Tim Benz stories, Page 30

This month, the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County sent out a survey asking recent patrons of PPG Paints Arena if they would be interested in an NBA team (and/or a WNBA team) coming to Pittsburgh. I haven’t heard the results of the survey yet. But based...

Pittsburgh Steelers fans are keeping their eyes on some big-name NFL wide receivers dealing with contract issues. A former Pitt and WPIAL player is sticking with a Steelers rival in the AFC North. The cousin of a former Pitt standout is getting a look from the Steelers. And we try...

For as often as the Pittsburgh Penguins have made life difficult for themselves this season, they earned more breathing room than they were given Monday night. Unfortunately for them, thanks to two first-period disallowed goals on weak goalie interference interpretations, the Pens were forced to sweat out another result. Unlike...

Throughout the Pittsburgh Penguins’ recently concluded 10-game point streak with backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic in net, there was a different standard of evaluation for him as opposed to the franchise’s perceived No. 1 netminder, Tristan Jarry. Nedeljkovic backstopped the Pens to a 7-0-3 record in that span, largely by following...

Pittsburgh Steelers fans interested in their team acquiring Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins at wide receiver won’t be thrilled at news coming out of San Francisco and Cincinnati. We also preview the Penguins’ game against Nashville and the Pirates’ trip to New York. All that in Monday’s “First Call.” San...

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent charge back into playoff contention was fun and unexpected. But the reality check provided by their first loss without a point in three weeks has certainly exposed how wobbly that status truly was. By going 7-0-3 in their previous 10 games, the Penguins woke up Saturday...

For a while on Thursday night, it looked like all the Penguins’ old bugaboos would bite them again, ruining a solid effort in a vital game against the Detroit Red Wings. • Giving away momentum as soon as they establish it: Twice in the first period, the Red Wings scored...

As recently as March 7, the Pittsburgh sports landscape was looking pretty bleak. The Penguins became sellers at the trade deadline, shipping former All-Star Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. Steelers coaches and management were giving skeptical fans and media members a hard sell about why they were still optimistic...

This week, I didn’t defend a hometown hero after he got booed at PNC Park. I suggested that a Pittsburgh sports pariah get inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame. And I refused to advance a bogus politically correct women’s sports media narrative. So, as you could imagine, my social...

Thursday’s “First Call” has some Steelers international news to pass along. We study the team’s wide receiver position. We also look at the Penguins’ state of affairs heading into a huge game Thursday night. And the Pirates get set for a cross-state rivalry renewal. Staying stateside The Pittsburgh Steelers are...

The Pittsburgh Steelers lose a wide receiver to the New York Giants. The club is casting a wide net on some areas of need in advance of the draft. We recap a wild night in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. And we preview what’s next for the Pirates. Bye-bye, Boykin The...

Full marks to new Pittsburgh Pirate Rowdy Tellez. That was one heckuva media redirect that he orchestrated in front of David Bednar’s locker Tuesday afternoon. Before Bednar could speak with reporters in the wake of his third blown save in four opportunities this year, Tellez stepped in front of the...

Tuesday’s “First Call” takes a look at a high-profile offensive lineman on the Steelers’ draft board. A new Steelers defensive lineman discusses the reason why he chose Pittsburgh in free agency. We also examine the Pirates’ early offensive prowess and how the Penguins’ playoff prospects could be impacted by many...

Later this month, the Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to release the names of the franchise’s 2024 Hall of Fame inductees. It would be wise to include Barry Bonds’ name on that list. They should also include plans to retire his No. 24. People who have read my posts or listened...

There has been a lot of conversation about how much the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup has been lengthened this year. It’s certainly a big reason why the franchise is off to an 8-2 start to open 2024. The Pirates are fourth in Major League Baseball with 59 runs. The team’s on-base...

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent efforts to salvage their season, Mark Madden from 105.9 The X and TribLive points to one main reason. “This is all Sid,” Madden said during this week’s Madden Monday podcast. “All the usual suspects would say, ‘This is a team sport.’ Even...

Before Friday’s home opener at PNC Park, former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Leyland threw out the ceremonial first pitch to current manager Derek Shelton. In advance of the pregame festivities, both men discussed their strong relationship. From Leyland reaching out to Shelton when he got the job to their regular...

For any MLB manager, Opening Days are always memorable. For Jim Leyland, the first of his MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates was impossible to forget. As was the opponent, the fabled 1986 Mets. “You realized real quick these were the big boys,” Leyland told me Thursday on 105.9 FM....

As always, this week’s “U mad, bro?” relies on meat and potatoes: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback debates and Penguins trades. But we also branch out to some uncharted territory: concert bookings, World War II history, and, even more foreign of a concept, the NBA. Never accuse my readers and listeners of...

In Thursday’s “First Call,” the Pittsburgh Steelers could be expanding the family tree in the defensive backfield. Justin Fields’ jersey number is now known. Penguins fans are keeping an eye on the Eastern Conference standings. Pirates fans watched another unbeaten team go down as their own team was losing for...

The 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins have had their share of fatal flaws all year. • A lousy power play • A failure to hold multi-goal leads • Up-and-down goaltending • Giving up goals moments after scoring them • Disappointing results in three-on-three overtime • Poor performance on the road All of...