Tim Benz stories, Page 143

The word “luck” wasn’t often used in connection to the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers. Especially relating to injuries. • The team lost the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart. • The starting running back sat out six games and parts of four others. • The starting tight end missed two...

What are the Penguins getting in Evan Rodrigues and round two of Conor Sheary? Well, based on their first game since coming over from Buffalo, not much. Neither player had a point as the Penguins lost to Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Rodrigues didn’t have a shot on goal, a blocked...

Can you blame him for being frustrated? Five straight losses. By blowouts. By nail biters. Down to 6-12 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Pitt basketball coach Jeff Capel was decidedly frustrated after his team’s 72-49 loss to Syracuse at home Wednesday night. “We have guys who are taking playing here...

This week’s “U mad, bro?” is really rough on Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford. It’s also unkind to former Steeler Antonio Brown. And I didn’t come off very well either. John emailed me about the Penguins trades in recent weeks. He’s not thrilled with general manager Jim Rutherford dealing Dominik...

It’s time for our weekly hockey podcast with TribLive Penguins beat writer Seth Rorabaugh. Lots to kick around here. John Marino and Brian Dumoulin got back on the ice for practice Tuesday. We get an update on the potential for their returns. Also, Seth seems to think we shouldn’t give...

The National Football League is welcoming back longtime Steelers nemesis Vontaze Burfict. The NFL deserves whatever comes next as a result of this decision. Unfortunately, whatever player Burfict attacks next does not. According to NFL.com, the former Oakland Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker quietly got reinstated by the NFL last...

In Tuesday’s “First Call,” we look at the predictive powers of Conor Sheary. Deontay Wilder has a wild excuse for his loss to Tyson Fury. And Jose Altuve already got hit by a pitch. Premonition? Maybe Conor Sheary was right all along. The former Penguin was traded to the Buffalo...

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. The Pittsburgh Penguins were very active. They acquired forwards Patrick Marleau, Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues. Dominik Kahun goes up to Buffalo for Sheary and Rodrigues. A conditional third-round pick heads to San Jose for Marleau. Is that enough to make the...

Back on Feb. 10, when the Penguins acquired Jason Zucker from Minnesota, the question appeared to be: “Have the Penguins done enough to catch the Capitals atop the Metro Division?” That question is still very much up for debate. Now, on Feb. 25, another question needs to be asked: “Did...

For Monday’s “First Call,” we take a look at the many threads of conversation surrounding the NFL collective bargaining talks, a 17-game schedule, and the potential expansion of the playoff field to seven teams per conference. • J.J. Watt and Richard Sherman say the players shouldn’t like what has become...

Last Monday, it was tough to come up with a negative thing to say about the Pittsburgh Penguins. This Monday, it’s tough to find something good. The Pens have lost three games in a row. They’ve given up 14 goals in the defeats, and the Philadelphia Flyers are closing in...

Pitt’s athletic program has been placed on three years’ probation, and both the football and men’s basketball teams were given penalties for rules violations and cover-ups between August 2015 and March 2018. Oh no! Does that mean the legendary 7-7 football team that went to the ACC Championship Game has...

Friday’s “First Call” pays a visit to a familiar destination. Antonio Brown’s Twitter account. In an effort to maintain his self-titled nickname of “Mr. Big Chest,” the former Steelers receiver may have earned another. Mr. Big Headache. Actually, come to think of it, he has earned that nickname already, hasn’t...

ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell took on the heavy task of outlining the top five needs for every NFL team. Essentially, a team-by-team to-do list. It’s a good post. Some worthwhile suggestions. Especially for all the clubs in the AFC North. Definitely worth a read. We’ll take a look at his ideas...

Wednesday’s “First Call” features a Tom Brady update. Where is Chris Kreider going to wind up? Jason Zucker’s wife wins Twitter for a night. Destination TBA The Penguins decided to go in a different direction than Chris Kreider. The New York Rangers forward was believed to be a target of...

Of all the ridiculous things that were said by ESPN panelists over the past week regarding the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph situation, one of them genuinely made me laugh. In the moments after Mike Tomlin’s interview on “First Take” where he defended Rudolph against Garrett’s reiterated charge of a racial slur,...

I know what you are thinking. Easiest “U mad, bro?” week … ever! Wrong. Oh. In terms of volume? Yes. For sure. In the wake of Myles Garrett reiterating his charge that Mason Rudolph used a racial slur against him, Rudolph’s denial of it, and my opinions on it, I...

Maybe too much was made of it. But the quote did kinda just hang out there. After Jason Zucker’s first game with the Pittsburgh Penguins — a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last week — captain Sidney Crosby probably thought he was giving Zucker a compliment. “Regardless of...

Tuesday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast features our usual hockey chat with Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network. The two of us discuss how Jason Zucker is fitting in. We also analyze the various line combinations head coach Mike Sullivan is trying. Injuries continue to be a story. Brian Dumoulin...

In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Mason Rudolph responds to Mike Tomlin’s support. Myles Garrett’s corner is rallying, too. And Andrew McCutchen is trying to make a comeback in Philadelphia. Thanks, Coach Steelers coach Mike Tomlin publicly supported quarterback Mason Rudolph Monday. He vehemently refuted Myles Garrett’s reiterated claim that Rudolph used...

There’s a lot of ground to cover in this week’s “Madden Monday.” Mark Madden of 105.9 the X joins me to talk Penguins hockey, football and the start of another Major League Baseball season. We begin with the Penguins and their wins Friday and Sunday. They beat up on the...

Monday’s “First Call” features an NFL player suggesting Ben Roethlisberger tanked last season. Robert Morris got robbed on the basketball court Saturday. And a major twist in the NFL CBA that could impact the Steelers. Hot Take Thomas Last year, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Thomas Davis led his team in...

The only thing more maddening than the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph situation has been ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” coverage of it. It was biased, agenda-driven and, at times, vengeful. Not just toward Rudolph. But toward the Steelers as well. On Thursday, ESPN released a condensed version of an interview between Mina...