Tim Benz Columns category, Page 91
Tim Benz: Injury could prevent Tristan Jarry from silencing year-long playoff narrative
For Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, it must hurt on many levels. Not just the physical pain of his foot injury. Not just the emotional toll of missing out on the start of the playoffs after turning in an All-Star season. The hurt is about next season, too. Knowing that...
Tim Benz: You know who the Steelers got in the NFL draft. Let’s talk about what they didn’t get
It’s time again for the column you hate to love: “What the Steelers didn’t get in the draft.” Well, I love this column. My readers seem to hate it. But you sure do fill up my inbox and Twitter mentions to tell me as much. So you must at least...
Tim Benz: We’ve established Kenny Pickett’s ‘high floor,’ how high can his ceiling be?
When it comes to writing a sports column or hosting a sports talk show, there should be no easier topic to formulate a hot take about than the local NFL franchise drafting a first-round quarterback for the first time in 18 years. So, here’s mine as it relates to the...
First Call: Cameron Heyward already jabbing Steelers QB Kenny Pickett; Lamar Jackson unhappy with Ravens trade
Friday’s “First Call” features Cameron Heyward starting early with some online rookie mockery of new Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is unhappy with the trade of an offensive weapon. The Capitals keep losing which (theoretically) helps the Penguins. A Pittsburgh area hockey prospect is part of a...
Ben Roethlisberger recalls his draft day, suggests Steelers offensive line change, explains why a comeback won’t happen
On the morning of the NFL Draft, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined WDVE to reminisce about his own draft day back in 2004. You know, the last time the Steelers drafted a quarterback in the first round. Much like the 2022 edition, that year’s first round was marked with...
Tim Benz: Let’s not kid ourselves about what the drafting of Kenny Pickett means for Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph
Congratulations to Mitch Trubisky. His career as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback has ended without any losses, sacks or interceptions. Or any actual starts. Let’s be honest. Kenny Pickett is going to be the new starting quarterback for the Steelers. He will be the successor to Ben Roethlisberger. He has...
First Call: Steelers assistant coach tips hand about interest in QB; potential Baltimore trade may impact Steelers
Thursday’s “First Call” advances some late draft rumblings from Steelers headquarters. A potential Ravens trade may influence the Steelers’ draft options. And we are keeping an eye on a possible first-round playoff opponent for the Penguins. Second-hand endorsement This will make Poison singer Bret Michaels happy. According to NFL Network...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans’ pre-draft complaints; Pens fans’ pre-playoff concerns; Pitt fans have Kenny Pickett angst
It’s a “Draft Day” edition of “U mad, bro?” So, of course, Steelers fans are a little riled up. Pitt fans are, too, since Kenny Pickett is in play for the hometown NFL team. And Penguins fans are starting to think about the draft as well — before the playoffs...
Tim Benz, Matt Williamson’s draft preview: Keeping Terrell Edmunds shouldn’t stop Steelers from taking a first-round safety
For a long time this offseason, it looked like the Steelers’ most glaring position of need entering the NFL Draft was going to be at safety. For a long time this offseason, it looked like there weren’t going to be many good safety prospects to pick from in the first...
Tim Benz: For Penguins, water is finding its level as playoffs approach
Following the Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest defeat — a 5-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night — winger Kasperi Kapanen provided this assessment. “We know we are a good team,” Kapanen said. “Good teams have bad games, and today was one of those. … We know we are a...
Tim Benz, Matt Williamson’s draft preview: Jordan Davis is a dream too good to be true for Steelers defensive line
In a perfect world — well, my perfect world — the Steelers would draft Jordan Davis with the 20th overall selection in the first round of Thursday night’s NFL Draft. But in that perfect world, I’d also be writing this column beachside in Maui and getting paid $1 million per...
Tim Benz: NHL playoff expansion ideas are unnecessary, reward mediocrity
There has been a lot of talk this year about the NHL expanding its postseason format so that it becomes akin to what we see in the NBA. A “play-in” type of model that allows for the ninth and 10th seeds in each conference to play their way into the...
Madden Monday: Penguins will ‘lose their first-round playoff series … no matter who they play’
For a while now, I’ve held the opinion that the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be clear underdogs against whatever team they play in the first round of the NHL playoffs. That thought became further entrenched when it became likely that goaltender Tristan Jarry was going to be out —...
Tim Benz: The ‘assists before the assists’ make the difference as Penguins blank Boston
Sometimes two assists just aren’t enough. And sometimes it’s the assists before the assists that can help make a difference. That’s something the Penguins personified during Thursday night’s 4-0 victory over the Boston Bruins at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night. On the Penguins’ first goal in the first period,...
Tim Benz: Penguins players throw their weight — and hope — behind Casey DeSmith
Sure. It’s more than a little disingenuous. More than just a bit intellectually dishonest. But for fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins, what are they to do? Just give up when the playoffs start? Not watch the games? Yes. In Pittsburgh nowadays, there’s a lot of talking ourselves into believing when...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans tear into the Penguins, Pirates and even… the Maulers?
You didn’t think that just because the Pittsburgh Maulers are a start-up, minor league, spring football team that plays their home games in Birmingham, Ala., they’ll escape the wrath of “U mad, bro?”, did you? Hey, if “Pittsburgh” is in their name, they are not immune. The Steelers know this....
Tristan Jarry’s injury suddenly increases importance of Penguins’ playoff seeding
For months, my opinion on the state of the Pittsburgh Penguins has remained consistent. Given how clearcut the postseason hierarchy has been in the Eastern Conference, it’s been easy to conclude which teams would make the playoffs and which teams would be left out of the mix. The only question...
Tim Benz: After watching the Maulers’ 1st game, the new USFL has some things going for it … and at least 1 huge challenge
The newly rebooted USFL has some things going for it. But it’s got a few major hurdles to overcome if it wants to buck the trend of failure that other startup professional football leagues (not named the NFL) have endured. Including its 1980s predecessor with the same name. A good...
First Call: Is Diontae Johnson’s contract keeping him away from workouts? Tampa Bay mocks Maulers’ chicken salad saga
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Diontae Johnson seems displeased about a tweet from a Pittsburgh radio personality. Another free agent receiver from Johnson’s draft class may be of interest to the Steelers. Sidney Crosby reached out to a former Team Canada teammate after his comeback. And Todd Haley couldn’t let the...
Tim Benz: Penguins players praise Boston College’s Jerry York for historic career in wake of his retirement
When Boston College hockey coach Jerry York retired last week after 28 years on the job, he did so without all the fanfare that was directed toward Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. But York leaves his sport with a resume that is every bit as impressive. He does so while...
Madden Monday: After Tristan Jarry’s injury, Penguins are ‘hitting the trifecta of doom’
Many Penguins fans had talked themselves into a state of optimism regarding their team’s playoff chances during the regular season. And much of that hope was built on the premise that goaltender Tristan Jarry’s All-Star-worthy regular season was proof he had rebounded from his awful playoff series against the New...
First Call: Ohio State quarterback honors Dwayne Haskins; NFL team shows late interest in Kenny Pickett
Monday’s “First Call” takes a look at how former Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was honored by his college football alma mater over the weekend. Another NFL team is being tied to Kenny Pickett in advance of the draft. There was action in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. And we examine the...
Tim Benz: Start of 2022 reminds us of the many weird dynamics that go into being a Pirates fan
Everything about being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan is weird right now. Who am I kidding? It’s been weird most of my life. I’m 47. Over that time, I can cognitively remember about seven or eight years when I genuinely felt like this franchise had a chance to compete for a...
Tim Benz: Penguins earn a point, but there’s plenty to clean up before rematch with Islanders
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there were some things to like en route to grabbing a point on the road against the New York Islanders. Jake Guentzel had two goals and an assist. Jake Guentzel’s 18 even-strength goals on the road are tied for second in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/QHywV61GdX— Pittsburgh Penguins...
Tim Benz: How do Pirates evaluate Derek Shelton in vacuum of their own reality?
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday marked the third home opener at PNC Park for manager Derek Shelton. But it was the first one approaching what he dreamed of having before the word “coronavirus” became part of our everyday vocabulary. “You know your fans are...
