch your breath. Um.
You know, yes, it's a football game, Yes it's at
(03:45):
a primetime hour, and yes it's against a team that
has a history with the Steelers. UM, and so that
should already make it mean something. But then, like you said,
you know, like everyone said, you know, not having Franco
there to be a constant, calming, steadying voice and appearance
(04:12):
was number thirty two. Was the man himself, Franco Harris,
um who lifted the mantle for the Steelers and made
them somebody that people should pay attention to and made
them super relevant. And what was done after that play
(04:33):
versus before that play just hopefully kind of gives people
a glimpse into how important that play was for the
trajectory of the Steelers for the next fifty or so years.
I think too, if you guys get a chance, I'm
not sure if you did yet. UM NFL Network did
(04:54):
a Football Life on Franco Harris. They debuted on Friday night.
UM I had a chance to finally watch yesterday, but
just so just done so well and you know what
if you could probably speak to this because you you've
done this with him, but just the outreach and the
community in Pittsburgh making Pittsburgh home. He's not from Pittsburgh,
but he was Pittsburgh UM. And in the feature they
(05:16):
went into the Hill District and just different things projects.
He was working on, things he wanted to do to
revitalize areas. And you know, I think we're just also
used to it because that's how he was. But it's
pretty remarkable when you take a step back and go, wow,
like he's not from here, but he loved this city.
He did indeed, and he became the city. You know.
The interesting thing about it is is you watch Franco
(05:38):
over the years. You saw a guy came in on fire,
young rookie UM, you know, full of vim vigor, all
that stuff. But then as he became the elder statesman, UM,
he took on a different role, different mantle, the mentor um,
you know, doing the things that a mentor mentor does
to his mentees. And then when he left the Steelers,
(06:00):
he became something even bigger because he was so iconic
and he wanted to be involved. He didn't want to
be a bystander. You know. He wanted to be a
problem solver. He didn't want to be a guy pointing
out the problem. He wanted to be that guy that
was able to let's get behind this and let's do
something about it. He was always about doing something about it.
He was never about, hey, can we get that done,
(06:20):
you know, And that's what was so remarkable. Mark remarkable
about him because of the fact that he's one of
those guys that would roll up his sleeves and get
after him and not just talk about it. Billy, I
go Max. No. I was just gonna say, the actions
of the players by the end of that night resembled
(06:42):
what Franco was and I thought that was very eerie.
That was also very special. You know. It was just
continued effort running to the football. Good things happen when
you run to the football, right was what he talked about.
Joe paternal kind of ironing in their head was continue
to finished the play, don't let any play go by.
(07:03):
And I thought it was especially a parent in the defense, right,
make a continually running and boom ball hits, you know,
hits ricochets off into you. Cam Sutton running to the football, right, like,
there was so many moments where you look at you like, man,
the spirit of Franco's in that person or the spirit
of Franco's in that drive, because it's one of those
(07:24):
unlikely it was not supposed to happen. That's not the
way they drew it up. And still because guys cared
and gave a crap, it allowed them to overcome the opponent. Billy,
how about just the performance that Cam Hayward put on,
As one of you guys had mentioned, you know, he
was the last player to be announced it from introductions,
(07:47):
He had the thirty two flag with him and you know,
you just look at his stats and you go, wow,
he played his heart out. Beyond Player of the Week performance,
it was better than that. It was one for the ages. Uh.
He basically took the team upon his broad shoulders and
said this is how we're gonna win this game. And
he did everything in his power to make it happen.
(08:09):
It was absolutely remarkable. You know, one of my great regrets.
For years, I had a Franco's Italian Army helmet and
over that Melana years, Billy, Yeah, and oh but you
know it grew legs and all of listen, it's not there,
and that's a regret, but you know, I was honored
(08:32):
to have it for all those years, no doubt about it.
One of the things about Cam, I just got done
watching some more of the game film and I gotta
tell you something. The fact, first of all, I believe
Cam must have been frosted over not getting the Pro
Bowl from Okay, what he did to Dylan Parham should
be outlawed. Okay, I have rarely maybe never is the
(08:53):
better word, when when a man takes another man and
throws him at the quarterback, I mean lifting him off
the ground seriously worked talking about body throwing, like like
the Hulk would do, or Superman or Ben Grimm from
The Fantastic Four. He lifted the dude up and threw him.
And when he threw him, he spun the guy around
so that the guy's chest smacked Derek Carr right in
(09:13):
the grill. I mean, it was just amazing. It was amazing.
How do you throw a three plus pound man? I
I don't know, but when I saw that, I was
just amazed, and again spoke to the absolute professional that
Cam is and just what he means to this team, uh,
and what he means to uh, you know, the city,
because you gotta love a guy like that that performs
(09:35):
as such. Two sacks, seven tackles, three of them are
tackles for loss, a batted pass, um Max. It just
felt like Cam said to that defense, I don't care
what happens if they can't score points. We're giving them
the ball back and we're gonna try, and we're gonna
try again until we win the starting game. Well, and
that there it is pound half half half how hit
(09:57):
hit hit hit hit, right, it's the attrition that that
that you that you that you want, and I'm just
glad that you know that final drive happened the way
that it did, the way it was supposed to happen,
um and yes, what we have loved for it to
be Nazi Harris running into the end zone for the
go ahead score. So you could say that A Harris
scored the game winning drive, all right, right, I mean
(10:22):
I felt like it was leading up to that because
Nazi was running his butt off on that final drive.
But but yeah, but it was it wasn't meant to
be in that moment. I think, like you said, you know,
like what was hitting that earlier was but at least
we saw guys grow into a role. We saw guys
not be so rookie like in a moment that required experience,
(10:46):
that required them to be perfect, so to speak. And
you saw it being paid off and all the things
that we may harm that they might go through a
practice like now, no excuse, you know what I'm saying,
Like you guys have that will in you. You know,
some things did carry too, um. You know that carried
(11:07):
over from last week. And there's some things that I
think they found new resolve from UM as a unit
and as a team. And I'm just I'm extanted. I'm
extended about the result because I thought, because I wanted
this so bad, you know, for for Danta and for Doc,
but for the Steelers they got a lot on of
(11:28):
this as well, which was which was nice as well,
because you got to know what you're you got to
you have to push the envo phone. You know what's
your quarterback cannon can't do. And the other night we
knew they could come from I mean what was ten points,
I mean almost thirty points down to then being in
a position where you're you're now in place having this
(11:50):
conversation that we can have a game flexed right, um,
and that we can actually potentially have have an opportunity
moving forward to do what Franco did so long ago,
and that was at least being position to actually, um
actually play a postseason game. Max. I love that you
mentioned Nagy and just what he brought to that final drive. Also,
(12:13):
Pat Friar Muth and Billy. I thought that was poetic
in itself, that those were two guys that had very
close bonds with Franco. Yes, and uh it's it was surreal.
The whole evening was surreal. But I will say that
Wolf and I kind of lucked out because we had
a heater in the booth. Lady and and and a
(12:37):
large man down on the sideline had other things to
deal with. The cookies were important to you. Gotta keep
your energy. That was brought Australian liquorice right, Austrian, Australian Australian. Okay, okay,
all right. We survived. We just went through about, you know,
(12:59):
twenty packs batteries because they just kept freezing. But other
than that, we were pretty good. We layered up right, Max. Yeah,
I gave you my best advice. The gatorade trick. Oh,
I spilled some gatorade on my microphone. I guess it's frozen.
I'll have to come in. Yeah. Too good of a game. Yeah,
(13:21):
you're right about that. The m as we were kind
of talking about, you know, and coach Tomlin said it
post game, this was a grow up night for us. Um, well,
if I'll start with you, is that something that just
has to happen on its own? You know, coaches want
to see it happen, but can you manufacture it happening?
Or is it just this organic thing that it's just
(13:41):
like this aha moment and this light goes off. You
know it is organic if you ask me, Because how
do you you know you're not going to put yourself
in a predicament where you need to touch down, drive
right here a ten place seventies six yard or in
the fourth quarter of this ginormous game that took fifty
years in the making to bring this about. You have
a whole whole bunch of hometown fans that are like
(14:02):
looking at you. You're Kenny Pickett. You gotta do it now.
It's up to you. You gotta be the man. And
you know, here he goes and he and he doesn't
he withstands all that pressure, all that sort of excitement
and everything else. You couldn't ask for a better finish
because of the fact you got to put a lump
of hole in the stocking stuffer of the Vegas Raiders
on a night where they celebrate the immaculate Reception. And
(14:25):
it's a Christmas gift that was fifty years in the making,
like I said, and Kenny delivered it. He delivered the
mail appropriately, and he did it to a guy named
George Pickens. But this guy just continues to show us
his potential for superstardom is there. Now will he grab it?
It's up to him, but it's there. Max. Do you
(14:46):
agree with Wolf on that sediment? I do. I think
that this is when you're talking about the resume for players,
you're talking about whether they have the ability to do it?
Can they do with you? Now add that to the
experience bank. You now can actually point back to a
(15:06):
tangible point where you say, remember that time we were
playing against the Raiders and we were down, you know,
we were down a score and we needed to win
the game, and we really needed to have a touchdown drive,
and you know, odds were stacked against us. You know
(15:29):
we're seventy six yards away, but you know I made
I made some plays. All of us made some plays,
and in the end guys made the requisite catches. Pat
friar Muth, thank you for being a security blanket right
being right there on the seams a couple of times
as things broke down, you were an option I could
(15:49):
throw to the extra effort. You had nagy way to
run the ball and get positive yardage and get up
immediately and get the ball spotted, and then of course
George run a great route and make a great catch
in the biggest moment. All those things happen. Offensive line,
block your butts off, give us time, give us holes,
(16:10):
and we will. We will reward you for your effort.
You now have a tangible drive, as you can point to,
not to mention when you think about the team. You know,
a week ago, going on an eleven minute drive in
a in a situation where you needed to have it,
you needed to enforce your will, you were able to
dial it up and against the team that we've seen
(16:33):
now a week later, you know, put the hurt lock
on a red hot Detroit team. So it wasn't like
it was just oh man, you know, you know, Caroline
is not really that good. No, No, these dudes went
back to their formula and they absolutely grounded out against
the Lions and they looked like a shell of themselves
a week ago because we punished them. So it's adding
(16:55):
to that, right, it's adding another game, adding another notch
in the belt, adding another key moment where we all
grew up. And I think that's all you can ask
for in those moments. And a lot of those guys
grew up in that moment because not only does Kenny
get to put this on on his resume, but so
does the rest of the team because it ended in success,
(17:17):
and it in a very dramatic fashion, and when the
chips were stacked against them, they made it happen and
they ended up getting and winning the day um under
unlikely circumstances. All right, we have much more to talk
about the Steelers win over the Raiders on Christmas Eve,
preparing to head to Baltimore to face the Ravens Sunday
(17:37):
Night Football, we'll discuss We're going to take a break.
You're listening to w DV Back to the point after
brought to you by Parks Casino on d V ladies
and gentlemen. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The
big Man was supposed to be standing here right next
to me. But I want to thank Dana and Doc
(17:59):
for being here to night, for sharing Franco with us
for the last fifty years. It's been said life will
bring you sorrow, but it's up to us bring the joy.
Franko brought us joy for fifty years and so and
recognition of his many contributions both on and off the field,
(18:24):
it's my honor to declare number thirty two is officially retired.
Welcome back to the point after everybody and Miss Matthews
with Bill hill Grove, Craig Wolflee and Max Starks and guys,
we were there, We lived it. We heard are ruining
the second say that at halftime with Franco Harris's family,
(18:46):
you know, dozens of his teammates on the field to
officially retire his jersey. And it's still just hits you
will where your It's just it wasn't supposed to be
like that, and he was so excited about this weekend
and always makes it about his teammates, even you know,
at the end of his Hall of Fame speech, it
was about his teammates and he just loved being part
of that group. He did, and he was always an encourager.
(19:09):
He was always one of those positive voices in the
locker room. He was always one of those guys that
was showing the young people how to get it done,
whether it was taking a handoff and running sixty yards
or seventy yards to the end zone at three rivers
on a practice day, or he was taking the time
to sit with a young man like myself the age
of twenty two, going Franco, how do you get your
beard like that? What we gotta do is gotta trim
(19:32):
it up like this. And he's taking me through the
whole thing like this, you know. And so that's a
precious moment to me that, you know, just sitting with
Franco is he's telling me this is how he trimmed
the beard up right, you know. And it was It
was great. And Billy Joe Green, one of the other
two people who had their jerseys retired by the Steelers,
was there. Very emotional for him as well. The Steelers
(19:54):
do not retire jerseys randomly, and you know, what an
honor to be one of three and the first non Lineman.
You know it, it kind of hits it pretty hard. Uh.
Tomorrow will be the public viewing, and we have to
let the fans know that the parking lots will be
open at eleven am. Parking is free, and the viewing
(20:17):
is from one to five at Actressure Stadium. And in
lieu of flowers, the family is asking to donate to
Pittsburgh Promise and you can find that on the website
as well. And you know, I just think that it'll
be a tough day m hm yeah, no, absolutely. UM,
it's one that you know, I hate. I'm gonna miss it.
(20:39):
UM not there to go pay my public respects. But
you know, for a lot of people that might not
be there, you know across Dealer Nation that might hear this. UM.
You know, our spirit was there, you know, whether you
were in the stadium on Saturday night. I felt like
that was the first opportunity to have a memorial for
(21:00):
Franco UM. It was one that it felt special, It
felt really awesome, UM to be there and witness it
and to celebrate him. And now this will be the
physical representation of that memorial going on tomorrow. UM. Our
hearts and thoughts are always with the Harris family, with Dana,
(21:22):
with Doc and with the rest of their family. But
you know, his spirit lives on. So if you can't
be there physically, all you have to do is just
close your eyes, say a quick little prayer. He's in
a position where he's everywhere now. And that's that's the
special thing, um about when when those you love, you know,
(21:45):
pass on or move on to the next plaine, it's
now now they could be in more places than once, right,
I mean, and you can feel their their presence around you,
and their spirit lives on inside of all of us.
And so we carry that memory and we have the
opportunity to continue to live like Franco and do things
(22:05):
as Franco would do them to honor him. And he's
in a better pit, he has a better view to
see them all now, as opposed as telling him. The
other thing I loved about, um, you know, just the
little touches on Christmas Eve on Saturday night, they were
wearing the block letters and numbers on their jerseys, just
a nod to the seventies and those special teams. And
(22:27):
there was the special patch that was very simple, but
you know it was it was emblement of what you
see a Franco at the airport and um, you know,
just to honor the fiftieth anniversary, and the Steelers are
three you know now when they're wearing those throwback jerseys. Um,
so you know it was good to see. For sure.
It's special, you know what I mean. It's it's a
(22:48):
moment in time that you'll remember forever, you know. And
the fact is, um, I'm so glad that this had
a happy ending, you know, as far as that game
simply because you want to look back on this with
that that moment of like wow, it all kind of
came together in a beautiful way. I know. There are
people going out there the symbolism of the thirty twos.
(23:09):
They're talking about the fact that Derek Carr threw the
ball roughly around the two and Cam Sutton intercepted the
ball roughly around the thirty two you know, the the
bus side, and then that it was they said, around
thirty two seconds. And you know, I went by and
you can see what it's. It's in the general area
and it does leave you with that kind of a warm,
(23:30):
fuzzy feeling like wow, you know, something greater was that
was that play here. But it certainly was, as you said,
emblematic of the great career, the great man, uh and
the great friend that Franco was in teammate to so
many people. I didn't realize that he was a great
(23:50):
ping pong player. Yes, yes, and and and you know,
and he had his own paddle and he showed up
at the best of Batch to partake in in the contest.
But they said he and Ben continued to for two
hours after everybody had left. And you know, never trust
a man that brings his own paddle, or if he
(24:13):
plays chest his own board, or checkers his own board,
or pulled his own c stick. You know, it's funny.
One one of my best friends, Trey Essex, Uh, Trey,
so when we all when when he heard the news,
um it was right before going on our show, Trey
called me and he was, you know, he was choked up.
(24:36):
And he actually brought that very thing up his rookie
year at the Glimmer of Hope event for Alan Fannicot
was the first time he got to meet Franco his
rookie year and he said, I'll never forget it. He
kicked my behind up and down, up and down the
ping pong table and he did. It was such a
(24:57):
smile and and soft spoke in the manner He's like,
I felt like I did not get the crap beat
out of me, even though I know I got my
teeth kicked in because it was Franco. And I said, yeah,
I said, that's why you never step in front of
the pink pong table with a legend and they say that,
oh yeah, I like this game. You know, just walked
(25:18):
the other way. They'd be like saying, you know Joe Green,
you know, and walking in front of him and like, hey,
you know what, I like the box? Oh you do,
I do too, trying to trying to box with Joker.
You would never do that. I was like, I was like, Franco,
this is what Franko does. I'm like yeah. So that
those that was. That was some awesome moments. And I
remember watching and Franco being like, hey, I actually want
to come play. I'm like, absolutely not. I'm good. I
(25:41):
saw what you did for the last and for the
last four people that went up against you at the
best of the bet. Absolutely not. I'm still here by
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go. I'm I'm a handle
in the pocket. You know what I'm saying. I'm going,
I got the pool game going. Our segment right now
is brought to you by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food
Bank and Down's Appliance. For every field goal we kicked
(26:02):
this season, Down's Appliance will donate one thousand dollars to
the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. That's five thousand meals
each time. Thank you so much to Don's Appliance. And
you can help by donating to simply by texting goals
to five zero one five five. And as we were
talking about Joe Green, I went back and looked because
I distinctly remember when his jersey was retired at that
(26:26):
halftime ceremony in two thousand and fourteen. I could not
remember who we played. I should have known. It was
the Ravens and the Steelers beat them forty three to
twenty three. And I just remember everybody in the locker
room after saying, you know, Joe Green said a few
words to us before the game just to kind of
set the mood, and you know, very poetic as you
said that, it ended up working the Steelers favor. Also
(26:47):
against the Raiders, no question Green could be intimidating. The
story that John Colb told back in the day when
they were drafted in the same class, the rookies had
to sing at child time. At lunchtime, I had to
sing their fight song and John Cole got through his okay.
So the next day they called Joe greenup sing the
(27:09):
North Texas fight song. He said, if any of you
people think you're mean enough and tough enough to make
me sing, come on up here. Now. The Steelers haven't
sung at lunchtime since. Oh yeah, his behest though, Yeah,
I'm sure. I'm sure if he went there and asked
a rookie to sing, I'm sure they would have. Sun Well,
(27:29):
I can tell you this, he got made. He made
me sing all the way back then. I can tell
you the truth, because I was trying to get in
and out and he caught me at one He said
have you sung yet? And I remember looking at him going,
do I lie to the greatest man killer in the
history of the end of No. I couldn't like tractor
being my brain right, and so I was like, uh no.
(27:50):
So he made me go up and sing. He did
Billy at that one was was it at lunchtime or dinner.
Uh it was. It must have been at dinner. Yeah,
because I think since since that moment, no lunchtime singing. Well,
I can only tell you this. The greatest ruse I
ever pulled on Tone Chilkin was that day because as
I walked like I was going to the gas chamber
(28:12):
because I'm I'm I'm a horrible singer. I just I
have no voice. And I walked over and I met
had met this kid, touch Chilkin, you know, a week
before whatever, roommates and everything, and here I as I
go by, I leaned over. I had this inspiration. I said, um, hey, Tounch.
Joe said, you got it. You and me gotta sing,
and he goes really and he looks over at Joe,
(28:32):
and Joe just nods because I looked back at Joe
and Joe was not at me, but you know, and
so Tounch had to come up and saying with me.
He didn't even realize until I told him years later, Oh,
by the way, I was. I lied. He didn't say
you had to do it. Oh. It was rolland rolland
roland that rowdy gates to him, keep them dog, he's
rolling rowide there you go, oh it was. Let me
(28:54):
tell you, we got booed off after the second stands up.
If it sounded anything like you desc having it, I
can't imagine that there was ever an encore. Yeah, there
was definitely no. That sounds like the way to get
out of it. Similar to how you told Max and
I to dump our mikes and the gatory schooler on Saturday.
You know you were smart. I like it. All right.
(29:18):
We have much more to talk about in terms of
the Steelers team heading to Baltimore to face the Ravens
on Sunday Night Football. We're gonna take a quick break
here on the Point After. We'll be right back back
to the Point After. Brought to you by Parks Casino
on d v E Steelers Show Blitz. They bring five.
He's back, Big Rush steps up, throws it under drest
(29:41):
and it is and accepted. Can't shut the pits. I
went through and this is bye, bye ball game. How Apple,
Welcome back to the Point After. How appropriate. This segment
is brought to you by clear View Federal Credit Union.
For every turn over the Black and Gold create in
two thousand and twenty two, clear View Federal Credit Union
(30:03):
will donate five dollars to the Light of Life Rescue
Mission clear View helping people to enjoy a better life.
Visit clear View, f CU dot org. Slash Touchdown and Billy.
We talked about the touchdown drive by Kenny Pickett to
George Pickens, ending um with six seconds there, but Cam
Sutton making sure there was no chance that the Raiders
(30:26):
were going to make this into a more interesting game.
I think the defense really played Sterling football. When you
consider that they held the top running back in the
National League to less than three yards to carry and
one of the top receivers in the leg to two catches,
that's quite remarkable. Absolutely. I mean this was a superb,
(30:48):
you know, defensive effort. I mean you think about it.
Since the bye, what five or six, six out of
seven games, I think it is that they have now
not allowed more than seventeen points. I mean, defensively speaking,
they've really been ratcheting it up and doing a good
job of coming along and playing together as a group.
(31:08):
And that group played very well, especially you know, the
offense didn't really get traction until later on, and the
defense kept hanging in there, hanging in there, and and
you know, good things happened at the end. Hey, well,
if I just felt bad that you lost your stat
that was sterling up until that point exactly, you know,
but it's okay, yeah, you know, because the fact of
(31:30):
the matter is, you know, it's no longer that you know,
you gotta score first or lose, you know. And hey,
they the Raiders scored first. And by the way, how
easy did they score? And did it unsettle any anybody
else as much as it did me? Yeah, at the
top of the game, that was that was too easy. Hey,
(31:50):
they marks right down the field. It didn't even uh,
you know, it didn't even it didn't even phase them. Uh.
And I was like, oh my god, is this what
we're in for? Is this really this type of Raiders game?
And did we not learn anything? Because I felt like
I was like, don't let this be like the Ravens.
You know. That was like one of the things where
he just felt like we weren't And now, um, the
(32:12):
defense came alive after that drive, and you saw a
lot more back and forth the offense had his moments.
It was sputtering a little bit. Um. You know, the
kicks definitely were disheartening. I think I think even more
so than the touchdown Wolf. It was when Bobs missed
that first kick from I still that was a good one.
(32:34):
It was sorry, yeah, yeah, you have to, you have to.
I watched it. I'm like, how did he say that that?
As I was watching it, I was like he was convinced.
I'm like, maybe if I squinted, turned my head inside,
you know, remember et a pint of yogurt. I don't know,
(32:54):
I don't know think about this. I played left guard,
so all my traps were to the right, and maybe
that just you know, all that hitting with from going
from left to right. Maybe it just kind of influenced
what I was seeing. What did you say? Cold? Could
be I think you snuck it in. I don't care
what you but you know, but they want anyways, so
were so we're good. We didn't need it to be
sixteen wouldn't have been a special right so correct. Maybe
(33:17):
that maybe that was God or Franco pushing it out, like, hey,
we're gonna get this touchdown we want with my numbers, Billy,
I love to see just the physicality continue. We talked
so much after the Ravens game that lost at home
and just how dominant it felt the Ravens were how
(33:38):
they came out and just did what they wanted to
do against the Steelers. The Steelers, you know, took that
to heart, went to Carolina, controlled the line of scrimmage
and again, other than that first touchdown drive by the Raiders,
um as you were saying, it just felt like they
brought their a game again. And then the next week
Carolina Panthers exploded on the ground. What they have yards rushing? Yeah,
(33:59):
yeah to one utter yard rushers that that that speaks
to the Steelers defensive resolve. And you know, I think,
and we've talked about it, I think if you get
a lead on Baltimore, you make it tougher on them.
But if they have the lead, they can make it
tough on you. So let's get a lead on Sunday night.
That would be nice, no doubt about it. And you
(34:20):
know what, I'm looking forward to this because I think
everybody now it's kind of ratcheting up the physicality factor.
I think this is going to be an awesome output
coming up Sunday night. I'm looking forward to it. And
speaking of the Ravens, I don't know if you guys
saw today John Harball had a press conference and was
asked about Lamar Jackson and was very Mum, wouldn't commit
(34:42):
to him even practicing this week. You know, I was
asked when he played this season, said yeah, probably of course. Um,
So we'll have to see as the week goes on
who the quarterback will be Um and Sunday. But also
interestingly enough, I saw before I came here for the
show that Toa is back in the concussion protocol. He
self reported some sim ms today so that you know,
Dolphins Patriots game that will maybe mean something to the Steelers.
(35:06):
Who knows if he'll be able to go as well.
I didn't know about that. He and another stat that
held up another stat that held up Derek Carr when
the temperature was less than thirty seven was O and six.
He's now in seven. Okay, there we go. There we go.
A way to go, Derek, come back, come back and
(35:26):
play next winter. But I think you know that that
is because because you know, we heard this one earlier
in the show, earlier in our show today UH with
Wolf was that I guess we need the Charges to
lose every game, and we need the Dolphins to lose
every game for us to have a shot here. Well,
I know the Chargers if they win tonight against the
(35:49):
Jeff Saturday's the Colts, they clinch a playoff spot. Um,
I think it it's a little wonky out of there
after there. But like I said that, you know, obviously
the the Dolph what happened yesterday was good for the Steelers,
um in terms of that, but who knows how this goes?
And I think maybe that's also part of what you know,
(36:10):
as Billy said, we got a lump of coal in
our stockings when we found out that the Ravens game
was flexed to Sunday night. You know, we weren't behaving ourselves.
So um, it should be interesting. But that is you know,
the NFL loves this, especially you know we gay team.
This year is just bizarre. No teams, no games are set.
You don't know if it's Saturday, if it's Sunday. You
(36:31):
don't even know what time yet. Um, So it is
interesting to see because as we know, it's all about TV.
It is all all all about the big Eye in
the sky. So yeah, which is why I actually can't
book a flight yet because I don't know when I
was supposed to come in and the Ravens have something
to play for because the Monday night football that follows
(36:51):
is a big one with the Bengals and the Bills,
and so the Ravens. The Ravens just can't say, Okay,
we've made the playoffs and will wrestle people. They're not
going to do that because I think the Bengals have
to beat the Bills to clinch the a f C North.
So if that doesn't happen, and you know, it's a
crazy time of year. This is why we love football,
(37:12):
and this is why we're all celebrating Christmas yesterday watching football.
All you need to know about the current state of
the NFL is that the Rams at five and ten
are still in the discussion in the NFC. Yeah, I
didn't realize that. I stopped on the board today on
television age. And here's the thing I mean, because so
many things still matter because you know, just as we
(37:35):
talk about the Bengals need to win um this game
to clinch the f C North, the Bills also need
to win to try to continue to secure home field advantage.
So everybody has something they're all playing for. So that's
the competition, and that's the absolute mayhem that the NFL
loves because but in Buffalo, is that an advantage, you know,
(38:00):
That's what they keep saying. I don't know, because you
can get shirtless, shirtless men jumping into tables that might
confuse and disorient the opponent on the way into the stadium.
That's all I can see. All I can tell you
is that they're they're saying I'm getting from my folks
up there, they're saying that this blizzard is worse than
the blizzard of seventy seven that just happened, not to
mention a few weeks ago when they got eight inches,
(38:22):
you know when the Bills went to Detroit. I mean
this this this last latest blast um. They've already had
a number of people pass away, you know, and you
know due to the storm. I mean, it's it's it's
a crazy storm that that Lake effects stuff is unbelievable. Man. Well,
we hope everybody stay safe, and we want to remind
you that the Steelers Pro Shop is where you can
(38:42):
get up for the latest sideline apparel, hats, in jerseys
of your favorite players, authentic memorabilia, custom items, and exclusives
you can find only directly from the team. You can
head to Acquisher Stadium, Grove City Premium Outlets, or Tiger Outlets,
or you can shop online at shop dot Steelers dot com.
We'll merry Christmas, guys, will ringing the New Year together
in Baltimore. That is going to do it tonight for
(39:04):
the point after. Thanks to everybody at home for watching
or for listening as well. We'll see you guys next Monday.
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