December 31, 2025 • 36 mins
Mark and Tommy Radio talk Steelers, the anniversary's today in Pittsburgh sports both good and bad, and talk some resolutions too.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Mark Madden. Follow me on Twitter at Mark Madden. Next,
let's talk to Tom Off. From Tom, I'm right right,
and so is Cower. That's how you win the game
play action, use the tight ends and run a lot
until you can't.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Without question, you and Cower are right. It's so glaringly obvious.
They should have been using the tight ends more so
throughout the entire season, not just when it was desperate time,
and not just beats suspended. No, I'm not talking about him,
I'm talking about the real tight ends, the Johnny Smith,
Pat Friarmouth.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
They should have been. You've got two real tight ends.
You got a fat kid, and you've got a mascot. Yes,
and the guy. The guys that who've been ignored the
most are the real tight ends.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
That's absolutely what the game plan should be. I'll throw
another thing in there. I would put Gainwell as a
wide receiver a lot, put him in the slot, even
out wide. If I had to sometimes just basically treat
him like a wide receiver, I'd put.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Him in more patterns.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I mean, he chipped a lot against Garrett, but Baltimore,
Baltimore ain't got Garrett.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Uh yeah, I'd put him on the slot. I don't
know if it split him.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Wide too far slot though, it just him involved in
the passing game on Then.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Again, who would I rather have split wide him? Were
MBS him or Scottie Miller. Those two guys are bums,
and Rogers trying to anoint them as the chosen receivers.
What was his phrase to cast offs? Yes, he's trying
to get the cast offs over. That is a great
failing by him and by Tomlin and Oppenheimer by letting
him do that, and and to stick with that, Tom
(01:23):
I love the backs, I've said so all year, Warren
and Gainwell. Warren has proven himself to be at least
a semblance of a number one back.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Gainwell's having a career year in the O line too.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
That's the best parts of the offense, the running backs
in the O lines. But Rogers just gotta throw them
throwing twice as much as they ran the ball nearly
anyway against Cleveland when the running game was working five
point five yards per carry and they never trailed by
more than a score after the middle of the second quarter.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
That's just a crime.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
The two running backs are the best features of their offense.
That's that's even when DK was there. I know DK
took a lot of attention away from other receivers in
the passing game, and they were able to make a
play here or there. And DK made a couple of plays.
But Gainwell and Warren have been your most consistent weapons
on offense. I really wonder why. It's just like they're
allergic to putting them on the field at the same time,
like it has to be one or the other. And
(02:17):
in this game, I would put it both out there
with the game Well in the slot idea and have
Warren lined up in the backfield.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I'd considered it. It's not a two running back at
the same time league no more.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
But then again, the Steelers times mark, the Steelers are prehistoric.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Why not go to a good kind a prehistoric. But
I gotta get gained Well more involved. He went from
the man at Detroit to pass protection at Cleveland and
Tom you can run on Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It ain't gonna be easy.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
They're a middle of the pack run well, it says
here eleventh eleventh best against a run. But that's not
you know, overwhelming world, kwand Smith can blow you up,
but you gotta go to your strength as opposed to
what Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers is effing things up by
just being stubborn and doing what he wants to do,
and nobody, like you heard the mad dog SoundBite Chris Russo,
(03:03):
we got that later.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Nobody wants to blame him, nobody for anything.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Sixty percent a share of running the football is appropriated
in this game. There's just no chance that a team
quarterback by Aaron Rodgers would do.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That until the score dictates otherwise.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Sure, if you get behind, you have to pass, but
if you're in control of the game, you should lean
on it that much.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
But he won't. He doesn't like to do that. He
dumps out of it all the time.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Rogers is making such a case for not wanting to
bring him back even if he wants to come back,
which makes me absolutely certain they will bring him back.
What's your hunch on Roman Wilson? Does he suck? Do
they hate him? Is it personal? All of the above.
Because he was a third round pick only last year,
it feels.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Like it's really early to just declare that he sucks.
And I haven't seen him play that much, but.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's really early to never play him too or never
target him in the case of the loss to Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I don't know if you can truly evaluate him.
And I know that the team has decided that, for
whatever reason, he's just not any good. But I really
don't understand how you can reach that conclusion without actually
seeing a strong sample size of him playing in your office,
trusting him to play your office.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
There's no trust there. You know what part of it is.
You're right, that's a good point, Tom, There is no
trust with Roman Wilson. And part of it is they
don't know how to develop anybody. They got no idea.
I mean, Derek Carmon, he got he got Steelers Rookie
of the Year today. But he's just plug and play. You
didn't have to quote unquote develop him. He's just a
big guy, stick in the middle of the line. But
(04:32):
and plus it's an old man's team. It just it
just they trust old guys. It's it's easy to picture
the old guys all huddled, you know, in a corner
of the cafeteria like high school, talking about how the
young guys suck and this is up to us, guys.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
It's really clicky in that cafeteria. There's like a rifts
between the team, the old and the young. Of course
you could see.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's reading too much into it, but I can imagine it.
I'm sure it's like when I said TJ. Walk probably
gave the O line of pep talk before or Cleveland, Hey, guys,
protect my record. I don't think it happened, but I
can imagine it.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I think that's especially the case when it comes to
Rogers and how he treats these receivers. Clearly he doesn't
care for Austin or Roman Wilson, especially.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Although although he pumps their tires when he talks to Day,
you know why, because he's a con man exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
He's drifting to the public. It's just what el Ron
Hubbard would do and did so. Rogers exemplifies that kind
of clicking nature where it's like these young guys don't
know what they're doing. They still have a lot of
things to learn in thisage. I'm gonna go to MVS
and feeling these guys have been around the block, but
not on the record to the media.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It's like, I have a great deal of faith in
Roman Wilson, same with Tomlin. Roman Wilson, look at the
opportunity he's getting with Dkaot, except he got nine apps,
no opportunity and no targets. I feel like only one
team could put the game away early tomin It's Baltimore
with the momentum of Henry and how they played at
Green Bay, the bully ball, like Rod Woodson said, we'll
(05:55):
hear from him later, and getting a reprieve after being
dead and buried.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
It's a ton of adrenaline. Jo. Everything screams that Baltimore
is going to win this game.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I just don't know how the Steelers stopped Dereck Henry,
and I was looking back at it, Mark, the Steelers
have never really stopped Raven Derrick Henry. The Ravens themselves
have stopped Raven Derrick Henry against the Steelers by taking
their foot off the gas.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And that's a Harball problem. But if he keeps on the.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Accelerator with Henry, he always gets his he averages over
five yards per carry. Against the Steelers, he does his
usual Derrick Henry stuff. And I really find it hard
to believe that Harbaugh is going to make that egregious
of a mistake again in this game where he just
you know, forgets Henry exists for a big stretch.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I don't find it that hard to believe because Harball
is a dope, he is. But god bit like they
found the formula last week, they're not going to forget
it in just seven days exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
And he heard so much noise in Baltimore after the
Patriots game where he didn't play Henry Assault that game
away and they ended up blowing the lead that he
knows what he has to do. It's got to be
another thirty plus carries for him.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
This is the anniversary nineteen eighty eight. How many years
is that? Thirty seven years since Mario got five goals
five ways New Year's Eve nineteen eighty eight against the
Devil's I was there? Is that the greatest moment Pittsburgh
sports history. Moment's kind of weird because you could say,
like the immaculate reception is a moment, but it's the
greatest achievement for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Pittsburgh foot and you're taking out like championship things like
mass at in the home. It's just just, oh wait, yeah,
but Mas didn't do it on New Year's Eve. Very
very fair. But you said Pittsburgh sports moment.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I'm going with Mario.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
If you go in like the regular season. It's one
thousand percent the best moment that ever happened in a
regular season game, and nothing I don't think even comes close.
As you said already, it's one of the it's the
best moment in the NHL's regular season history.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
As I mentioned, Derek Harmon got named Rookie of the
Year today for the Steelers. I guess kind of by default.
Who else could have got it? Patrick Queen got miscongeniality
because he sucks up to the media. And tomorrow they're
gonna name the MVP MVP of a sinking ship. I
saw that movie Titanic a bunch of times. They never
named an MVP while the ship was going down one
(07:58):
oh five to ninety X. Listen to the exit ever
before Now for Rejoin music. What a great song, stay
with me long intro to, which makes it good for
this purpose. I'll be seeing Rod Stewart at Scotland versus
Morocco in Foxborough June nineteenth World Cup, crossing that off
(08:19):
my bucket list. I'll be supporting Scotland for the entirety
of the tournament because of Rod and because of Liverpool's
Andy Robertson, who serves as the Scottish captain.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Some bad news just crossing my vision.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
The Penguins announced the passing of Lowell McDonald at eighty
four years old. Lowell was a winger in the seventies,
which is right in my wheelhouse as a kid growing up,
played as part of the fabled century line the three
hundred points scores with him still Apps and Jean Pronovo.
So very sad to hear of Lowell's passing. I have
(08:57):
his autograph about a million times. He's very great to
me as a kid, So that's very sad news. What
a crappy twenty twenty five we've had now with Lowell
and Mike Lang and Craig Wolfley and Dave Parker. Glad
to get this frickin year out the way. I still
can't believe the Steelers lost at Cleveland. Can't believe it.
(09:19):
I watched the game back this morning to take some notes.
My only notes were WTF, exclamation point times ten three
days later. At the end, when they throw the three
passes in a row Rogers to mvs, I'm still expecting
him to catch one of them and they tie it
(09:39):
in regulation and win in overtime. That would have been
one of those situations where I know, if you tie
it late, some guys like to go for the win.
I'm sorry, if you get within one, they want you
to go for the win and go for two and
not kick one. I would have kicked one because Cleveland
weren't going to score any points in overtime. They hadn't
(10:01):
moved the ball, not really since the second quarter. But
the Steelers lost. I know because I watched the game
again today.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Tom.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
You know when that game was lost after two offensive
series by Cleveland. It was ten to nothing, and like
I said, Cleveland did just about nothing after that offensively.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
That can't happen again against Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
But it might what that the team doesn't do anything
offensively after the.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
No no, no, that Baltimore takes a quick lead.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Oh Like, if I'm the Steelers and I win the toss,
I want the ball. I don't want Baltimore to get
the ball with a chance to score, like five minutes
in or whatever.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
If you're opening defenses as soft as it was against
the Browns, you're screwed. Ten nothing against the Ravens is over.
They they will score more and more. They'll start feeling it.
The confidence will start to build for them. They're an
actual Like, do I want to say they're a good
football team the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I don't know if I want to go that far. Tom.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I thought season start, I picked him to win the
Super Bowl, be in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Something's wrong with him the best roster, and Matt Williamson
picked him too.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, but they're my point being, they're much better than
the Cleveland Browns are. So yeah, you extend them, attend
to nothing lead, it's basically lights out, Tom, I want
to talk some Penguins. With a shocking five to one
win over Carolina last night at PPG.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
That's two in a row. That's twelve goals in two
games since the break. I guess we always figured they
could score, and now they are.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, and Carolina just it felt to me like they
were always a team in recent years that just beat
the Penguins like every time, like the Canes and the
Devils just always seem to have our number.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
But a key last night was just like when they
beat Chicago Sunday. The Blackhawks played the night before, the
Penguins didn't. Last night, Carolina had played the night before
the Penguins didn't, and then tomorrow when they host Detroit.
Guess who's playing tonight, yep, Detroit, and the Penguins are not. Yeah,
the Canes were in overtime the night before too, So don't.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Get me wrong, that evens out.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Every team goes through that, you know, having played the
night before when the opponent hadn't. But the Penguins are
kind of on the good end of it when they
need to if they're going to stay.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
In the playoff race, and they're taking advantage of it,
which is so key because they were on the good
end of scheduling when they had the what five game
homestand and the only real tough opponent in that five
game homestand was the Edmonton Oilers at the end of it,
and they went over five and they let that opportunity
slip right through their fingers. Here's another golden one out
of the holiday break. And they're so far two for
two as far as taking all the two points in
(12:18):
the games, and they look they look flawless, and the
ticket to scoring a ton of goals, Like you.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Said, Mantha, now up to fourteen goals, crazy brassers up
to twelve and Tom, I'm surprised, but I can see
why it's happening too.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
They keep it simple, they're big, they go to the
net hard.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
A wise man knows himself, and those two do.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Do you think that that is the reason why they're
able to produce without Gino as their center now, because
their production has stayed pretty much the same even though
Gino's been out.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I don't know why they still need Gino back. The
Kid line is slowing down. I think they're feeling the
demands of an NHL schedule for the first time. I
would assume that tomorrow the Coyvin will come out because
he's just not getting production, and I think Chinnakoff will
probably go in on that line. I'm told I wouldn't
hate that.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
No.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I got no problem with that. At least he's on
a like minded line. Chinnakoff playing with the Kindle. By
the way, his nickname's Kindy God and uh Rucker McGroarty.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
What's his nickname?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Do we have one for McGroarty Mcgroart's probably I like
having chinnakov play on the Kid line.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Uh you know, if this team, I still don't want
to give up on No.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
He's, like you said yesterday, The metrics tell you that
he's playing fantastic.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
You don't you know what he needs he needs to
work on at some Balker, I gotta be blunt.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I'd call the pharmacist the team as a whole. If
they can stay in this hunt or maybe even be
like wild card two when the Olympic break hits, they're
gonna benefit massively from this. I know Geno's out because
of the injury, but so it wouldn't really apply to him.
But we always thought he if Rusty doesn't make it,
to make it Hill reset the kid line. You said
the riggers of an NHL season are kind of catching
(13:53):
up to them. They'll get a nice reset point.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Now, here's the standings depend which are two points out
of a wild car. And here's the best one. There
are three points out of second place in the Metro Division.
That's just insane. And they still have games in hand
on a lot of teams. I mean, they have a
game in hand on the Caps and the Panthers, who
are in the wild card spots. They got two games
in hand on that second place team, the New York Islanders.
I'm glad to see Stewart Skinner get a win after
(14:18):
he'd lost the first three games. First three starts he
made as a Penguin. He ain't cann dried, but he's okay.
And last night was the first time. How about this, Tom,
It was his four start for the Penguins. Last night
was the first time that he had a lead.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I saw he actually was asked about that after the game,
and I saw him be.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Like, yeah, you know, it is a little bit easier,
but it's my job to be in the game if
we're behind or ahead, and I'm just like God, he
just felt so grateful that it wasn't like, you know,
I'm down two nothing, down three nothing right away. I
think he's solid and I think that, you know, he's
now probably ahead of she Lov's in my mind as
far as who would be the backup to Miroshav moving forward,
although maybe neither of them. He looks Amish Skinner. Yeah,
(14:56):
his beer was a little bit, a little bit longer.
It look homish could have been an extra and Kingpin.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Wow, what a great movie now, Biggie Kinball, I don't know,
but that kind of cut me off guard Canada nonsense
roster and I'm gonna talk more about that later. They
went old with like Dowdy Sid and Marshan for the Olympics.
That's what we're talking about Canada's Olympic roster. They left
(15:24):
off Badard, he's been hurt. And Shaeffer, the young defenseman
for the New York Islanders, the rookie eighteen years old.
But I have always said Tom that if you're a
GM or coach for an NHL team, you know active,
you shouldn't be involved in the administration of an Olympic team.
I know that's easier said than done, because I mean,
every team you know, goes against what I would do.
(15:46):
But here's an example that Peraco, the Blues defenseman, he
made it over Shaefer, Uh, Joe Sirelli for Tampa. He
made it over like Mark Scheifeley, who Pierre yesterday was
talking about should be in the top six. Well, that's
because the coaches from Tampa and the GM's from Saint Louis,
and they got to deal with those guys after the Olympics.
(16:09):
And if those guys would feel really wronged about not
being picked, of course they're gonna be pissed about it.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
He's surprised by Dowdy getting the pick, kind of the
old timey pick, because Sid deserves to be there. He's
still a top six for that team. But Dowdy just
seems like they're given him the legend and mar Shawn's
like on pace for career highd goals. Yeah, so you
and with the sid connection, I would not have picked them.
But with the Sick connection, I can explain that one
and his season.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
I would not have picked them.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
They left off Sam Bennett also, who was great at
the Four Nations.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But Schaeffer should have slid in over Dowdy. They should
have gone with youth instead of old timey guy.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
There. Did you see American made with Tom Cruise? No,
I haven't. Well people who didn't get this line? Who
the f is? Shaefer? Five nine. It's the Woody Show
weekday mornings at six. Pretty cool. It is super cool
at Rob King here, ain't connected to your Steelers game
show on one five nine d X double m on
(17:10):
the X.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
The first hour of the show brought to us by
our good friend Shandroovich, Shandrovitch and Fishman.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
They got your back, not your wallet. Tom. I'm Matt Williamson,
the football Guru.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He has some mind numbingly informative tweets about football, and
here's one from UH Today Joey Porter Junior, the Steelers
corner has gone fourteen and forty four consecutive snaps without
his guy scoring a touchdown. That is the longest active
streak among cornerbacks. It is twice as long as the
(17:44):
second longest active It dated back to Week eight of
twenty twenty three, and his other numbers are great two.
The completion percentage against him this year is fifty three
point eight, which is fifteenth lowest among cornerback. Is Joey
Porter very quietly the Steelers' best defensive player. I think
(18:06):
that might be correct.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Very quietly, he might be.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Alex Heisman has been so good this year when he's healthy,
but he gets hurt too much to kind of wear
that crownd. Porter's available almost every single game, So yeah,
I think he is. But more importantly, he needed to
take a leap this year in his third season mark
and I'd say mission accomplished there. He has become a
shutdown corner because he got one more year on the
rookie deal, right right, They got to reup here. That's
one of the biggest priorities this offseason is extending him.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
The Steelers drafted a quarterback and he got good on
their watch. He's like a walking miracle that should be
like a book in the Bible.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I know they should rush for this chapter and verse.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Joey Porter Junior, you know, right between what are the
books the Bible?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like Jennison and John's, I have no idea, not.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The biggest Bible scholar, but except the Book of Revelations
because it relates to the impending destruction of our earth.
And I know this is gonna happen. Plus, as reflected
in the Great movie, this is the end.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I like really how this secondary has taken shape, though
it was a real roundabout way, and they screwed up
some things.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Like him.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
I like Ramsey and Elliott. Don't forget about Elliott coming
back next year. I like Elliott. He got hurt this year.
Now no, but I'm saying for the future. I mean,
I like it.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
And then Eccles was real good for a while and
not so much lately.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I think he's fine, though Samuel slash Pierre been fine.
They just need one more they can. Dra was so
good for well then he you know, he showed why
he's not and he's starter and he got hurt. His
role got expanded. But my main like encouragement from the
secondary moving forward is because of Joey Porter junior borderline
becoming elite now.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Like you and I talked about during the break, he's
a bit grabby, yeah, but you got to live with that.
I think that's part of his style. That's why he
can man up on guys. And he's not got called
a ton this year? Has he?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
No?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
He has.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Last year he had what the three flags in one
game against Higgins, so people remember and.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Dwell on that. But other than that drew out his
three years. He's he's not been penalized over not not
too much. I feel like there was an initiative from
the coaching staff to kind of get that out of
his game a little bit when he got here and
I thought worse for him, Yeah, it made him think
too much about playing it like that play you drafted him.
Let him play.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
He's too good. Just let him play.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And that's part of his game, is the grabbiness and
the physicality, you know, within that five yard buffer window
that he gets Like you'll get a DPI every now
and again, but don't rob what makes him so great
Because you're worried about the occasional penalty ranking they don't
do defensive MVP, do they. They just do MVP. Yeah,
just team MVP. Now, traditionally they don't give into a
(20:37):
white quarterback. That's why Ben almost never got it. Think
Rogers is gonna get it because the players vote. I
think Rogers is gonna get it. Yeah, I mean the
only other person I would think is like what Kenneth Gainwell, you.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Know, I think Rogers's gonna get it because I'm not
sure that locker room loved Ben, but they're scared to
death of Rogers.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
It is so weird.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Rodgers hasn't am I right like Rogers. Like what he
does a press conference, he looks just so mean, Yes
he does, like like he stares right through you and
like if you ask a stupid question, you can tell
he thinks it's a stupid question.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
You bring it up.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
The Ben thing, like it really is so dumb. They
never voted for Ben as Team MVP. It really is.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Tom if you know him. Thing for second? That ain't
black guys not voting for a white guy.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
When they when they give it to Juju Smith Schuster,
Antonio Brown, Juji, you know what he got it? You
remember that's when Antonio Brown crashed out finally because Juju
won Team MVP.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Right, So it's great, It's perfect.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, h nov I'm not even saying it's a terrible thing.
It's just the way the locker room is. But but
Rogers is gonna win it this year. It's the same
thing with Tomlin that we don't criticize him at least,
you know, most of the football media world doesn't because
he's the pre eminent black coach.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
People are just scared to get that out there. I mean,
his career, like Tom his career is a joke.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
After the first four years, it's a joke after the
first four years.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
What is it the four in eighteen season? Four years
in eighteen seasons that he's won a playoff game. Yeah,
it's it's just I mean, he won with Tom Withers
team and Cowers culture and Cowers leaders, and nobody will
ever admit that.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Tom. You brought up up during the break too. We
shouldn't just air during the break. It's probably better than
what we're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
We can leave.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
But we talked about this being Oh from your lips
to Gene Romano's ears, I said that the greatest moment
Pittsburgh sports history was on this night in nineteen eighty eight,
Marios five goals, five ways.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I will admit that Maz's home run to win.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
The nineteen sixty World Series gives it a run for
its money, because it's a a moment, a singular moment,
and it did win a World Series. But it's also
the anniversary of Roberto Clemene dying in a plane crash
on a mission of mercy on New Year's Eve nineteen
seventy two. And that was before you were born. But boy,
I was just turned twelve years old. I cried and
(22:49):
cried and cried because Roberto Clemenne he was the hero
for every kid my age back then.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
He was the entire city of Pittsburgh's hero.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Yeah, I mean like again, And that was in nineteen
seventy two New Year's Eve. That that happened so way
before my time. But everybody knows about the Clemeny story
and what he was doing, the mission that he was on,
such a great person. The classic story about him telling
Tom Walker to not come on the plane and leaving
him behind Neil Walker's dad. It's just so weird how
the butterfly effect happened there. Well, he was going because
it was to was it to the Dominicans. The Dominican
(23:21):
was delivering aid and like, but like the usual suspects
like the military. So for they were stealing the supply.
So he went there to make sure it got where
it was intended because him being there, they're not gonna
steal from Roberto freaking clemeny. I mean, he's the man.
But three thousand hits on the nose still so remarkable.
With Roberto and Mark, he was unbelievable in that age
thirty seven season, Like who knows how long he keeps playing?
Speaker 1 (23:41):
You know what nobody remembers now, He would have played
at least a couple more years. You know what nobody
remembers now. He was so underappreciated in Pittsburgh, Okay, when
he got a three thousand hit. He went into the
game at two nine nine nine, and the stadium was
like seventy percent empty at three rivers.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
That's a sin.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
We know.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Part of it was the media treated him like crap.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Honestly, I think there was a racial component there because
you know how you know Charlie Feeney, who covered the
Pirates for the longest time for the Post Gazette, who
everybody loved, and I thought was just a piece of crap,
just just a bad guy, really rude, just just this
obnoxious baseball is everything type writer. And and he would
quote Colemente phonetically to embarrass him. He would say like
(24:27):
like he would you know, like my my bad arm
is good, but my good arm is bad. He'd make
him sound foolish. Whereas really Stargle, because he sucked up
to the media, got painted in a a favorable light
that he did not deserve.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
That's such a shame, because Roberto Clemente is the Pittsburgh
Pirates and forever.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Will be the p He was a god among us.
He was nobility. There's no quote. And I don't say
that about many guys. I think most people put in
that light usually have something to hide.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
But Roberto Clemene was just magnificent.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
So it's the anniversary of that, you know, between him
and like Lemieux, like having larger than life, almost like
folklore figures.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
When it comes to our sports athletes, it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
It's you know, it is amazing too, because like Willie
Stargell just treated people horribly and he's revered even Charlie
Fenu I just talked about, and I guarantee you there
are a bunch of guys who I work with at
the Post Cazette back then who are either totally agreeing
with me or saying, how dare he say that about
the Palin Everybody called him padly, but he.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Was rude to everybody. He treated everybody terrible.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
It's amazing how some guys, some guys staked their reputation
through fear though. And and you know, the baseball writer
back then was the most important guy at the paper.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Rogers kind of does that now currently with the Steelers
staking that reputation through fear.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Just waiting for you to say it.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
One O five to nine from the one oh five
nine the ex Weather Center. This report is sponsored by
Levin Furniture and Mattress Clouding.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Today was no developing. We'll say about it on d X.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
The first hour brought to was by Shandorovi, Shandrovitch and
Fisherman Tom.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
What we got for today's trifecta?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It is New Year's Eve, so I've got a trifecta
of the cliche resolutions that people make that you never follow.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Through Number three, I bet I've done like a lot
of them to call through on them. Good for you.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Some people, I'm sure do this, but a lot the
most like commonly, I think accepted thing about a resolution
is that you're gonna break it.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Number three has learned something new.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I feel like people like to go into twenty twenty
six and be like, you know what, I'd like to
learn how to play the piano, or maybe I'd like
to pick up painting or something like that.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
You never did that one and they never follow through
on it.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
I'm totally happy with myself as a person number two
in terms of knowledge, because I am, of course a
super genius Number two.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I feel like this is a lot of popular time
of the year for people to try to quit smoking,
quit drinking, try to better themselves that way.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
That's such a tough thing to kick though. I mean,
smoking and drinking is great.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
And especially it really is, and especially when you've done
a lot of it. Probably New Year's Eve and you
got to stop not only cold turkey the next day,
but mega cold turkey.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Don't you think that's the motivation too. It's like, ah,
I just had one of my worst venders. I gotta
stop this. Let me guess what number one is lose
weight kind of. It was gonna be get a gym
membership because I think I think some people who do
the lose weight thing actually do follow through on that one.
It's the people that actually go out and like apply
to a Planet Fitness, get a gym membership, and pay
like ten dollars a month to go there.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Then they just quit after a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I lost forty pounds right before New Year's there's really
nothing left to live for.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You don't even have a resolution for that, you're losing weight. Anyway,
I do have a slight resolution.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I want to get back on the treadmill more like
like this diet, my energies come back up.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
Which I knew it would. You you don't have.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Carbs, you know, you don't have sugar, so your energy's
down some You can artificially jacket up with caffeine as
I do. But I've been on the treadmill as much
as I was before and still lost the weight. So
starting tomorrow, gonna I'm gonna try and plus which two
I'm falling behind on my what I call my trademill TV,
the stuff I like to watch while I'm on the treadmill.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
That's why I like working out like at home, treadmill
at home, like a peloton bike at home if you
have it, Because watching TV is such a must for
me when I'm working out.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I just get so bored. When I'm running.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I can't do it, Like I can't just go outside
on a run and see nature. Forget that. I want
to watch like an episode of Seinfelder or something like that.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Well, I'm in the middle of the first year of
land Man, I still haven't started the new season of
Mayor of Kingston. I gotta watch the gay hockey series
though heated Rivalry Rivalry.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
It's a hit. It has like nine point four out
of ten on IMDb.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
It's everywhere like it's two hockey players, both drafted in
the first round, the conduct and affair throughout their NHL careers.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Well MHL like the the fake NHL. Yeah right right,
But it's getting great reviews. Everywhere I look at says
it's a fantastic show.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Great reviews. So I'll get back on the treadmill to
watch softcore.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Gay porn boy. Imagine if Zach Effron were in it,
Oh my god, oh my, even just a cameo.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Even him in Baywatch was like terrific in that movie.
And he did a bunch of a bunch of uh
like shirtless and short scenes in the Sorority movie Ny Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
At the end, they're at American Eagle and he's the model,
and Seth Rogan pops the top off two and starts
modeling with it, and.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
The neighbors too.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
He strips to distract the Sorority so they can steal
their weed. You know, Seth Rogan stopped making movies, didn't he.
That whole crew just really kind of dried up.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
I think he's just high. He was high back then, though,
I think he's even he's higher now.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Tom we gotta tuck Steelers Ravens as opposed to soft
core gay pornography. The Ravens blueprint for Sunday gotta be
that playoff win from last year, a twenty eight to
fourteen win. Baltimore rushed for two hundred and ninety nine yards,
Henry rush for a buck eighty six. It was twenty
one nil Baltimore and all over by halftime. Baltimore emasculated.
(29:43):
The Steelers battered him, played bully ball like they did
against Green Bay. You know, cut they cut the Steelers'
balls off, and then I think Henry picked him up
and ran for fourteen more yards. If I'm Baltimore, I
not only run the ball.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
If TJ.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Watt played, I run right. Yes, TJ. Watt, he ain't
been out there for a while. Turn him into roadkill
and early. Make it so when he does have to
rush the passer he's just used to getting run over
by Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I think we talked about how the Steelers gonna run
the ball.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
That this what Baltimore gonna do, not only run the ball,
but with the specific plan, which is right at What
do you think he's gonna play. I think he's gonna
play situationally. I think he's gonna play like third downs,
pass rush stuff.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Well, I'd run him over on the sideline. I just
go right after b line to him. Yeah right, you.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Know it's obvious. I think the strategy for the Ravens
in this game. Yes, it's the same thing they did
in the wildcard game last year. It's the same thing
they did to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday Night.
Like that is who that team is. That should be
their identity. It's honestly, Harball's fault. That he let them
get away from it so much, especially this year with
Lamar being hurt all year and having to go Huntley
and then Lamar and then Huntley. Like this is a
(30:52):
year to lean on the running game in Henry. He
will not get away from it. In this game, they'll
go at what, they'll go at high Smith her Big
when he's in there. I don't think they feared this.
He's the going with this like I'd play him a lot.
I'd play high Smith and the Modern day Warrior as
my main two EDG dressers. Do you think Wat's a
(31:12):
lock to play, not a lock to play?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I think he's a lock to dress because he'd look,
you know it, look bad if he didn't bad optics.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
I don't think Lamar's gonna play.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I think I saw he's supposed to practice today to
give that a shot.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I don't know if that was official yet or not.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
It is ridiculous that Baltimore's chances would be worse with
Lamar quarterback.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
But if he's dinged up, I really think that's true.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
That's the option I want if I'm the Steelers is
like a seventy seventy five percent Lamar Jackson. He can't
move as he usually does. I would take that over Huntley,
who could go for sixty sixty five yards.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
If I were Baltimore, go out there and stab Watton
along again. Yeah, I mean, I'd say, you guys did it?
Why can't wait? H Do you remember that game last year?
What I'm talking about, the playoff win for Baltimore. How
they played seems very relevant.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
I just remember them bullying the Steelers across the field,
the line of scrimmage that he got blown back on.
I remember the Steelers made a huge air in personnel
by not dressing Preston Smith in that game, so they
went a little smaller on their edge rushers and they
just got flattened. They were in nickel defense a lot
in that game. To I remember Matt Williamson was pulling
his hair out over that. He was like, why are
we going so small against the Ravens. So yes, I
(32:17):
do remember that game very well, and I'm worried that
it is going to play out exactly that same way.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
I love when Matt gets pissed because he tries so
hard to not get pissed and to be real analytical,
but when he gets upset, it's actually pretty funny.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Yeah, not to be fair. Looking at the game.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Between the teams this year, Tom Baltimore rushed for two
hundred and seventeen yards in that win for the Steelers
at Baltimore. The Steelers still won, but that's because they
got all the calls, Yes, the correct calls. It should
be noted in because Lamar sucked. He did suck, but
he did rally them at the end. And again there
was that play in the end zone with likely where
it was hit or miss. Did he catch it? Did
(32:52):
he not catch it? I guess it was the right call.
But they almost won that football game. Despite Lamar sucking
as bad as he did. They couldn't stop Henry in
that game. And that's my main point that I've been
saying all week, is like they've never stopped Henry.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
It's always the Ravens stopping Henry themselves. The Steelers have
not been successful since he's joined. The Ravens against him. Well,
here's what I keep saying, that Henry's fumble prone. He
could fumble the game away.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
You know why that is he fumbled three times in
three games to start the season. But other than that
is an entire career, he's barely fumbled. Yeah, you know,
it's like everybody takes a micro cousin and blows up.
It's like earlier we talked about Joey Porter, who had
the one game last year with three DPIs. Other than that,
his handsiness has not cost him dearly.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
And if there's one guy then I'm gonna forgive a
fumble and still run him. After that, it's Derrick Henry
because I'll take a fumble even if it loses possession.
If you're gonna go for thirty five carries for two
hundred plus yards and three touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
This almost feels preordained.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You were talking about it weeks ago that they would
play for the division title in week eighteen. Now you
thought they'd both be eight and eight. Well, it turns
out they're both nine and seven. I thought back then
they'd be six and six. Remember when they met at
the first time, and I was right about that. I
thought then that they would end up being eight and
eight here. But yeah, I didn't think that.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Put it this way, I was not thinking my prediction
would come true a week ago. Today, when the Steels
are heading to Cleveland, what a terribly missed opportunity.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Well, Tomlin called an AFC Championship week, which is cornball
and and kind of cool at the same time. What's
your call, Tom, Who's gonna win?
Speaker 2 (34:24):
I think Ravens are gonna win. Twenty three seventeen feels right.
We're gonna shot Friday though, right, we'll do predictions then.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Yeah, but you reserve the right to change. That's true.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Right now for New Years, I'm feeling Ravens twenty three,
Steelers seventeen right now.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Are you gonna drink tonight? I don't know if I'm
going to drink that much. I like eight years. I
love a drink. You know what I'll have.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
There's this distillery I wish I remember the name. I'm
going to be there this weekend when I go see
get the let out. A distillery right by the Palace Theater.
And they make this blueberry whiskey. Oh and you mix
it with lemonade. It's the best cocktail I've ever had.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Is really good.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I will be having one of those tonight, but probably
only one if you made me pick right now.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
And I said this yesterday.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
I think the Steelers probably lose, but I only give
Baltimore a sixty forty edge.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I don't think it is overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
But I will say this, if Baltimore scores first, you
know they're gonna run, run, run till Derrick Henry takes
the playoffs away, Like they can't let Baltimore break down
quickly to a simple formula. Are you saying sixty forty
because do you think the Ravens can blow it themselves?
Like that's the main reason why you have the forty
percent on the Steelers, Like what have the Steelers done
that gives you that upidemic?
Speaker 1 (35:32):
That must be what I think, because at the beginning
of this show, I said what the Steelers had to
do to win this game? You know, like Cower said,
with the play action the tight ends times and I
would run the ball at least sixty percent of the time.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
And I think they have the intent to do none
of the above. They're not going to use the tight ends.
I know that for sure.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
They might try to commit to the run game initially,
but they're not going to use their tight ends. They
just don't want to use fire Ruth or Smith for
whatever reason. I don't get it. They gave fire with
all that money. I bet Rogers before the game goes, Hey, Mooth,
be ready one O five nine,
This is Mark Madden. Follow me on Twitter at Mark Madden. Next,
let's talk to Tom Off. From Tom, I'm right right,
and so is Cower. That's how you win the game
play action, use the tight ends and run a lot
until you can't.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Without question, you and Cower are right. It's so glaringly obvious.
They should have been using the tight ends more so
throughout the entire season, not just when it was desperate time,
and not just beats suspended. No, I'm not talking about him,
I'm talking about the real tight ends, the Johnny Smith,
Pat Friarmouth.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
They should have been. You've got two real tight ends.
You got a fat kid, and you've got a mascot. Yes,
and the guy. The guys that who've been ignored the
most are the real tight ends.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
That's absolutely what the game plan should be. I'll throw
another thing in there. I would put Gainwell as a
wide receiver a lot, put him in the slot, even
out wide. If I had to sometimes just basically treat
him like a wide receiver, I'd put.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Him in more patterns.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I mean, he chipped a lot against Garrett, but Baltimore,
Baltimore ain't got Garrett.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Uh yeah, I'd put him on the slot. I don't
know if it split him.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Wide too far slot though, it just him involved in
the passing game on Then.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Again, who would I rather have split wide him? Were
MBS him or Scottie Miller. Those two guys are bums,
and Rogers trying to anoint them as the chosen receivers.
What was his phrase to cast offs? Yes, he's trying
to get the cast offs over. That is a great
failing by him and by Tomlin and Oppenheimer by letting
him do that, and and to stick with that, Tom
(01:23):
I love the backs, I've said so all year, Warren
and Gainwell. Warren has proven himself to be at least
a semblance of a number one back.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Gainwell's having a career year in the O line too.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
That's the best parts of the offense, the running backs
in the O lines. But Rogers just gotta throw them
throwing twice as much as they ran the ball nearly
anyway against Cleveland when the running game was working five
point five yards per carry and they never trailed by
more than a score after the middle of the second quarter.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
That's just a crime.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
The two running backs are the best features of their offense.
That's that's even when DK was there. I know DK
took a lot of attention away from other receivers in
the passing game, and they were able to make a
play here or there. And DK made a couple of plays.
But Gainwell and Warren have been your most consistent weapons
on offense. I really wonder why. It's just like they're
allergic to putting them on the field at the same time,
like it has to be one or the other. And
(02:17):
in this game, I would put it both out there
with the game Well in the slot idea and have
Warren lined up in the backfield.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I'd considered it. It's not a two running back at
the same time league no more.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
But then again, the Steelers times mark, the Steelers are prehistoric.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Why not go to a good kind a prehistoric. But
I gotta get gained Well more involved. He went from
the man at Detroit to pass protection at Cleveland and
Tom you can run on Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It ain't gonna be easy.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
They're a middle of the pack run well, it says
here eleventh eleventh best against a run. But that's not
you know, overwhelming world, kwand Smith can blow you up,
but you gotta go to your strength as opposed to
what Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers is effing things up by
just being stubborn and doing what he wants to do,
and nobody, like you heard the mad dog SoundBite Chris Russo,
(03:03):
we got that later.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Nobody wants to blame him, nobody for anything.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Sixty percent a share of running the football is appropriated
in this game. There's just no chance that a team
quarterback by Aaron Rodgers would do.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That until the score dictates otherwise.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Sure, if you get behind, you have to pass, but
if you're in control of the game, you should lean
on it that much.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
But he won't. He doesn't like to do that. He
dumps out of it all the time.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Rogers is making such a case for not wanting to
bring him back even if he wants to come back,
which makes me absolutely certain they will bring him back.
What's your hunch on Roman Wilson? Does he suck? Do
they hate him? Is it personal? All of the above.
Because he was a third round pick only last year,
it feels.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Like it's really early to just declare that he sucks.
And I haven't seen him play that much, but.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's really early to never play him too or never
target him in the case of the loss to Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I don't know if you can truly evaluate him.
And I know that the team has decided that, for
whatever reason, he's just not any good. But I really
don't understand how you can reach that conclusion without actually
seeing a strong sample size of him playing in your office,
trusting him to play your office.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
There's no trust there. You know what part of it is.
You're right, that's a good point, Tom, There is no
trust with Roman Wilson. And part of it is they
don't know how to develop anybody. They got no idea.
I mean, Derek Carmon, he got he got Steelers Rookie
of the Year today. But he's just plug and play. You
didn't have to quote unquote develop him. He's just a
big guy, stick in the middle of the line. But
(04:32):
and plus it's an old man's team. It just it
just they trust old guys. It's it's easy to picture
the old guys all huddled, you know, in a corner
of the cafeteria like high school, talking about how the
young guys suck and this is up to us, guys.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
It's really clicky in that cafeteria. There's like a rifts
between the team, the old and the young. Of course
you could see.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
That's reading too much into it, but I can imagine it.
I'm sure it's like when I said TJ. Walk probably
gave the O line of pep talk before or Cleveland, Hey, guys,
protect my record. I don't think it happened, but I
can imagine it.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I think that's especially the case when it comes to
Rogers and how he treats these receivers. Clearly he doesn't
care for Austin or Roman Wilson, especially.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Although although he pumps their tires when he talks to Day,
you know why, because he's a con man exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
He's drifting to the public. It's just what el Ron
Hubbard would do and did so. Rogers exemplifies that kind
of clicking nature where it's like these young guys don't
know what they're doing. They still have a lot of
things to learn in thisage. I'm gonna go to MVS
and feeling these guys have been around the block, but
not on the record to the media.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It's like, I have a great deal of faith in
Roman Wilson, same with Tomlin. Roman Wilson, look at the
opportunity he's getting with Dkaot, except he got nine apps,
no opportunity and no targets. I feel like only one
team could put the game away early tomin It's Baltimore
with the momentum of Henry and how they played at
Green Bay, the bully ball, like Rod Woodson said, we'll
(05:55):
hear from him later, and getting a reprieve after being
dead and buried.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
It's a ton of adrenaline. Jo. Everything screams that Baltimore
is going to win this game.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I just don't know how the Steelers stopped Dereck Henry,
and I was looking back at it, Mark, the Steelers
have never really stopped Raven Derrick Henry. The Ravens themselves
have stopped Raven Derrick Henry against the Steelers by taking
their foot off the gas.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And that's a Harball problem. But if he keeps on the.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Accelerator with Henry, he always gets his he averages over
five yards per carry. Against the Steelers, he does his
usual Derrick Henry stuff. And I really find it hard
to believe that Harbaugh is going to make that egregious
of a mistake again in this game where he just
you know, forgets Henry exists for a big stretch.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I don't find it that hard to believe because Harball
is a dope, he is. But god bit like they
found the formula last week, they're not going to forget
it in just seven days exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
And he heard so much noise in Baltimore after the
Patriots game where he didn't play Henry Assault that game
away and they ended up blowing the lead that he
knows what he has to do. It's got to be
another thirty plus carries for him.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
This is the anniversary nineteen eighty eight. How many years
is that? Thirty seven years since Mario got five goals
five ways New Year's Eve nineteen eighty eight against the
Devil's I was there? Is that the greatest moment Pittsburgh
sports history. Moment's kind of weird because you could say,
like the immaculate reception is a moment, but it's the
greatest achievement for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Pittsburgh foot and you're taking out like championship things like
mass at in the home. It's just just, oh wait, yeah,
but Mas didn't do it on New Year's Eve. Very
very fair. But you said Pittsburgh sports moment.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I'm going with Mario.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
If you go in like the regular season. It's one
thousand percent the best moment that ever happened in a
regular season game, and nothing I don't think even comes close.
As you said already, it's one of the it's the
best moment in the NHL's regular season history.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
As I mentioned, Derek Harmon got named Rookie of the
Year today for the Steelers. I guess kind of by default.
Who else could have got it? Patrick Queen got miscongeniality
because he sucks up to the media. And tomorrow they're
gonna name the MVP MVP of a sinking ship. I
saw that movie Titanic a bunch of times. They never
named an MVP while the ship was going down one
(07:58):
oh five to ninety X. Listen to the exit ever
before Now for Rejoin music. What a great song, stay
with me long intro to, which makes it good for
this purpose. I'll be seeing Rod Stewart at Scotland versus
Morocco in Foxborough June nineteenth World Cup, crossing that off
(08:19):
my bucket list. I'll be supporting Scotland for the entirety
of the tournament because of Rod and because of Liverpool's
Andy Robertson, who serves as the Scottish captain.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Some bad news just crossing my vision.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
The Penguins announced the passing of Lowell McDonald at eighty
four years old. Lowell was a winger in the seventies,
which is right in my wheelhouse as a kid growing up,
played as part of the fabled century line the three
hundred points scores with him still Apps and Jean Pronovo.
So very sad to hear of Lowell's passing. I have
(08:57):
his autograph about a million times. He's very great to
me as a kid, So that's very sad news. What
a crappy twenty twenty five we've had now with Lowell
and Mike Lang and Craig Wolfley and Dave Parker. Glad
to get this frickin year out the way. I still
can't believe the Steelers lost at Cleveland. Can't believe it.
(09:19):
I watched the game back this morning to take some notes.
My only notes were WTF, exclamation point times ten three
days later. At the end, when they throw the three
passes in a row Rogers to mvs, I'm still expecting
him to catch one of them and they tie it
(09:39):
in regulation and win in overtime. That would have been
one of those situations where I know, if you tie
it late, some guys like to go for the win.
I'm sorry, if you get within one, they want you
to go for the win and go for two and
not kick one. I would have kicked one because Cleveland
weren't going to score any points in overtime. They hadn't
(10:01):
moved the ball, not really since the second quarter. But
the Steelers lost. I know because I watched the game
again today.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Tom.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
You know when that game was lost after two offensive
series by Cleveland. It was ten to nothing, and like
I said, Cleveland did just about nothing after that offensively.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
That can't happen again against Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
But it might what that the team doesn't do anything
offensively after the.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
No no, no, that Baltimore takes a quick lead.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Oh Like, if I'm the Steelers and I win the toss,
I want the ball. I don't want Baltimore to get
the ball with a chance to score, like five minutes
in or whatever.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
If you're opening defenses as soft as it was against
the Browns, you're screwed. Ten nothing against the Ravens is over.
They they will score more and more. They'll start feeling it.
The confidence will start to build for them. They're an
actual Like, do I want to say they're a good
football team the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I don't know if I want to go that far. Tom.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I thought season start, I picked him to win the
Super Bowl, be in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Something's wrong with him the best roster, and Matt Williamson
picked him too.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, but they're my point being, they're much better than
the Cleveland Browns are. So yeah, you extend them, attend
to nothing lead, it's basically lights out, Tom, I want
to talk some Penguins. With a shocking five to one
win over Carolina last night at PPG.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
That's two in a row. That's twelve goals in two
games since the break. I guess we always figured they
could score, and now they are.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, and Carolina just it felt to me like they
were always a team in recent years that just beat
the Penguins like every time, like the Canes and the
Devils just always seem to have our number.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
But a key last night was just like when they
beat Chicago Sunday. The Blackhawks played the night before, the
Penguins didn't. Last night, Carolina had played the night before
the Penguins didn't, and then tomorrow when they host Detroit.
Guess who's playing tonight, yep, Detroit, and the Penguins are not. Yeah,
the Canes were in overtime the night before too, So don't.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Get me wrong, that evens out.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Every team goes through that, you know, having played the
night before when the opponent hadn't. But the Penguins are
kind of on the good end of it when they
need to if they're going to stay.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
In the playoff race, and they're taking advantage of it,
which is so key because they were on the good
end of scheduling when they had the what five game
homestand and the only real tough opponent in that five
game homestand was the Edmonton Oilers at the end of it,
and they went over five and they let that opportunity
slip right through their fingers. Here's another golden one out
of the holiday break. And they're so far two for
two as far as taking all the two points in
(12:18):
the games, and they look they look flawless, and the
ticket to scoring a ton of goals, Like you.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Said, Mantha, now up to fourteen goals, crazy brassers up
to twelve and Tom, I'm surprised, but I can see
why it's happening too.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
They keep it simple, they're big, they go to the
net hard.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
A wise man knows himself, and those two do.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Do you think that that is the reason why they're
able to produce without Gino as their center now, because
their production has stayed pretty much the same even though
Gino's been out.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I don't know why they still need Gino back. The
Kid line is slowing down. I think they're feeling the
demands of an NHL schedule for the first time. I
would assume that tomorrow the Coyvin will come out because
he's just not getting production, and I think Chinnakoff will
probably go in on that line. I'm told I wouldn't
hate that.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
No.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I got no problem with that. At least he's on
a like minded line. Chinnakoff playing with the Kindle. By
the way, his nickname's Kindy God and uh Rucker McGroarty.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
What's his nickname?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Do we have one for McGroarty Mcgroart's probably I like
having chinnakov play on the Kid line.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Uh you know, if this team, I still don't want
to give up on No.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
He's, like you said yesterday, The metrics tell you that
he's playing fantastic.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
You don't you know what he needs he needs to
work on at some Balker, I gotta be blunt.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I'd call the pharmacist the team as a whole. If
they can stay in this hunt or maybe even be
like wild card two when the Olympic break hits, they're
gonna benefit massively from this. I know Geno's out because
of the injury, but so it wouldn't really apply to him.
But we always thought he if Rusty doesn't make it,
to make it Hill reset the kid line. You said
the riggers of an NHL season are kind of catching
(13:53):
up to them. They'll get a nice reset point.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Now, here's the standings depend which are two points out
of a wild car. And here's the best one. There
are three points out of second place in the Metro Division.
That's just insane. And they still have games in hand
on a lot of teams. I mean, they have a
game in hand on the Caps and the Panthers, who
are in the wild card spots. They got two games
in hand on that second place team, the New York Islanders.
I'm glad to see Stewart Skinner get a win after
(14:18):
he'd lost the first three games. First three starts he
made as a Penguin. He ain't cann dried, but he's okay.
And last night was the first time. How about this, Tom,
It was his four start for the Penguins. Last night
was the first time that he had a lead.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I saw he actually was asked about that after the game,
and I saw him be.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Like, yeah, you know, it is a little bit easier,
but it's my job to be in the game if
we're behind or ahead, and I'm just like God, he
just felt so grateful that it wasn't like, you know,
I'm down two nothing, down three nothing right away. I
think he's solid and I think that, you know, he's
now probably ahead of she Lov's in my mind as
far as who would be the backup to Miroshav moving forward,
although maybe neither of them. He looks Amish Skinner. Yeah,
(14:56):
his beer was a little bit, a little bit longer.
It look homish could have been an extra and Kingpin.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Wow, what a great movie now, Biggie Kinball, I don't know,
but that kind of cut me off guard Canada nonsense
roster and I'm gonna talk more about that later. They
went old with like Dowdy Sid and Marshan for the Olympics.
That's what we're talking about Canada's Olympic roster. They left
(15:24):
off Badard, he's been hurt. And Shaeffer, the young defenseman
for the New York Islanders, the rookie eighteen years old.
But I have always said Tom that if you're a
GM or coach for an NHL team, you know active,
you shouldn't be involved in the administration of an Olympic team.
I know that's easier said than done, because I mean,
every team you know, goes against what I would do.
(15:46):
But here's an example that Peraco, the Blues defenseman, he
made it over Shaefer, Uh, Joe Sirelli for Tampa. He
made it over like Mark Scheifeley, who Pierre yesterday was
talking about should be in the top six. Well, that's
because the coaches from Tampa and the GM's from Saint Louis,
and they got to deal with those guys after the Olympics.
(16:09):
And if those guys would feel really wronged about not
being picked, of course they're gonna be pissed about it.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
He's surprised by Dowdy getting the pick, kind of the
old timey pick, because Sid deserves to be there. He's
still a top six for that team. But Dowdy just
seems like they're given him the legend and mar Shawn's
like on pace for career highd goals. Yeah, so you
and with the sid connection, I would not have picked them.
But with the Sick connection, I can explain that one
and his season.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
I would not have picked them.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
They left off Sam Bennett also, who was great at
the Four Nations.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But Schaeffer should have slid in over Dowdy. They should
have gone with youth instead of old timey guy.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
There. Did you see American made with Tom Cruise? No,
I haven't. Well people who didn't get this line? Who
the f is? Shaefer? Five nine. It's the Woody Show
weekday mornings at six. Pretty cool. It is super cool
at Rob King here, ain't connected to your Steelers game
show on one five nine d X double m on
(17:10):
the X.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
The first hour of the show brought to us by
our good friend Shandroovich, Shandrovitch and Fishman.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
They got your back, not your wallet. Tom. I'm Matt Williamson,
the football Guru.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He has some mind numbingly informative tweets about football, and
here's one from UH Today Joey Porter Junior, the Steelers
corner has gone fourteen and forty four consecutive snaps without
his guy scoring a touchdown. That is the longest active
streak among cornerbacks. It is twice as long as the
(17:44):
second longest active It dated back to Week eight of
twenty twenty three, and his other numbers are great two.
The completion percentage against him this year is fifty three
point eight, which is fifteenth lowest among cornerback. Is Joey
Porter very quietly the Steelers' best defensive player. I think
(18:06):
that might be correct.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Very quietly, he might be.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Alex Heisman has been so good this year when he's healthy,
but he gets hurt too much to kind of wear
that crownd. Porter's available almost every single game, So yeah,
I think he is. But more importantly, he needed to
take a leap this year in his third season mark
and I'd say mission accomplished there. He has become a
shutdown corner because he got one more year on the
rookie deal, right right, They got to reup here. That's
one of the biggest priorities this offseason is extending him.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
The Steelers drafted a quarterback and he got good on
their watch. He's like a walking miracle that should be
like a book in the Bible.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I know they should rush for this chapter and verse.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Joey Porter Junior, you know, right between what are the
books the Bible?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like Jennison and John's, I have no idea, not.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The biggest Bible scholar, but except the Book of Revelations
because it relates to the impending destruction of our earth.
And I know this is gonna happen. Plus, as reflected
in the Great movie, this is the end.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I like really how this secondary has taken shape, though
it was a real roundabout way, and they screwed up
some things.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Like him.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
I like Ramsey and Elliott. Don't forget about Elliott coming
back next year. I like Elliott. He got hurt this year.
Now no, but I'm saying for the future. I mean,
I like it.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
And then Eccles was real good for a while and
not so much lately.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I think he's fine, though Samuel slash Pierre been fine.
They just need one more they can. Dra was so
good for well then he you know, he showed why
he's not and he's starter and he got hurt. His
role got expanded. But my main like encouragement from the
secondary moving forward is because of Joey Porter junior borderline
becoming elite now.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Like you and I talked about during the break, he's
a bit grabby, yeah, but you got to live with that.
I think that's part of his style. That's why he
can man up on guys. And he's not got called
a ton this year? Has he?
Speaker 2 (19:49):
No?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
He has.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Last year he had what the three flags in one
game against Higgins, so people remember and.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Dwell on that. But other than that drew out his
three years. He's he's not been penalized over not not
too much. I feel like there was an initiative from
the coaching staff to kind of get that out of
his game a little bit when he got here and
I thought worse for him, Yeah, it made him think
too much about playing it like that play you drafted him.
Let him play.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
He's too good. Just let him play.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And that's part of his game, is the grabbiness and
the physicality, you know, within that five yard buffer window
that he gets Like you'll get a DPI every now
and again, but don't rob what makes him so great
Because you're worried about the occasional penalty ranking they don't
do defensive MVP, do they. They just do MVP. Yeah,
just team MVP. Now, traditionally they don't give into a
(20:37):
white quarterback. That's why Ben almost never got it. Think
Rogers is gonna get it because the players vote. I
think Rogers is gonna get it. Yeah, I mean the
only other person I would think is like what Kenneth Gainwell, you.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Know, I think Rogers's gonna get it because I'm not
sure that locker room loved Ben, but they're scared to
death of Rogers.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
It is so weird.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Rodgers hasn't am I right like Rogers. Like what he
does a press conference, he looks just so mean, Yes
he does, like like he stares right through you and
like if you ask a stupid question, you can tell
he thinks it's a stupid question.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
You bring it up.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
The Ben thing, like it really is so dumb. They
never voted for Ben as Team MVP. It really is.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Tom if you know him. Thing for second? That ain't
black guys not voting for a white guy.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
When they when they give it to Juju Smith Schuster,
Antonio Brown, Juji, you know what he got it? You
remember that's when Antonio Brown crashed out finally because Juju
won Team MVP.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Right, So it's great, It's perfect.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, h nov I'm not even saying it's a terrible thing.
It's just the way the locker room is. But but
Rogers is gonna win it this year. It's the same
thing with Tomlin that we don't criticize him at least,
you know, most of the football media world doesn't because
he's the pre eminent black coach.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
People are just scared to get that out there. I mean,
his career, like Tom his career is a joke.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
After the first four years, it's a joke after the
first four years.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
What is it the four in eighteen season? Four years
in eighteen seasons that he's won a playoff game. Yeah,
it's it's just I mean, he won with Tom Withers
team and Cowers culture and Cowers leaders, and nobody will
ever admit that.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Tom. You brought up up during the break too. We
shouldn't just air during the break. It's probably better than
what we're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
We can leave.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
But we talked about this being Oh from your lips
to Gene Romano's ears, I said that the greatest moment
Pittsburgh sports history was on this night in nineteen eighty eight,
Marios five goals, five ways.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
I will admit that Maz's home run to win.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
The nineteen sixty World Series gives it a run for
its money, because it's a a moment, a singular moment,
and it did win a World Series. But it's also
the anniversary of Roberto Clemene dying in a plane crash
on a mission of mercy on New Year's Eve nineteen
seventy two. And that was before you were born. But boy,
I was just turned twelve years old. I cried and
(22:49):
cried and cried because Roberto Clemenne he was the hero
for every kid my age back then.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
He was the entire city of Pittsburgh's hero.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Yeah, I mean like again, And that was in nineteen
seventy two New Year's Eve. That that happened so way
before my time. But everybody knows about the Clemeny story
and what he was doing, the mission that he was on,
such a great person. The classic story about him telling
Tom Walker to not come on the plane and leaving
him behind Neil Walker's dad. It's just so weird how
the butterfly effect happened there. Well, he was going because
it was to was it to the Dominicans. The Dominican
(23:21):
was delivering aid and like, but like the usual suspects
like the military. So for they were stealing the supply.
So he went there to make sure it got where
it was intended because him being there, they're not gonna
steal from Roberto freaking clemeny. I mean, he's the man.
But three thousand hits on the nose still so remarkable.
With Roberto and Mark, he was unbelievable in that age
thirty seven season, Like who knows how long he keeps playing?
Speaker 1 (23:41):
You know what nobody remembers now, He would have played
at least a couple more years. You know what nobody
remembers now. He was so underappreciated in Pittsburgh, Okay, when
he got a three thousand hit. He went into the
game at two nine nine nine, and the stadium was
like seventy percent empty at three rivers.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
That's a sin.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
We know.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Part of it was the media treated him like crap.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Honestly, I think there was a racial component there because
you know how you know Charlie Feeney, who covered the
Pirates for the longest time for the Post Gazette, who
everybody loved, and I thought was just a piece of crap,
just just a bad guy, really rude, just just this
obnoxious baseball is everything type writer. And and he would
quote Colemente phonetically to embarrass him. He would say like
(24:27):
like he would you know, like my my bad arm
is good, but my good arm is bad. He'd make
him sound foolish. Whereas really Stargle, because he sucked up
to the media, got painted in a a favorable light
that he did not deserve.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
That's such a shame, because Roberto Clemente is the Pittsburgh
Pirates and forever.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Will be the p He was a god among us.
He was nobility. There's no quote. And I don't say
that about many guys. I think most people put in
that light usually have something to hide.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
But Roberto Clemene was just magnificent.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
So it's the anniversary of that, you know, between him
and like Lemieux, like having larger than life, almost like
folklore figures.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
When it comes to our sports athletes, it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
It's you know, it is amazing too, because like Willie
Stargell just treated people horribly and he's revered even Charlie
Fenu I just talked about, and I guarantee you there
are a bunch of guys who I work with at
the Post Cazette back then who are either totally agreeing
with me or saying, how dare he say that about
the Palin Everybody called him padly, but he.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Was rude to everybody. He treated everybody terrible.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
It's amazing how some guys, some guys staked their reputation
through fear though. And and you know, the baseball writer
back then was the most important guy at the paper.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Rogers kind of does that now currently with the Steelers
staking that reputation through fear.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Just waiting for you to say it.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
One O five to nine from the one oh five
nine the ex Weather Center. This report is sponsored by
Levin Furniture and Mattress Clouding.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Today was no developing. We'll say about it on d X.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
The first hour brought to was by Shandorovi, Shandrovitch and
Fisherman Tom.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
What we got for today's trifecta?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
It is New Year's Eve, so I've got a trifecta
of the cliche resolutions that people make that you never follow.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Through Number three, I bet I've done like a lot
of them to call through on them. Good for you.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Some people, I'm sure do this, but a lot the
most like commonly, I think accepted thing about a resolution
is that you're gonna break it.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Number three has learned something new.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I feel like people like to go into twenty twenty
six and be like, you know what, I'd like to
learn how to play the piano, or maybe I'd like
to pick up painting or something like that.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
You never did that one and they never follow through
on it.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
I'm totally happy with myself as a person number two
in terms of knowledge, because I am, of course a
super genius Number two.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I feel like this is a lot of popular time
of the year for people to try to quit smoking,
quit drinking, try to better themselves that way.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
That's such a tough thing to kick though. I mean,
smoking and drinking is great.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
And especially it really is, and especially when you've done
a lot of it. Probably New Year's Eve and you
got to stop not only cold turkey the next day,
but mega cold turkey.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Don't you think that's the motivation too. It's like, ah,
I just had one of my worst venders. I gotta
stop this. Let me guess what number one is lose
weight kind of. It was gonna be get a gym
membership because I think I think some people who do
the lose weight thing actually do follow through on that one.
It's the people that actually go out and like apply
to a Planet Fitness, get a gym membership, and pay
like ten dollars a month to go there.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Then they just quit after a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I lost forty pounds right before New Year's there's really
nothing left to live for.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You don't even have a resolution for that, you're losing weight. Anyway,
I do have a slight resolution.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I want to get back on the treadmill more like
like this diet, my energies come back up.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
Which I knew it would. You you don't have.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Carbs, you know, you don't have sugar, so your energy's
down some You can artificially jacket up with caffeine as
I do. But I've been on the treadmill as much
as I was before and still lost the weight. So
starting tomorrow, gonna I'm gonna try and plus which two
I'm falling behind on my what I call my trademill TV,
the stuff I like to watch while I'm on the treadmill.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
That's why I like working out like at home, treadmill
at home, like a peloton bike at home if you
have it, Because watching TV is such a must for
me when I'm working out.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I just get so bored. When I'm running.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I can't do it, Like I can't just go outside
on a run and see nature. Forget that. I want
to watch like an episode of Seinfelder or something like that.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Well, I'm in the middle of the first year of
land Man, I still haven't started the new season of
Mayor of Kingston. I gotta watch the gay hockey series
though heated Rivalry Rivalry.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
It's a hit. It has like nine point four out
of ten on IMDb.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
It's everywhere like it's two hockey players, both drafted in
the first round, the conduct and affair throughout their NHL careers.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Well MHL like the the fake NHL. Yeah right right,
But it's getting great reviews. Everywhere I look at says
it's a fantastic show.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Great reviews. So I'll get back on the treadmill to
watch softcore.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Gay porn boy. Imagine if Zach Effron were in it,
Oh my god, oh my, even just a cameo.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Even him in Baywatch was like terrific in that movie.
And he did a bunch of a bunch of uh
like shirtless and short scenes in the Sorority movie Ny Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
At the end, they're at American Eagle and he's the model,
and Seth Rogan pops the top off two and starts
modeling with it, and.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
The neighbors too.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
He strips to distract the Sorority so they can steal
their weed. You know, Seth Rogan stopped making movies, didn't he.
That whole crew just really kind of dried up.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
I think he's just high. He was high back then, though,
I think he's even he's higher now.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Tom we gotta tuck Steelers Ravens as opposed to soft
core gay pornography. The Ravens blueprint for Sunday gotta be
that playoff win from last year, a twenty eight to
fourteen win. Baltimore rushed for two hundred and ninety nine yards,
Henry rush for a buck eighty six. It was twenty
one nil Baltimore and all over by halftime. Baltimore emasculated.
(29:43):
The Steelers battered him, played bully ball like they did
against Green Bay. You know, cut they cut the Steelers'
balls off, and then I think Henry picked him up
and ran for fourteen more yards. If I'm Baltimore, I
not only run the ball.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
If TJ.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Watt played, I run right. Yes, TJ. Watt, he ain't
been out there for a while. Turn him into roadkill
and early. Make it so when he does have to
rush the passer he's just used to getting run over
by Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I think we talked about how the Steelers gonna run
the ball.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
That this what Baltimore gonna do, not only run the ball,
but with the specific plan, which is right at What
do you think he's gonna play. I think he's gonna
play situationally. I think he's gonna play like third downs,
pass rush stuff.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Well, I'd run him over on the sideline. I just
go right after b line to him. Yeah right, you.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Know it's obvious. I think the strategy for the Ravens
in this game. Yes, it's the same thing they did
in the wildcard game last year. It's the same thing
they did to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday Night.
Like that is who that team is. That should be
their identity. It's honestly, Harball's fault. That he let them
get away from it so much, especially this year with
Lamar being hurt all year and having to go Huntley
and then Lamar and then Huntley. Like this is a
(30:52):
year to lean on the running game in Henry. He
will not get away from it. In this game, they'll
go at what, they'll go at high Smith her Big
when he's in there. I don't think they feared this.
He's the going with this like I'd play him a lot.
I'd play high Smith and the Modern day Warrior as
my main two EDG dressers. Do you think Wat's a
(31:12):
lock to play, not a lock to play?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I think he's a lock to dress because he'd look,
you know it, look bad if he didn't bad optics.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
I don't think Lamar's gonna play.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I think I saw he's supposed to practice today to
give that a shot.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I don't know if that was official yet or not.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
It is ridiculous that Baltimore's chances would be worse with
Lamar quarterback.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
But if he's dinged up, I really think that's true.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
That's the option I want if I'm the Steelers is
like a seventy seventy five percent Lamar Jackson. He can't
move as he usually does. I would take that over Huntley,
who could go for sixty sixty five yards.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
If I were Baltimore, go out there and stab Watton
along again. Yeah, I mean, I'd say, you guys did it?
Why can't wait? H Do you remember that game last year?
What I'm talking about, the playoff win for Baltimore. How
they played seems very relevant.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
I just remember them bullying the Steelers across the field,
the line of scrimmage that he got blown back on.
I remember the Steelers made a huge air in personnel
by not dressing Preston Smith in that game, so they
went a little smaller on their edge rushers and they
just got flattened. They were in nickel defense a lot
in that game. To I remember Matt Williamson was pulling
his hair out over that. He was like, why are
we going so small against the Ravens. So yes, I
(32:17):
do remember that game very well, and I'm worried that
it is going to play out exactly that same way.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
I love when Matt gets pissed because he tries so
hard to not get pissed and to be real analytical,
but when he gets upset, it's actually pretty funny.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Yeah, not to be fair. Looking at the game.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Between the teams this year, Tom Baltimore rushed for two
hundred and seventeen yards in that win for the Steelers
at Baltimore. The Steelers still won, but that's because they
got all the calls, Yes, the correct calls. It should
be noted in because Lamar sucked. He did suck, but
he did rally them at the end. And again there
was that play in the end zone with likely where
it was hit or miss. Did he catch it? Did
(32:52):
he not catch it? I guess it was the right call.
But they almost won that football game. Despite Lamar sucking
as bad as he did. They couldn't stop Henry in
that game. And that's my main point that I've been
saying all week, is like they've never stopped Henry.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
It's always the Ravens stopping Henry themselves. The Steelers have
not been successful since he's joined. The Ravens against him. Well,
here's what I keep saying, that Henry's fumble prone. He
could fumble the game away.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
You know why that is he fumbled three times in
three games to start the season. But other than that
is an entire career, he's barely fumbled. Yeah, you know,
it's like everybody takes a micro cousin and blows up.
It's like earlier we talked about Joey Porter, who had
the one game last year with three DPIs. Other than that,
his handsiness has not cost him dearly.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
And if there's one guy then I'm gonna forgive a
fumble and still run him. After that, it's Derrick Henry
because I'll take a fumble even if it loses possession.
If you're gonna go for thirty five carries for two
hundred plus yards and three touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
This almost feels preordained.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You were talking about it weeks ago that they would
play for the division title in week eighteen. Now you
thought they'd both be eight and eight. Well, it turns
out they're both nine and seven. I thought back then
they'd be six and six. Remember when they met at
the first time, and I was right about that. I
thought then that they would end up being eight and
eight here. But yeah, I didn't think that.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Put it this way, I was not thinking my prediction
would come true a week ago. Today, when the Steels
are heading to Cleveland, what a terribly missed opportunity.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Well, Tomlin called an AFC Championship week, which is cornball
and and kind of cool at the same time. What's
your call, Tom, Who's gonna win?
Speaker 2 (34:24):
I think Ravens are gonna win. Twenty three seventeen feels right.
We're gonna shot Friday though, right, we'll do predictions then.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Yeah, but you reserve the right to change. That's true.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Right now for New Years, I'm feeling Ravens twenty three,
Steelers seventeen right now.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Are you gonna drink tonight? I don't know if I'm
going to drink that much. I like eight years. I
love a drink. You know what I'll have.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
There's this distillery I wish I remember the name. I'm
going to be there this weekend when I go see
get the let out. A distillery right by the Palace Theater.
And they make this blueberry whiskey. Oh and you mix
it with lemonade. It's the best cocktail I've ever had.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Is really good.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I will be having one of those tonight, but probably
only one if you made me pick right now.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
And I said this yesterday.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
I think the Steelers probably lose, but I only give
Baltimore a sixty forty edge.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I don't think it is overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
But I will say this, if Baltimore scores first, you
know they're gonna run, run, run till Derrick Henry takes
the playoffs away, Like they can't let Baltimore break down
quickly to a simple formula. Are you saying sixty forty
because do you think the Ravens can blow it themselves?
Like that's the main reason why you have the forty
percent on the Steelers, Like what have the Steelers done
that gives you that upidemic?
Speaker 1 (35:32):
That must be what I think, because at the beginning
of this show, I said what the Steelers had to
do to win this game? You know, like Cower said,
with the play action the tight ends times and I
would run the ball at least sixty percent of the time.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
And I think they have the intent to do none
of the above. They're not going to use the tight ends.
I know that for sure.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
They might try to commit to the run game initially,
but they're not going to use their tight ends. They
just don't want to use fire Ruth or Smith for
whatever reason. I don't get it. They gave fire with
all that money. I bet Rogers before the game goes, Hey, Mooth,
be ready one O five nine,
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