December 5, 2025 • 32 mins
Mark takes your calls and is joined by Tim Benz this hour to talk Steelers and Ravens
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We got the calls on the fifteen segment, which people love,
they do love it.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I got to write that down. That and my show's
way over prepared, I know, and it sucks. I suck.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Everything sucks, uh because I write too much down. But
then when I don't write it, don I'm old and
my memory shot. Although I do remember our last game
was against Buffalo. That's been my my, my bugaboo lately
with memory. I can't remember who the Steelers played in
their last game. Like you'll hear me stumble over it
all the time because my memory's going. But I haven't
(00:31):
gotten Buffalo wrong. I think Monday I froze on it once.
I'm getting better. I'm getting better. I'm not going to
be drioling quite as much inside of a couple months.
But but yeah, this uh, this game just isn't what
It's important, but it sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to
not suck. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Oh, I forgot the catchphrase the talk show segment that's
sweeping the nation the blah blah blah. That's a radio sensation.
I don't know, but people seem to like to call
next segment, so call now.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Eight three, three, four one two WXDX.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
I'd be perfectly content to talk about the Penguins or,
for that matter, the Oklahoma City Thunder at twenty one
and one. Jesus, that's like, like, you go to the game,
I would assume they're one losses on the road.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You go to the game at home knowing they're gonna win.
That's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Uh and plus two Oklahoma City, those hicks do on there.
They they're just in hog heaven having won the title
last year, not twenty one to one this year. My
team won the title last year. Now we're six six
and one. Not a great game for the Penguins last night,
but it was a great win.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Like this game for the Steelers is important, but it
sucks that win last night for the Penguins. It wasn't
a great game, but it was a great win. Boco
got in a fight, chopped on some six foot nine giant.
Gino scored a couple of nice goals, the kids scored
a couple of goals. And now it's on to Dallas
on Sunday and then five straight home games which I
can't wait to go watch. We had Thursday Night football
(02:10):
last night Dallas got beat by Detroit. George Pickens was
bad and quit on a route, so he's been getting
buried by the media, especially with Ceedee Lambotte last night
with a concussion, I think, and Pickens needed to come
through and he did not.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Although they did score thirty points and still lost to Detroit.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
They just I mean that Dallas defense and that Pittsburgh
defense and that Baltimore defense, A lot of defensive units
that were supposed to be better than they are in
the NFL this year. Pickens needed to come through last
night for Dallas and he didn't. That's how it is
with George Pickens. He doesn't show up every week. Be
getting back to the Steelers, they say the winner of
(02:53):
this game at Baltimore has a seventy five percent chance
to make the playoffs, the losers at twenty three percent. Now,
being an Officionado Steiner math, I'm adding up seventy five
percent chance and twenty three percent chance, and I'm wondering,
what the frig happened to the other two percent? Is
that like what the Bengals get? Does it spelled disaster
(03:14):
for me? It's sacrifice. I don't know. Pittsburgh is at
a crossroads. It feels like bam across On was with Tomlin,
and maybe Baltimore is at the same point with Lamar
and Harbaugh. I listened to some national radio today and
they were saying that Baltimore is starting to wonder, and
(03:35):
I think Tom said this during the First Dome. Baltimore
is starting to wonder if they can, you know, win
with Lamar, if their windows starting to shut with him.
But it is also incredibly repetitive and boring. I were
to call him, this was fun. I were to call
him about the ice rink at the Olympics in Milan
being a not done yet and be three feet shorts
(03:57):
and people are going nuts because it's three feet short.
A standard NHL rink is two hundred feet. It was
supposed to be two hundred feet. This is one hundred
ninety seven feet and it's like three inches wider, and.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
People are going ballistic.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
There's not gonna be any room out there, yo, idiots,
hold your hands three feet apart and then ask yourself,
is lacking that on a hockey rink that's eighty five
feet wide going to make one bit of effing difference?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And the answer is absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And people are saying, well, the Boston Garden back in
the day was only one hundred and ninety one feet
and the big bad Bruins they dominated because they were
so big and tough and blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Maybe it's because they were big and tough, not because
the rink was small.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I saw those Bruins play and the nights they played
on the road when the rink was two hundred feet
long as per regulation, they were still pretty big and bad.
But what's gonna happen is these these idiots that pick
Team Canada in the US. They're gonna pick big guys
now because there's no be any room to operate out there.
Billy Garret already said that there's no room out there,
(05:04):
and that was before they announced the rink is three
feet smaller. It's it's just unbelievable, Like the US is
gonna pick seven Ka Chuck brothers, maybe a sister. And
what's gonna happen is Sweden's gonna win because they'll just say,
you know, three feet, that's no big deal.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
We'll just pick our guys. You know, I still think.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Canada's gonna win causes sid even though they're goaltending. What
if jars is in goal for the gold medal game
for Canada. I would have fired up for that. I
would I would bet heavily against Canada if Jars wasn't gold.
But I wouldn't tell Sid Nah. I'd tell Sid. I'm
(05:43):
very honest about my fandom of Canada. Uh with sid Well,
I mean, why wouldn't I be. I'm rooting for him,
but like I root for Canada International hockey because because
I know Sid.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I rooted for Canada when Mario played, because I know Mario.
I mean, seriously, the.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Flag, the flag is just I don't think it should
be waved in the name of sports. So we could
talk Penguins. Jari thirty seven saves last night. What I
like about the way he's playing, especially last night, Very
steady and rhythmic, save move control, save move control, save
(06:22):
save cover, play the puck well, save move control.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And that's something we haven't often seen from Jari.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Penguins allowed way too many odd man breaks last night,
but Jari made the difference.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
How about freaking Kutcherov?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
He is he might be the most underrated player in
history hockey because he's Russian and this is North America,
and that sucks, but that's how it works. But he
had ten shots on goal last night, and that don't
include the one they waved back that he scored on
that would have tied it except for the hand pass
(07:00):
with that kid line. I love the kid like Kendall
just ran the show out there. He's an eighteen year
old running the show when he's out there. So much
to like about these penguins, so much that's boring about
the Steelers. Steelers are dying. They're decaying, They're becoming a
rotting corpse in front of your eyes. And the penguins
will be born yet again before I die. I can
(07:20):
tell you that they will be born yet again before
I die. Well, that depends on when I die. But
I'm optimistic for the first time in a while. Okay,
what time is it? What else do I got? Oh,
we got guests, Tim Bens at three point thirty, Charlie
Batch at four o'clock. We'll talk more penguins, we'll talk
(07:43):
more Steelers, we'll talk about the password.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
If you there gotta be something. Okay, here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I could look up how to pronounce the citiot's name,
or I could, if Tom look up how to pronounce
the city's name.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
But I just don't care.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Okay, I'm good with Collin of the password and like
I said, I typed it into my computer and unlock
seventy wins get it because they stink and he's not
that good. But but I mean, is this a big deal?
I want to hear for some cock eyed powered optimists.
I mean, where's this guy gonna play? Whose spot's he
gonna take? I heard he might play center field?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What about Cruise, Well, he might move back to Okay,
what about Connor Griffin? Well, I mean he could all
I mean, like, I mean, do these guys know what
they're doing? Do you know what they're doing? Can somebody
explain it to me? I'm going with Justin Nixon? Justin Nixon, Garcia?
What else did Nixon say? Besides I'm not a crook,
(08:44):
Your president is not a crook. Your center fielder strikes
out too much.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
As you can win a drip for four people that
come to iHeartRadio, aldre Egoi, Mark Madden, Mark and.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
After learn want to do to Mark Madden? What do
you what? What do you want? Damn it?
Speaker 5 (09:04):
The exit?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Get your calls in now for calls on the fifteens.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
I'll reorganize that catchphrase by next week, or maybe I won't.
I need to do less prep. You know what I'm
going to do next week. I think I do this
once while I'm going to lem on my preparation to
two eight and a half by eleven pages handwritten. Ending
on top of that, I just have to add lib.
(09:42):
I got a great ad lib in earlier I talked
about this guy the Pirates traded for from the Red
Sox traded ovi Eto for this outfielder called the password.
Has this weird spelled first name air Go the password,
I said, I typed it into my computer.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It unlocked.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
He wins, get it. I mean, that's good writing, Dickie.
I'd rather talk more about the Penguins. That game last
night was exciting. I I I fear that three nil lead,
and justifiably given recent past, especially that Los in Toronto.
But all's well, that ends well. Penguin's got a good
(10:25):
call at the end, wound up winning the game. I
love the kid line. I love in each and every
one of them. Kendall runs the show out there at eighteen.
I was so happy for Coyvid and when he finally scored.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
He was beaming.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
The Penguins are fun. This is supposed to be fun.
The Penguins are fun. The Steelers are not. Tell me
what's fun about the Steelers. I challenge anyone to do that. Now,
call me right now and tell me what's fun about
the Steelers? Seriously, eight three three, four to one two WSDX.
What is fun about the Steelers. The Penguins have youth
and energy. The Steelers have same me same. They have
(10:59):
a bunch of old looking, old talking prisoner of war
looking dudes like Rogers. I've been saying, it looks like
a pow or a wartime president, or an old man
waiting for the bus who just doesn't know what's not coming.
Or Joe Walsh after five years in the Eagles. Ain't
no fun. Ain't no fun with the Steelers. They're old
(11:22):
and dull with lots of bs. I'm not yet sure
the Penguins are a playoff team, but the Penguins are developing.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
The Steelers are dying. Let's go to Dave. Dave, you're
on with Mark. Okay, you're on there. Okay, goodbye, Dave.
Let's go to Craig. Craig, you're on with Mark.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Hey, bargot, I do want to say. I called on
the old number and it did come through. They I
call that dude signing the password. I don't know if
you know he has a brother who plays for the
Red Sox. It's like Johann something. It's j O H
A N f R A N who has been nickname
use their name. I don't know where they came from,
but definitely horrible nicknames.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Well, I had to think that tells me that they
both stink. What do you think.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Kind of what I'm thinking?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Let's go to Dante. Dante, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 7 (12:20):
Hey, how you doing?
Speaker 8 (12:21):
What up? Hey?
Speaker 7 (12:24):
You wanted to talk about the Penguins?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (12:28):
Can I give you a hard time about something?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
I don't care. I mean, you mean nothing to me.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Anything you could say wouldn't affect my life at all,
So go ahead.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
Yeah, yeah, I just I just wanted to see if
I could get an apology out of you about the Penguins.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
No, so well, let's try.
Speaker 7 (12:47):
A long time ago.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Do you remember when we are you? When you retired
the first time?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
It was nineteen ninety seven, right, so okay, I gotta
I gotta tell you no what he gives a frig
that you called thirty years ago. Nobody gives a frig
about you. You're boring people to death. You're testing my
memory when I don't care what happened back then. Can
you say anything that's relevant or entertaining to right now?
Speaker 7 (13:13):
Well, your show's never entertaining. So it took me seventeen
years to call you back about it.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
No, it took you seven.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
First off, you can't add it's more than seventeen years.
Second off, you're so dumb you couldn't figure out how
to use the phone, and your wife's ugly. But thank
you for the call.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Let's go to Scoot Scoot trow with double M.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What up man?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
What up man?
Speaker 7 (13:33):
That's a tough act to follow there. I guess the
only thing fun about the Steelers is Boswell. I mean
he serious.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Every kick the kicker's not fun, Brov, the kicker's not fun.
Speaker 7 (13:43):
If you love the game, it's fun. But I digress.
But I don't anyway, Jory, would you try to trade
him a sap to Edmonton? Because he's warm and I
still don't trust him. That cuture of empty netter that
got this allowed. I still think that's the real tys
right in.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
The middle of the neck. Did you just call me
a sack ap.
Speaker 8 (14:03):
No?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I think he called me a sap.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
No.
Speaker 7 (14:08):
You must certainly you show me apology, senator and theology Senator.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
I would trade Jari, but they're not going out they
Kyle Dubas is going to be caught in this web.
There are guys he should absolutely trade, but if they're
helping them make the playoffs, he's held prisoner by that.
And if Morishoff would come up and dazzled and you
thought he could step in and play like Jari is now,
(14:34):
and certainly morrishof is going to be the number one
goalie next year, then it would be easier to make
that trade. And I still would make it, but I
think if Jeri keeps playing like this, it'll be tough
to trade him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
If he doesn't keep playing like this, nobody will want him.
Thank you for the call. Let's go real quick to Phil, Phil,
you got ten seconds.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Hey, Mark, Once the Penguins get healthy, that top nine
is going to be pretty pretty deep. Do you think
the Dubis will have to try to add to it
at the dead line, hopefully not moving any prospects. But
I feel like you said he's gonna be in that
weird No, he won't.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
No, they won't add to anybody. They won't.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
They won't add anybody. They're not gonna trade anything for
even remote future to bring in help for now. My
big worry is when everybody's healthy, they scratch a guy
like coyn in. Coyven and Kindle and McGroarty should be
in the lineup definitely and as a line and if
that means to scratch a door or a Novak Novak
or a Hayes or even a Chari when he's healthy,
(15:27):
although I know he's a big part of the penalty kill,
then you do it.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Thank you for the call up next to him, Benz.
One oh five to.
Speaker 10 (15:32):
Nine Sunday night, the Pens hit the ice against the Stars.
Game time is six. Our coverage starts at five. Listen
to every game and the best Pens coverage on your
home of the Pittsburgh Penguins on L five nine The
x tis this.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Season when you're in the mood for a holiday music
the Steelers at Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Chuck Clark is likely to start at safety, joining me
now to talk about well that in all things Steelers
from the Trivias, Tim Benz, Tim, that's not good news.
Dougar had been doing pretty good and Chuck Clark sucks.
Speaker 8 (16:13):
Yeah, so long as Douger didn't have to catch the ball.
I mean, that was kind of the one thing that
he was doing inconsistently at the one pick six and
dropped a few. But he's been a better band aid
on that safety situation than anything else they tried. When
his name popped up on the injury port, I was
concerned too. I mean, I'll be honestly, Mark, I don't
know enough about what they try to do with the
(16:34):
safety and the schematics of their defense against Baltimore specifically,
but I don't know how to quantify his absence immediately
for how it's gonna affect this game, because it's also
tough to get a read on Baltimore and what they're
gonna get out of Lamar Jackson, whether he's gonna be
the Lamar Jackson that tries to run, the Lamar Jackson
(16:56):
who never runs, or the Lamar.
Speaker 5 (16:58):
Jackson who can at least throw so accurately if he
doesn't run.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
Because it's been a mismatch of everything for him throughout
the course of the season.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
No, that's correct, and we're not thinking Lamar Jackson one
hundred percent. He's not using his legs as he does
what he's most effective.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
And not a lot's great about Baltimore either right now.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That said, Tim, it kind of feels like this game
means more to the Steelers, doesn't It Like it's do
or die for them beyond even the standings in the outcome.
Speaker 8 (17:28):
I think that's in part because there's greater potential for.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
It to go completely south after this game.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
For as angry as the Baltimore fan base, maybe I
don't think it's at the pitch that it is here
in Pittsburgh, because well, at least Baltimore's won some playoff
games recently, including one against Pittsburgh, so they've got that
going for it.
Speaker 9 (17:52):
They've for them, They've.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
Still got the core of a team that can contend.
They've still got a very good quarterback, a good running back,
some useful components on defense. They're frustrated with Harbaugh, maybe
not to the same degree that Steelers fans are with Tomlin,
and maybe that's just the determining factor that when it
comes to Tomlin, it's gotten to that boiling point and
(18:15):
it hasn't quite with Harbaugh. And I think so long
as you have a franchise quarterback, you have hope that
you can have a quicker fix and you can put
better pieces around that guy.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
And the Steelers don't have that.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Well, you were in a good column in the Trip
Tim It's like everyone thinks Mike Tomlin isn't.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Allowed to be fired.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Why is that because that would sertainly make him difference
from every coach in every sport.
Speaker 9 (18:39):
Yeah, that's the ironic part about it is.
Speaker 8 (18:41):
I was actually finally like, Okay, at least some of
these national voices are admitting that, you know, we're not
all crazy here in Pittsburgh for saying it's been too
long and we're no longer getting the finger wagging?
Speaker 9 (18:53):
What do you people in Pittsburgh want?
Speaker 5 (18:55):
You're so spoiled?
Speaker 8 (18:56):
And then I really started to listen to the dialogue
and I started listening to the words or coming out
of their mouths, and it's all about, well, the Steelers
probably should move on, but it should be done so
in a.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Way that Mike Tomlin isn't fired.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
Like Roethlisberger literally said that you can't fire Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Yes you can Clark called.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Tony better coaches than Mike.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Tomlin had been fired, including Mike Sullivan in this town
just not too long ago exactly.
Speaker 8 (19:23):
And Andy Reid is the classic example of how both
teams can benefit from it.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
And I think everybody is trying to will that analogy
into existence.
Speaker 8 (19:33):
But I mean, at least Reid was let go, you know,
like it was a decision that was made.
Speaker 9 (19:39):
And it doesn't always have to be this happy ending.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
It doesn't have to be a mutual divorce. You know.
It's people only.
Speaker 9 (19:46):
Seem to be okay with it outside of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (19:48):
If Tomlin's the one that files the papers with the States,
and that's not how it goes. Art Rooney is the
owner of the team now reading all this, you know,
the one thing that I will give Roethlisberger and and
Adam Schefter and Rich Eyes and all those other guys
that are referenced in my column credit for is at
least they're reading the room right, because Rooney feels the
same way, like, you know, I might be mad about this,
(20:11):
You might be mad about this. A lot of the
Steelers fans are, but you know, I think Art is
reading those quotes or hearing those quotes and saying, yeah,
if it comes down to it, that's how it's gonna go.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Mike's gonna call his own shot.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
But but that's why Steeler fans are in a boiling point,
maybe even a breaking point, because that's just absurd, Like
everything wrong with.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
The Steelers is Mike Tomlin's fault.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Period.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
No one has ever deserved to be fired more than
Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
And yet we have the constant pussy footing.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
And that's the perfect word for it.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
And I almost used that word in the column, and
I think I've done it before.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
That's the way I feel about it. And frankly, Mark like, it's.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Kind of weird that it's okay if you just add
a footing onto the end of it, isn't it?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
It really is?
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Or u lunanimous as you still frequently do. By the way,
I think the guy's name is Joe Stinson. I think
that's how you say it, Joe Stinson is how you
say the passwords name, yeah, don't care, okay, And I
think it is spelled with a backwards K like everybody
else in the Pirates lineup.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I'd like that.
Speaker 8 (21:17):
Back to the to the Steelers and their coaching situation.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Yes, it's it really, It.
Speaker 8 (21:23):
Really is annoying that it has to come down to
that sort of mutually agreed upon finale. And I really
it's strange to say this because Steelers fans are hyper
reactive by nature. But it's been eight years, it's been
twelve out of fourteen. It's been fourteen out of eighteen,
don't you think Actually, Steelers fans have shown an amazing
amount of patients to have waited as long as they
(21:44):
did to have those chants first echo out finally last week.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, but over dude, you know what?
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You know what part of it is, though, Tim, And
this applies on a public level as well as a
media level. Nobody wants to criticize in the NFL's preeminent
black coach. That's a bigger part of this than people
would ever care to admit, although people are starting to
admit it.
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Oh no, I'll admit it.
Speaker 8 (22:07):
I do think that, especially because there are a lot
of Steelers fans who are old enough to have lived
through this with Cordell, there's some residue of do we
come off as inherently racist if we do this, even
if there are reasons for it.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
Statistically when loss wise.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
It's funny I mentioned that, though, Tim, because now they're
doing the Cordell thing. They're spreading unfond and rumors about
Tomlin's personal life, which I know you've heard, which I
also know ain't true. But that's what we do here,
not me, the generic we, the royal, we, the scummy
Pittsburgh WII.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
Yeah, that's you know.
Speaker 8 (22:45):
It's what's funny about that is I was talking with
somebody on my podcast who said, crap like that has
happened in Baltimore with Harbaugh. You know, it's just it's
a it's the power of the Internet and nameless gray
faces ironically steel of Tomlinism. But you know that, I,
of course, being old enough, did instantly have flashbacks.
Speaker 9 (23:06):
At the Courtell thing.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
But you know, like that that resonated with a lot
of people who didn't like that, who didn't like the rumors,
and it's like, you know, it really does make us
look bad.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
And I think there was an element to what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
That people help.
Speaker 8 (23:17):
It's not coincidence that they only started chanting Fire Hextall
and Fire Canada within two and three years of those
teams and those units really sucking, and they've been a
lot more patient.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
And it's not just.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Because Tomlin won a Super Bowl back in two thousand
and eight and went to another one in twenty ten.
You know, it's because we don't want to come off
as a collective fan base.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
Looking bad to the public.
Speaker 8 (23:40):
So it just it got to the point where I
don't think anybody could take any playing renegade. Playing Renegade
was sort of the instigator for all that, don't you.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Think, well, booing renegade, yeah, I mean it kind of.
It kind of signified a breaking.
Speaker 8 (23:54):
Pa retegade to fire the reaction, and then I think
once that reaction happened, it was okay to start doing
anything else.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Timmy, all we've done.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I broached this after the LA Chargers loss, but but
now more convinced than ever.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I think Rogers has been a bust here.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I admire him for playing through the broken wrists now,
but I don't think he's ever been very good here.
I think he was a C plus before the LA
Chargers loss. I think he's been a D or a
D minus since then. It just isn't working.
Speaker 8 (24:22):
I thought it was a little bit higher than a
C plus based on how limited the playbook and how
limited his players around him were for the first.
Speaker 9 (24:29):
Five weeks, I would give it a little bit more
than that.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, but he's not blameless in any of that.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
In all of that, I would say, since then, it's
been worse.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
You're right, and you know, it's not like he's he's
not a force multiplier, he's not a plus player that
he's dragging some of these lesser lights along, Like we're
not making the same arguments about Calvin Austin and Roman
Wilson that we were about various Packers receivers over the
height of his tenure, where these are just marginal guys
(24:58):
that Rogers is making great. He doesn't have that power
to do that anymore. I think a lot of it
is because when he does move, you know, he can
still move a little bit, but he can't throw in
a run like he used to. He clearly doesn't have
the pocket sense that he used to. He's stepping up
into sacks instead of being able to roll away with
him and throw across his body accordingly like he used
(25:19):
to when he was at the height of his powers.
Like those skills have eroded, as they do for every
other quarterback. It will happen to Mahomes in five years.
Maybe it's even starting to happen already.
Speaker 9 (25:29):
Who knows?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Is it worth playing Rogers with the bum wrist?
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Would Rudolph at one hundred percent be a better bet.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
The way Rudolph is playing right now? No, I would
hope that the risk is better. But you know, like
last week, I don't think it would have mattered which
one was in there, because Rudolph isn't playing well, and
as it turns out, Rogers was probably not healthy enough
to play because he was so limited with the ball
handling and what he could or could not do in
the offensive backfield before he got hurt in the middle
(25:58):
of the game.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
The step isn't that simple. Why won't nobody say that?
I think people have started to say it.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
I've seen those same stories and same reports that Tom
was talking about at two o'clock hour with you, about
his get off.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Of the line of scrimmage and how that slowed down
year by year noticeably.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
For as minimal as the number as that might be,
it's noticeable for NFL stat nerds like you know, it's.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
Everybody says, oh, it's just a fraction of a second. Well,
that fraction is getting bigger and bigger, and he's not
the kind of guy that you know has a vast
array of moves.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
If he's if his get off to the outside shoulder
or the tackle is not what it used to be,
then you know that's that's he's kind of like I
don't want to see he's a one trick pony.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
That's a little bit far.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
But you know, it's like what happens with Mike Wallace
when once he lost a step and running the fly route.
You know he was just wasn't the same receiver after that.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Tim Up Who wins Sunday? I don't care. I don't
think it does either team any good. I think the
winner gets fulls golden.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
That's it.
Speaker 8 (27:04):
It's more true for the Steelers than it would be
for the Ravens. I think, because you go to Baltimore,
maybe Derrick Henry runs all over you, and maybe Lamar
Jackson pulls a rabbit out of his hat. If you're
a team that goes in there, if you're a team
that comes here, one of the three playoff.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
Teams that would be in the AFC, they.
Speaker 8 (27:20):
Probably all win from a wild card position coming to
play the Steelers as a division winner.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
But I think the Ravens win.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
I think it's god be a pretty classic low twenty
to high teens game, and the Ravens get the first
one here, and then let's see how ugly it gets
for mondaynight football between the Dolphins and Steelers, with the
great irony of the backdrop of the Steelers Hall of
Fame weekend and those great dams going in and people
chanting fire, Tomlin gooing renegade.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Oh, what a glorious day it will be, Tim, here's
glorious new Super Troopers three hit standards August seventh.
Speaker 9 (27:57):
I thought it was coming out earlier than that. It's
in August.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It's all the way.
Speaker 9 (28:00):
Well then, huh, that's.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
A long way away.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
But but yeah, nat Fax, the beer fest has joined
the has joined the troop?
Speaker 9 (28:07):
So is it is going into theaters? It's not straight
to streaming.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
We can actually go to a movie theater to watch it.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
It's stands August seventh, and I will go.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, I might go for that one too.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
You should have a Super Troopers three trifecta tomorrow with Tom,
don't you think.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, actually tomorrow would be a better bet for that.
Tim here. Here's here's my here's my goal.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Mark was one of the supertroopers, the guests that didn't
show up when they tried to plug supertroopers.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I have I have no comment, Tim, I cannot I'm
I'm I'm bitter, I'm disillusioned, I'm I'm upset. Don't even guess.
Don't you dare even guess who it was? Now, Tim,
here's what I'm hoping for.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Maybeord And this is a long way.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
No.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
I logged into him, Tim, and unlock seventy wins. Uh.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Now, if say the Steelers, you know, finally have a
losing season, missed the playoffs any rate? Okay, well, fans
win the draft, will they chant fire Tom Win at
the draft? Will they will they chance sell the team
at the draft, or will they just be good little
black and Gold bitches and wave their tiles and cheer
(29:12):
for the picks.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
If they miss the playoffs they finally go below five hundred.
Speaker 9 (29:20):
I think enough time will pass between.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
Whatever they do in free agency and the draft itself
that they won't ruin it unless they completely screw up
free agency and the fans think that they didn't do enough,
or they make.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Some unpopular moves that could make it worse.
Speaker 9 (29:40):
But I think you're onto something when you.
Speaker 8 (29:42):
Talk about how the fan base will talk itself into
optimism no matter what, And that's a longer time than
you think it may just sound or what.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
No, I'm not even sure if they'll talk themselves into optimism, Tim,
I'll just think they'll talk themselves into being good Pittsburghers
and having a good time at the draft, and here
we go, stealer, there's here we go. Meanwhile, the thing
they could do most to make a point to Art
the second would be to ruin the draft because it's
been his dream and his dad's dream.
Speaker 8 (30:12):
That's true, And the opportunity would present itself. If you
know they're picking in the top, what would you say,
ten to fifteen picks and they go against the grain
and they take something that the fans don't want, there's
gonna be like, I don't know, eleven, ten, maybe even
twelve more picks after that.
Speaker 9 (30:33):
That's a lot of opportunity to chant on day two
and day three.
Speaker 8 (30:37):
So they better make the pick that the people want
on that first day or it could turn ugly.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
See Tim, I think I think you're over complicated because
the time to ruin it is night one. That's that's
when you have the most most viewers, most chance.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
I agree with you, but I'm saying like you know
it because I tend to agree with your sentiment that
what will happen in March and early April will lay
the found foundation for everybody to feel better about themselves.
They'll talk themselves into things being great. And if they
make the wrong.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Pick, I.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Disagree team. I don't think they'll ruin the draft no
matter what. I think it's a ton of wosses that
they're just too immersed in the Pittsburgh and Black and
Gold experience. They will definitely ae thousand percent jump out.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Much like I expect the Steelers to on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
And it would be so cliche right now for either
of us to say the Steelers are gonna win Sunday
because it's just the way the Steelers are.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
But they won't.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Well, they've had a couple of those opportunities already this year, though.
Speaker 9 (31:35):
I kind of thought that's what the Green Bak Gy
would be. I kind of thought that's what the Buffalo
game might be.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Like.
Speaker 8 (31:40):
They've had the Okay, we're down, we're getting kicked in
the teeth.
Speaker 5 (31:44):
The media is all over us.
Speaker 9 (31:45):
People are saying bad things about Tomlin.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
This is the.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Rally the troops game, and the troops have yet to rally.
And you know, this has that same stench about it
right now. This this feels a little bit more like
that really bad stretch they have before Rudolph.
Speaker 5 (32:01):
Came in and saved things. And it took something cataclysmic
for that to.
Speaker 8 (32:04):
Happen, with the first two quarterbacks going down, and I
don't think we're quite there yet, uh for you know,
the city to almost.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Burn before it gets saved.
Speaker 8 (32:14):
You know, maybe maybe maybe the Ravens result might be that,
and then we see what happens right around Christmas.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
Again.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
That's Tim Benz on Mark Man Charlie Batch at the
top of the hour at one o five to nine.
It's the Woody Show, way better than NPR weekday mornings.
Speaker 7 (32:28):
At six on
Speaker 2 (32:30):
The X This So Hour The Mark Madden Shows, brought
to you by
We got the calls on the fifteen segment, which people love,
they do love it.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I got to write that down. That and my show's
way over prepared, I know, and it sucks. I suck.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Everything sucks, uh because I write too much down. But
then when I don't write it, don I'm old and
my memory shot. Although I do remember our last game
was against Buffalo. That's been my my, my bugaboo lately
with memory. I can't remember who the Steelers played in
their last game. Like you'll hear me stumble over it
all the time because my memory's going. But I haven't
(00:31):
gotten Buffalo wrong. I think Monday I froze on it once.
I'm getting better. I'm getting better. I'm not going to
be drioling quite as much inside of a couple months.
But but yeah, this uh, this game just isn't what
It's important, but it sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to
not suck. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Oh, I forgot the catchphrase the talk show segment that's
sweeping the nation the blah blah blah. That's a radio sensation.
I don't know, but people seem to like to call
next segment, so call now.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Eight three, three, four one two WXDX.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
I'd be perfectly content to talk about the Penguins or,
for that matter, the Oklahoma City Thunder at twenty one
and one. Jesus, that's like, like, you go to the game,
I would assume they're one losses on the road.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You go to the game at home knowing they're gonna win.
That's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Uh and plus two Oklahoma City, those hicks do on there.
They they're just in hog heaven having won the title
last year, not twenty one to one this year. My
team won the title last year. Now we're six six
and one. Not a great game for the Penguins last night,
but it was a great win.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Like this game for the Steelers is important, but it
sucks that win last night for the Penguins. It wasn't
a great game, but it was a great win. Boco
got in a fight, chopped on some six foot nine giant.
Gino scored a couple of nice goals, the kids scored
a couple of goals. And now it's on to Dallas
on Sunday and then five straight home games which I
can't wait to go watch. We had Thursday Night football
(02:10):
last night Dallas got beat by Detroit. George Pickens was
bad and quit on a route, so he's been getting
buried by the media, especially with Ceedee Lambotte last night
with a concussion, I think, and Pickens needed to come
through and he did not.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Although they did score thirty points and still lost to Detroit.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
They just I mean that Dallas defense and that Pittsburgh
defense and that Baltimore defense, A lot of defensive units
that were supposed to be better than they are in
the NFL this year. Pickens needed to come through last
night for Dallas and he didn't. That's how it is
with George Pickens. He doesn't show up every week. Be
getting back to the Steelers, they say the winner of
(02:53):
this game at Baltimore has a seventy five percent chance
to make the playoffs, the losers at twenty three percent. Now,
being an Officionado Steiner math, I'm adding up seventy five
percent chance and twenty three percent chance, and I'm wondering,
what the frig happened to the other two percent? Is
that like what the Bengals get? Does it spelled disaster
(03:14):
for me? It's sacrifice. I don't know. Pittsburgh is at
a crossroads. It feels like bam across On was with Tomlin,
and maybe Baltimore is at the same point with Lamar
and Harbaugh. I listened to some national radio today and
they were saying that Baltimore is starting to wonder, and
(03:35):
I think Tom said this during the First Dome. Baltimore
is starting to wonder if they can, you know, win
with Lamar, if their windows starting to shut with him.
But it is also incredibly repetitive and boring. I were
to call him, this was fun. I were to call
him about the ice rink at the Olympics in Milan
being a not done yet and be three feet shorts
(03:57):
and people are going nuts because it's three feet short.
A standard NHL rink is two hundred feet. It was
supposed to be two hundred feet. This is one hundred
ninety seven feet and it's like three inches wider, and.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
People are going ballistic.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
There's not gonna be any room out there, yo, idiots,
hold your hands three feet apart and then ask yourself,
is lacking that on a hockey rink that's eighty five
feet wide going to make one bit of effing difference?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And the answer is absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And people are saying, well, the Boston Garden back in
the day was only one hundred and ninety one feet
and the big bad Bruins they dominated because they were
so big and tough and blah blah blah.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Maybe it's because they were big and tough, not because
the rink was small.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I saw those Bruins play and the nights they played
on the road when the rink was two hundred feet
long as per regulation, they were still pretty big and bad.
But what's gonna happen is these these idiots that pick
Team Canada in the US. They're gonna pick big guys
now because there's no be any room to operate out there.
Billy Garret already said that there's no room out there,
(05:04):
and that was before they announced the rink is three
feet smaller. It's it's just unbelievable, Like the US is
gonna pick seven Ka Chuck brothers, maybe a sister. And
what's gonna happen is Sweden's gonna win because they'll just say,
you know, three feet, that's no big deal.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
We'll just pick our guys. You know, I still think.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Canada's gonna win causes sid even though they're goaltending. What
if jars is in goal for the gold medal game
for Canada. I would have fired up for that. I
would I would bet heavily against Canada if Jars wasn't gold.
But I wouldn't tell Sid Nah. I'd tell Sid. I'm
(05:43):
very honest about my fandom of Canada. Uh with sid Well,
I mean, why wouldn't I be. I'm rooting for him,
but like I root for Canada International hockey because because
I know Sid.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I rooted for Canada when Mario played, because I know Mario.
I mean, seriously, the.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Flag, the flag is just I don't think it should
be waved in the name of sports. So we could
talk Penguins. Jari thirty seven saves last night. What I
like about the way he's playing, especially last night, Very
steady and rhythmic, save move control, save move control, save
(06:22):
save cover, play the puck well, save move control.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And that's something we haven't often seen from Jari.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Penguins allowed way too many odd man breaks last night,
but Jari made the difference.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
How about freaking Kutcherov?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
He is he might be the most underrated player in
history hockey because he's Russian and this is North America,
and that sucks, but that's how it works. But he
had ten shots on goal last night, and that don't
include the one they waved back that he scored on
that would have tied it except for the hand pass
(07:00):
with that kid line. I love the kid like Kendall
just ran the show out there. He's an eighteen year
old running the show when he's out there. So much
to like about these penguins, so much that's boring about
the Steelers. Steelers are dying. They're decaying, They're becoming a
rotting corpse in front of your eyes. And the penguins
will be born yet again before I die. I can
(07:20):
tell you that they will be born yet again before
I die. Well, that depends on when I die. But
I'm optimistic for the first time in a while. Okay,
what time is it? What else do I got? Oh,
we got guests, Tim Bens at three point thirty, Charlie
Batch at four o'clock. We'll talk more penguins, we'll talk
(07:43):
more Steelers, we'll talk about the password.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
If you there gotta be something. Okay, here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I could look up how to pronounce the citiot's name,
or I could, if Tom look up how to pronounce
the city's name.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
But I just don't care.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Okay, I'm good with Collin of the password and like
I said, I typed it into my computer and unlock
seventy wins get it because they stink and he's not
that good. But but I mean, is this a big deal?
I want to hear for some cock eyed powered optimists.
I mean, where's this guy gonna play? Whose spot's he
gonna take? I heard he might play center field?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What about Cruise, Well, he might move back to Okay,
what about Connor Griffin? Well, I mean he could all
I mean, like, I mean, do these guys know what
they're doing? Do you know what they're doing? Can somebody
explain it to me? I'm going with Justin Nixon? Justin Nixon, Garcia?
What else did Nixon say? Besides I'm not a crook,
(08:44):
Your president is not a crook. Your center fielder strikes
out too much.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
As you can win a drip for four people that
come to iHeartRadio, aldre Egoi, Mark Madden, Mark and.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
After learn want to do to Mark Madden? What do
you what? What do you want? Damn it?
Speaker 5 (09:04):
The exit?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Get your calls in now for calls on the fifteens.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
I'll reorganize that catchphrase by next week, or maybe I won't.
I need to do less prep. You know what I'm
going to do next week. I think I do this
once while I'm going to lem on my preparation to
two eight and a half by eleven pages handwritten. Ending
on top of that, I just have to add lib.
(09:42):
I got a great ad lib in earlier I talked
about this guy the Pirates traded for from the Red
Sox traded ovi Eto for this outfielder called the password.
Has this weird spelled first name air Go the password,
I said, I typed it into my computer.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It unlocked.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
He wins, get it. I mean, that's good writing, Dickie.
I'd rather talk more about the Penguins. That game last
night was exciting. I I I fear that three nil lead,
and justifiably given recent past, especially that Los in Toronto.
But all's well, that ends well. Penguin's got a good
(10:25):
call at the end, wound up winning the game. I
love the kid line. I love in each and every
one of them. Kendall runs the show out there at eighteen.
I was so happy for Coyvid and when he finally scored.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
He was beaming.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
The Penguins are fun. This is supposed to be fun.
The Penguins are fun. The Steelers are not. Tell me
what's fun about the Steelers. I challenge anyone to do that. Now,
call me right now and tell me what's fun about
the Steelers? Seriously, eight three three, four to one two WSDX.
What is fun about the Steelers. The Penguins have youth
and energy. The Steelers have same me same. They have
(10:59):
a bunch of old looking, old talking prisoner of war
looking dudes like Rogers. I've been saying, it looks like
a pow or a wartime president, or an old man
waiting for the bus who just doesn't know what's not coming.
Or Joe Walsh after five years in the Eagles. Ain't
no fun. Ain't no fun with the Steelers. They're old
(11:22):
and dull with lots of bs. I'm not yet sure
the Penguins are a playoff team, but the Penguins are developing.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
The Steelers are dying. Let's go to Dave. Dave, you're
on with Mark. Okay, you're on there. Okay, goodbye, Dave.
Let's go to Craig. Craig, you're on with Mark.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Hey, bargot, I do want to say. I called on
the old number and it did come through. They I
call that dude signing the password. I don't know if
you know he has a brother who plays for the
Red Sox. It's like Johann something. It's j O H
A N f R A N who has been nickname
use their name. I don't know where they came from,
but definitely horrible nicknames.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Well, I had to think that tells me that they
both stink. What do you think.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Kind of what I'm thinking?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Let's go to Dante. Dante, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 7 (12:20):
Hey, how you doing?
Speaker 8 (12:21):
What up? Hey?
Speaker 7 (12:24):
You wanted to talk about the Penguins?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (12:28):
Can I give you a hard time about something?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
I don't care. I mean, you mean nothing to me.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Anything you could say wouldn't affect my life at all,
So go ahead.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
Yeah, yeah, I just I just wanted to see if
I could get an apology out of you about the Penguins.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
No, so well, let's try.
Speaker 7 (12:47):
A long time ago.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Do you remember when we are you? When you retired
the first time?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
It was nineteen ninety seven, right, so okay, I gotta
I gotta tell you no what he gives a frig
that you called thirty years ago. Nobody gives a frig
about you. You're boring people to death. You're testing my
memory when I don't care what happened back then. Can
you say anything that's relevant or entertaining to right now?
Speaker 7 (13:13):
Well, your show's never entertaining. So it took me seventeen
years to call you back about it.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
No, it took you seven.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
First off, you can't add it's more than seventeen years.
Second off, you're so dumb you couldn't figure out how
to use the phone, and your wife's ugly. But thank
you for the call.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Let's go to Scoot Scoot trow with double M.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What up man?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
What up man?
Speaker 7 (13:33):
That's a tough act to follow there. I guess the
only thing fun about the Steelers is Boswell. I mean
he serious.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Every kick the kicker's not fun, Brov, the kicker's not fun.
Speaker 7 (13:43):
If you love the game, it's fun. But I digress.
But I don't anyway, Jory, would you try to trade
him a sap to Edmonton? Because he's warm and I
still don't trust him. That cuture of empty netter that
got this allowed. I still think that's the real tys
right in.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
The middle of the neck. Did you just call me
a sack ap.
Speaker 8 (14:03):
No?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I think he called me a sap.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
No.
Speaker 7 (14:08):
You must certainly you show me apology, senator and theology Senator.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
I would trade Jari, but they're not going out they
Kyle Dubas is going to be caught in this web.
There are guys he should absolutely trade, but if they're
helping them make the playoffs, he's held prisoner by that.
And if Morishoff would come up and dazzled and you
thought he could step in and play like Jari is now,
(14:34):
and certainly morrishof is going to be the number one
goalie next year, then it would be easier to make
that trade. And I still would make it, but I
think if Jeri keeps playing like this, it'll be tough
to trade him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
If he doesn't keep playing like this, nobody will want him.
Thank you for the call. Let's go real quick to Phil, Phil,
you got ten seconds.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Hey, Mark, Once the Penguins get healthy, that top nine
is going to be pretty pretty deep. Do you think
the Dubis will have to try to add to it
at the dead line, hopefully not moving any prospects. But
I feel like you said he's gonna be in that
weird No, he won't.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
No, they won't add to anybody. They won't.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
They won't add anybody. They're not gonna trade anything for
even remote future to bring in help for now. My
big worry is when everybody's healthy, they scratch a guy
like coyn in. Coyven and Kindle and McGroarty should be
in the lineup definitely and as a line and if
that means to scratch a door or a Novak Novak
or a Hayes or even a Chari when he's healthy,
(15:27):
although I know he's a big part of the penalty kill,
then you do it.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Thank you for the call up next to him, Benz.
One oh five to.
Speaker 10 (15:32):
Nine Sunday night, the Pens hit the ice against the Stars.
Game time is six. Our coverage starts at five. Listen
to every game and the best Pens coverage on your
home of the Pittsburgh Penguins on L five nine The
x tis this.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Season when you're in the mood for a holiday music
the Steelers at Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Chuck Clark is likely to start at safety, joining me
now to talk about well that in all things Steelers
from the Trivias, Tim Benz, Tim, that's not good news.
Dougar had been doing pretty good and Chuck Clark sucks.
Speaker 8 (16:13):
Yeah, so long as Douger didn't have to catch the ball.
I mean, that was kind of the one thing that
he was doing inconsistently at the one pick six and
dropped a few. But he's been a better band aid
on that safety situation than anything else they tried. When
his name popped up on the injury port, I was
concerned too. I mean, I'll be honestly, Mark, I don't
know enough about what they try to do with the
(16:34):
safety and the schematics of their defense against Baltimore specifically,
but I don't know how to quantify his absence immediately
for how it's gonna affect this game, because it's also
tough to get a read on Baltimore and what they're
gonna get out of Lamar Jackson, whether he's gonna be
the Lamar Jackson that tries to run, the Lamar Jackson
(16:56):
who never runs, or the Lamar.
Speaker 5 (16:58):
Jackson who can at least throw so accurately if he
doesn't run.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
Because it's been a mismatch of everything for him throughout
the course of the season.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
No, that's correct, and we're not thinking Lamar Jackson one
hundred percent. He's not using his legs as he does
what he's most effective.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
And not a lot's great about Baltimore either right now.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That said, Tim, it kind of feels like this game
means more to the Steelers, doesn't It Like it's do
or die for them beyond even the standings in the outcome.
Speaker 8 (17:28):
I think that's in part because there's greater potential for.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
It to go completely south after this game.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
For as angry as the Baltimore fan base, maybe I
don't think it's at the pitch that it is here
in Pittsburgh, because well, at least Baltimore's won some playoff
games recently, including one against Pittsburgh, so they've got that
going for it.
Speaker 9 (17:52):
They've for them, They've.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
Still got the core of a team that can contend.
They've still got a very good quarterback, a good running back,
some useful components on defense. They're frustrated with Harbaugh, maybe
not to the same degree that Steelers fans are with Tomlin,
and maybe that's just the determining factor that when it
comes to Tomlin, it's gotten to that boiling point and
(18:15):
it hasn't quite with Harbaugh. And I think so long
as you have a franchise quarterback, you have hope that
you can have a quicker fix and you can put
better pieces around that guy.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
And the Steelers don't have that.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Well, you were in a good column in the Trip
Tim It's like everyone thinks Mike Tomlin isn't.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Allowed to be fired.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Why is that because that would sertainly make him difference
from every coach in every sport.
Speaker 9 (18:39):
Yeah, that's the ironic part about it is.
Speaker 8 (18:41):
I was actually finally like, Okay, at least some of
these national voices are admitting that, you know, we're not
all crazy here in Pittsburgh for saying it's been too
long and we're no longer getting the finger wagging?
Speaker 9 (18:53):
What do you people in Pittsburgh want?
Speaker 5 (18:55):
You're so spoiled?
Speaker 8 (18:56):
And then I really started to listen to the dialogue
and I started listening to the words or coming out
of their mouths, and it's all about, well, the Steelers
probably should move on, but it should be done so
in a.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Way that Mike Tomlin isn't fired.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
Like Roethlisberger literally said that you can't fire Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Yes you can Clark called.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Tony better coaches than Mike.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Tomlin had been fired, including Mike Sullivan in this town
just not too long ago exactly.
Speaker 8 (19:23):
And Andy Reid is the classic example of how both
teams can benefit from it.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
And I think everybody is trying to will that analogy
into existence.
Speaker 8 (19:33):
But I mean, at least Reid was let go, you know,
like it was a decision that was made.
Speaker 9 (19:39):
And it doesn't always have to be this happy ending.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
It doesn't have to be a mutual divorce. You know.
It's people only.
Speaker 9 (19:46):
Seem to be okay with it outside of Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (19:48):
If Tomlin's the one that files the papers with the States,
and that's not how it goes. Art Rooney is the
owner of the team now reading all this, you know,
the one thing that I will give Roethlisberger and and
Adam Schefter and Rich Eyes and all those other guys
that are referenced in my column credit for is at
least they're reading the room right, because Rooney feels the
same way, like, you know, I might be mad about this,
(20:11):
You might be mad about this. A lot of the
Steelers fans are, but you know, I think Art is
reading those quotes or hearing those quotes and saying, yeah,
if it comes down to it, that's how it's gonna go.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Mike's gonna call his own shot.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
But but that's why Steeler fans are in a boiling point,
maybe even a breaking point, because that's just absurd, Like
everything wrong with.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
The Steelers is Mike Tomlin's fault.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Period.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
No one has ever deserved to be fired more than
Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
And yet we have the constant pussy footing.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
And that's the perfect word for it.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
And I almost used that word in the column, and
I think I've done it before.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
That's the way I feel about it. And frankly, Mark like, it's.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Kind of weird that it's okay if you just add
a footing onto the end of it, isn't it?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
It really is?
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Or u lunanimous as you still frequently do. By the way,
I think the guy's name is Joe Stinson. I think
that's how you say it, Joe Stinson is how you
say the passwords name, yeah, don't care, okay, And I
think it is spelled with a backwards K like everybody
else in the Pirates lineup.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I'd like that.
Speaker 8 (21:17):
Back to the to the Steelers and their coaching situation.
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Yes, it's it really, It.
Speaker 8 (21:23):
Really is annoying that it has to come down to
that sort of mutually agreed upon finale. And I really
it's strange to say this because Steelers fans are hyper
reactive by nature. But it's been eight years, it's been
twelve out of fourteen. It's been fourteen out of eighteen,
don't you think Actually, Steelers fans have shown an amazing
amount of patients to have waited as long as they
(21:44):
did to have those chants first echo out finally last week.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, but over dude, you know what?
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You know what part of it is, though, Tim, And
this applies on a public level as well as a
media level. Nobody wants to criticize in the NFL's preeminent
black coach. That's a bigger part of this than people
would ever care to admit, although people are starting to
admit it.
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Oh no, I'll admit it.
Speaker 8 (22:07):
I do think that, especially because there are a lot
of Steelers fans who are old enough to have lived
through this with Cordell, there's some residue of do we
come off as inherently racist if we do this, even
if there are reasons for it.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
Statistically when loss wise.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
It's funny I mentioned that, though, Tim, because now they're
doing the Cordell thing. They're spreading unfond and rumors about
Tomlin's personal life, which I know you've heard, which I
also know ain't true. But that's what we do here,
not me, the generic we, the royal, we, the scummy
Pittsburgh WII.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
Yeah, that's you know.
Speaker 8 (22:45):
It's what's funny about that is I was talking with
somebody on my podcast who said, crap like that has
happened in Baltimore with Harbaugh. You know, it's just it's
a it's the power of the Internet and nameless gray
faces ironically steel of Tomlinism. But you know that, I,
of course, being old enough, did instantly have flashbacks.
Speaker 9 (23:06):
At the Courtell thing.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
But you know, like that that resonated with a lot
of people who didn't like that, who didn't like the rumors,
and it's like, you know, it really does make us
look bad.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
And I think there was an element to what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
That people help.
Speaker 8 (23:17):
It's not coincidence that they only started chanting Fire Hextall
and Fire Canada within two and three years of those
teams and those units really sucking, and they've been a
lot more patient.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
And it's not just.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Because Tomlin won a Super Bowl back in two thousand
and eight and went to another one in twenty ten.
You know, it's because we don't want to come off
as a collective fan base.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
Looking bad to the public.
Speaker 8 (23:40):
So it just it got to the point where I
don't think anybody could take any playing renegade. Playing Renegade
was sort of the instigator for all that, don't you.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Think, well, booing renegade, yeah, I mean it kind of.
It kind of signified a breaking.
Speaker 8 (23:54):
Pa retegade to fire the reaction, and then I think
once that reaction happened, it was okay to start doing
anything else.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Timmy, all we've done.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I broached this after the LA Chargers loss, but but
now more convinced than ever.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I think Rogers has been a bust here.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I admire him for playing through the broken wrists now,
but I don't think he's ever been very good here.
I think he was a C plus before the LA
Chargers loss. I think he's been a D or a
D minus since then. It just isn't working.
Speaker 8 (24:22):
I thought it was a little bit higher than a
C plus based on how limited the playbook and how
limited his players around him were for the first.
Speaker 9 (24:29):
Five weeks, I would give it a little bit more
than that.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Yeah, but he's not blameless in any of that.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
In all of that, I would say, since then, it's
been worse.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
You're right, and you know, it's not like he's he's
not a force multiplier, he's not a plus player that
he's dragging some of these lesser lights along, Like we're
not making the same arguments about Calvin Austin and Roman
Wilson that we were about various Packers receivers over the
height of his tenure, where these are just marginal guys
(24:58):
that Rogers is making great. He doesn't have that power
to do that anymore. I think a lot of it
is because when he does move, you know, he can
still move a little bit, but he can't throw in
a run like he used to. He clearly doesn't have
the pocket sense that he used to. He's stepping up
into sacks instead of being able to roll away with
him and throw across his body accordingly like he used
(25:19):
to when he was at the height of his powers.
Like those skills have eroded, as they do for every
other quarterback. It will happen to Mahomes in five years.
Maybe it's even starting to happen already.
Speaker 9 (25:29):
Who knows?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Is it worth playing Rogers with the bum wrist?
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Would Rudolph at one hundred percent be a better bet.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
The way Rudolph is playing right now? No, I would
hope that the risk is better. But you know, like
last week, I don't think it would have mattered which
one was in there, because Rudolph isn't playing well, and
as it turns out, Rogers was probably not healthy enough
to play because he was so limited with the ball
handling and what he could or could not do in
the offensive backfield before he got hurt in the middle
(25:58):
of the game.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
The step isn't that simple. Why won't nobody say that?
I think people have started to say it.
Speaker 8 (26:06):
I've seen those same stories and same reports that Tom
was talking about at two o'clock hour with you, about
his get off.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Of the line of scrimmage and how that slowed down
year by year noticeably.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
For as minimal as the number as that might be,
it's noticeable for NFL stat nerds like you know, it's.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
Everybody says, oh, it's just a fraction of a second. Well,
that fraction is getting bigger and bigger, and he's not
the kind of guy that you know has a vast
array of moves.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
If he's if his get off to the outside shoulder
or the tackle is not what it used to be,
then you know that's that's he's kind of like I
don't want to see he's a one trick pony.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
That's a little bit far.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
But you know, it's like what happens with Mike Wallace
when once he lost a step and running the fly route.
You know he was just wasn't the same receiver after that.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Tim Up Who wins Sunday? I don't care. I don't
think it does either team any good. I think the
winner gets fulls golden.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
That's it.
Speaker 8 (27:04):
It's more true for the Steelers than it would be
for the Ravens. I think, because you go to Baltimore,
maybe Derrick Henry runs all over you, and maybe Lamar
Jackson pulls a rabbit out of his hat. If you're
a team that goes in there, if you're a team
that comes here, one of the three playoff.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
Teams that would be in the AFC, they.
Speaker 8 (27:20):
Probably all win from a wild card position coming to
play the Steelers as a division winner.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
But I think the Ravens win.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
I think it's god be a pretty classic low twenty
to high teens game, and the Ravens get the first
one here, and then let's see how ugly it gets
for mondaynight football between the Dolphins and Steelers, with the
great irony of the backdrop of the Steelers Hall of
Fame weekend and those great dams going in and people
chanting fire, Tomlin gooing renegade.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Oh, what a glorious day it will be, Tim, here's
glorious new Super Troopers three hit standards August seventh.
Speaker 9 (27:57):
I thought it was coming out earlier than that. It's
in August.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It's all the way.
Speaker 9 (28:00):
Well then, huh, that's.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
A long way away.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
But but yeah, nat Fax, the beer fest has joined
the has joined the troop?
Speaker 9 (28:07):
So is it is going into theaters? It's not straight
to streaming.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
We can actually go to a movie theater to watch it.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
It's stands August seventh, and I will go.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, I might go for that one too.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
You should have a Super Troopers three trifecta tomorrow with Tom,
don't you think.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I mean?
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, actually tomorrow would be a better bet for that.
Tim here. Here's here's my here's my goal.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Mark was one of the supertroopers, the guests that didn't
show up when they tried to plug supertroopers.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I have I have no comment, Tim, I cannot I'm
I'm I'm bitter, I'm disillusioned, I'm I'm upset. Don't even guess.
Don't you dare even guess who it was? Now, Tim,
here's what I'm hoping for.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Maybeord And this is a long way.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
No.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
I logged into him, Tim, and unlock seventy wins. Uh.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Now, if say the Steelers, you know, finally have a
losing season, missed the playoffs any rate? Okay, well, fans
win the draft, will they chant fire Tom Win at
the draft? Will they will they chance sell the team
at the draft, or will they just be good little
black and Gold bitches and wave their tiles and cheer
(29:12):
for the picks.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
If they miss the playoffs they finally go below five hundred.
Speaker 9 (29:20):
I think enough time will pass between.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
Whatever they do in free agency and the draft itself
that they won't ruin it unless they completely screw up
free agency and the fans think that they didn't do enough,
or they make.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Some unpopular moves that could make it worse.
Speaker 9 (29:40):
But I think you're onto something when you.
Speaker 8 (29:42):
Talk about how the fan base will talk itself into
optimism no matter what, And that's a longer time than
you think it may just sound or what.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
No, I'm not even sure if they'll talk themselves into optimism, Tim,
I'll just think they'll talk themselves into being good Pittsburghers
and having a good time at the draft, and here
we go, stealer, there's here we go. Meanwhile, the thing
they could do most to make a point to Art
the second would be to ruin the draft because it's
been his dream and his dad's dream.
Speaker 8 (30:12):
That's true, And the opportunity would present itself. If you
know they're picking in the top, what would you say,
ten to fifteen picks and they go against the grain
and they take something that the fans don't want, there's
gonna be like, I don't know, eleven, ten, maybe even
twelve more picks after that.
Speaker 9 (30:33):
That's a lot of opportunity to chant on day two
and day three.
Speaker 8 (30:37):
So they better make the pick that the people want
on that first day or it could turn ugly.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
See Tim, I think I think you're over complicated because
the time to ruin it is night one. That's that's
when you have the most most viewers, most chance.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
I agree with you, but I'm saying like you know
it because I tend to agree with your sentiment that
what will happen in March and early April will lay
the found foundation for everybody to feel better about themselves.
They'll talk themselves into things being great. And if they
make the wrong.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Pick, I.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Disagree team. I don't think they'll ruin the draft no
matter what. I think it's a ton of wosses that
they're just too immersed in the Pittsburgh and Black and
Gold experience. They will definitely ae thousand percent jump out.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Much like I expect the Steelers to on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
And it would be so cliche right now for either
of us to say the Steelers are gonna win Sunday
because it's just the way the Steelers are.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
But they won't.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Well, they've had a couple of those opportunities already this year, though.
Speaker 9 (31:35):
I kind of thought that's what the Green Bak Gy
would be. I kind of thought that's what the Buffalo
game might be.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Like.
Speaker 8 (31:40):
They've had the Okay, we're down, we're getting kicked in
the teeth.
Speaker 5 (31:44):
The media is all over us.
Speaker 9 (31:45):
People are saying bad things about Tomlin.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
This is the.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Rally the troops game, and the troops have yet to rally.
And you know, this has that same stench about it
right now. This this feels a little bit more like
that really bad stretch they have before Rudolph.
Speaker 5 (32:01):
Came in and saved things. And it took something cataclysmic
for that to.
Speaker 8 (32:04):
Happen, with the first two quarterbacks going down, and I
don't think we're quite there yet, uh for you know,
the city to almost.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Burn before it gets saved.
Speaker 8 (32:14):
You know, maybe maybe maybe the Ravens result might be that,
and then we see what happens right around Christmas.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
Again.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
That's Tim Benz on Mark Man Charlie Batch at the
top of the hour at one o five to nine.
It's the Woody Show, way better than NPR weekday mornings.
Speaker 7 (32:28):
At six on
Speaker 2 (32:30):
The X This So Hour The Mark Madden Shows, brought
to you by
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.