May 23, 2023
The Porch is Live - The Pirates Sailing, The Penguins GM and the Steelers QB
The Pirates - what do you expect? We'll talk about it... The Penguins are on a GM hunt... should they hire this guy from Toronto? The Steelers are weeks away from the preseason... can Kenny Pickett make the leap and will the D be better? Tune in and...
The Pirates - what do you expect? We'll talk about it... The Penguins are on a GM hunt... should they hire this guy from Toronto? The Steelers are weeks away from the preseason... can Kenny Pickett make the leap and will the D be better? Tune in and take part!
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Transcript
Whoo. Wow. That somebody was breathing really hard into the microphone there. I I I and it wasn't me. I it had to be the only one who has a microphone. Uh I think I think it was Amy. Uh okay whatever and Amy says hi guys. So hey listen. Welcome to The Sports Porch Pittsburgh. We're so happy you're here. Thanks for listening to The Sports Porch on the iHeartRadio app.
Podcast, Spotify, anywhere you get your podcast and of course you can catch us on The Porch is Live. com. The Porch is Live. com. The Porch is Live. com. And every single Sunday on American Busker iHeartRadio at 4 PM Eastern Time. So oh yeah and I do this every week. I I gotta do this because we we have to do a lot of explaining here. What are we doing right now? It's seven thirty PM Eastern Time. We are live on social media. We are on Facebook on the Sports Porch and on Pittsburgh Beautiful.
We're on LinkedIn. We're on YouTube. We're on Twitter. Uh we're all over the Place. This is a live show. It's Steve. It's His Mike. It this is a live show so we want you to get involved. We want you to drop your comments in the chat down below. Uh we talk primarily Pittsburgh Sports. We got a bunch of things we're going to talk about today between the Pirates and Steelers. Hockey Jesus is in town. Um what we're watching and so we want you to be involved and we thank you for being here.
Guys.
Well hello Chris. There you go. See? Um So the first thing we're going to I know it's nuts. First thing we're going to start tonight with tonight is something is Steve's favorite absolutely favorite subject and it's your Buckos report. Uh the Buckos report. The Buckos are currently winning right now. Um I believe. I'm I'm looking at the out of town not the out of town.
I'm looking at one to nothing Pirates. One to nothing Pirates in the fifth inning so hopefully hold. I'll get a yeah it's always the question with the Pirates but your Buckos report after every Pirates game on the podcast on iHeart Apple Spotify or wherever you get your podcast and I'm really enjoying doing it. I have a lot of fun with it.
Um you know, let's talk about the Pirates real quick. Uh are are they going to continue this I mean they just dropped two or three to the Diamondbacks I thought you know when they blasted 13 runs against Arizona at the start of the series after you know hitting Eduardo Rodriguez up for eight runs well not eight he they they got four against him but one of the better pitchers in the American League and then they chase one of the better pitchers in the National League I thought wow they you know their bats are coming back their bats are coming back but lately the last couple games well yesterday's game was just abysmal from a fielding and a pitching standpoint just because of all the wild pitches and the errors.
And I believe they said what was that? The the last time that they had five wild pitches in a game was nineteen oh one. Yeah it's like 100 years. 00 years. DG is in the house. Greetings DG. Thank you for being here as always. Um I'll tell you what do I think the issue with the Pirates is. Here's what here's what I really think.
Okay. Want to tell us what really think. I will. I will and I'm going to do that right now. Um I think the issue with the Pirates is an issue that won't be solved and and I think I think we know why. Uh Luke is in the house. Long time no see. What's up Luke? Good to see you. Thanks for being here again.
Uh they do not have a number 4 hitter. They don't have anybody in that lineup that that anybody is afraid to pitch to. Okay and and and I said this yesterday on the Buckos report and what I is let's let's get serious okay nobody is afraid of Brian Reynolds alright he's a good player he's an above average baseball player on when he when he plays really well he's an all-star candidate but you're not afraid to pitch to him okay and and I don't have to go down the line up McCutcheon in his prime he was a guy you had to be afraid to pitch to and and yes with his experience you know you gotta make good pitches against him but they got nobody in that lineup who's going to crush 35 or 40 home runs and bat 260 and and get 100 RBIs and and in all honesty with the lineup where it is right now and and I've watched this lineup day in and day out now I really think if this was any other team that was willing to spend some money that in that lineup they really are one piece away and it's that's the piece But that's the piece they're not going to get.
There's not going to be an Aaron judge in the Pirates lineup now or anytime in the future unless he develops and then we know what happens when they develop because they want to be paid and the Pirates don't want to pay him and I'm tired of hearing this. Well he finally poning up 100 million for Brian Reynolds. Hey look that was the cheap version of trying to keep the band to okay because he also pony $8585 million dollars for Kabrian Hayes who you know his Hayes yeah for Willie Mays Hayes his defense is decent but I don't think it's in the upper echelon of the league I've watched the guy play he's good at defense he finally found a good spot you know bat number five in the lineup which is where I thought he belonged all along but if they take that line up and they put Juan Bay first McCutcheon second Reynolds third you know who's going to be fourth Swinski or Santana and then Hayes fifth and then you know fill it out from there that's the lineup they should play with but the bullpen is already overworked as is evidence by what happened yesterday you know they're they're tied three three going into the sixth inning the seventh happens Stevenson comes in and bang the whole game falls apart now the wild pitches and the errors didn't help either but you know I I I just think this is a team that's missing one piece I think it's be a struggle to play 500 for the rest of the season because ownership is most likely not going to add.
Uh you guys get your thoughts in on this real talk. Well, I would just say one thing you're incorrect about is they are missing more than one piece.
Okay, I don't mean that that one piece would would put them completely over the top. What I'm saying is it would complete them as far as being a competitive team day in and day out.
That's all. I mean they sort of are competitive day in day out. Not really. Not not lately. No. No. Not maybe not lately but their last like nineteen games. That's not. Yeah but you gotta count you gotta count the good with the bad too. Those early games count.
They do. They they really do and and I I look you guys have accused me of being overly positive. I'm just trying to swing that pendulum back. You know lace up your cleats and bat forth. I think Amy's on to something here. I'm in. I'm in. I'm telling you right now I can hit that long ball. Earlier on another program you were professing your skills as a baseball player which surprised me.
Yeah but weren't weren't you weren't you a short stop? Finally Steve says something. Uh I was you have a short stop build. I was a you're funny. I was well he did back in the day Mike.
Okay Luke. He's like a catcher dude.
I I did it all man. I played first base. I was a short stop and I caught. Yes. Those are my primary positions. So we're all right. So you you are. You're you're all completely right. Luke says why does this owner not want better Steve? You want to take that question? Uh well his better means more money. Right. So anytime he has to shell out more money that's not better to him. That's actually a worse team. Right. So so you have to get the definition of better correct Luke in in the mind of the owner before you can decide what is better for the team.
Now we think better is putting a product out there.
I'm in the weird position of defending the Pirates in this case. So I'll do it for a brief second. But O'Neal Cruz was the you're talking about and he got hurt. True. So they got dealt a bad hand at the beginning of the season when they were performing well. So what you're right. Most teams would then say well we're playing well. Let's keep this thing going.
We'll go out and get somebody to fill that position and we all know just like you said perfectly that the Pirates organization does not think that way. So there's really nothing you can do and and I might Mark is perfectly right too. Not only do they not have a a fourth cleanup hitter, they don't have a number one hitter and that's probably their biggest problem because what the Pirates need to do is get on base, use their speed and their intelligence to you know, to scrap out a few runs and then maybe if they get enough quality starts, then, you know, they got a chance at at at being competitive.
Their problem is mostly the way I see it is is is that before you get to the reliever pitcher when they don't have quality starts there is there's nothing but garbage there and they they try to make it work but they they can't make it work so so couple that with bad hitting and not having a number one guy and or a number four guy you bring in Kutch who is only going to get worse as year goes on because he's Sorry.
I apologize. I I I should have muted it while I did that. I had something to get. I had something I had to get off my screen. Yeah. Sorry Mark. Sorry Mark.
Jumped out of an airliner.
Next time just yell at me as opposed to hit me with that glass of cold air. I thought I could get rid of you with the spray. Yeah. But yeah I mean. Mosquito. Those are those are the pirates problems in in in the most concise way I can say it because I would rather talk about the scrunchie in my hair than talk about the Pirates on the television.
Of course, of course, the scrunchie in your hair. Yeah, I don't this is this is the quandary that that that you're in Luke with with the Pirates is that in any other basic basically in any other industry when when you have as poor a product that the Pirates have Had in previous years and this year is kind of a we'll see but we kind of know where where this is going to go.
We hope not but you would lose money but in Major League Baseball you you you you pretty much can't lose money and so the decision is do you take the money that the league gives you because of revenue sharing and TV and all that other kind of stuff and you use it to improve your team and pocket some cash or do you just take all the cash and I'm over simplifying it but Nutting takes all the cash and unfortunately that leaves the fans in a lurch and I don't know we're we're used to losing around here we really are when it when it comes to that and it really really sucks and then you make a big signing before Brian Reynolds that was wiggle whiskey yeah good point Mark exactly exactly and I am I am you know perplexed by the Kabrian Hayes signing last year and the Reynolds signing this year it's it's to me and this is just my opinion to me this is kind of like ownership's best excuse for saying hey look we signed them you know okay well great alright let let that's great so now you're taking a younger player in Kabrian Hayes and a guy who is relatively young but believe it or not, Reynolds was one of the guys they got for the Cuts trade a few years ago.
So, but you you're taking a guy like Reynolds and and you're locking em up, you know, in a Pirates uniform and to me, if I'm those guys, you're destroying their career. I mean, you know, they don't see it that way. Obviously, I get it but what they were doing, they were trying to take a gamble on let's bet on this guy we can get him at a really good price if he turns out to be a superstar.
Yeah well that's right but I think if Reynolds was going to be a superstar you'd know that by now. Cabrian Hayes the jury's still out but I don't like his bat you know. I was talking about Cabrian Hayes. Oh you were talking about Cabrian Hayes. Okay. Okay. So right. He he's got he's got decent defense and all that. So you know what what's happening now well there there it's a regression to the mean and what we have to hope is in all honesty that that means stays there and if they're going to stay relevant they can stay relevant top of the six Pittsburgh is leading Texas one to nothing and I just want to look at okay so Luis Ortiz is pitching and the last time he pitched he looked horrible he's holding it together this time so you know the other thing they have is Mitch Keller he he's he looks like he is finally hit his stride as a pitcher and we'll see by the end of the by the end of this year we'll know but you know that he brings up if he's that good if he really is that good I'm I remember another guy named Garrett Cole so you know he's not he's not Garrett Cole good no no no that's what I was going to say the Pirates uniform you better hope that Max Keller starts pitching a little more poorly because Mitch he screams deadline, doesn't he? I don't think he's that good I don't think I don't think somebody's going to come and get him maybe for their third or fourth starter but yeah no I mean I think a lot of teams look for a guy like that I mean everybody's always looking for pitching right but I don't know I'd be surprised but then again I mean it is the Pirates we usually are sellers at the trade deadline hey where are we in the wildcard standings anyways are we even in the in the discussion anymore tied for it yeah they're they're in second place and let's see I'll I'll pull up the standings right now while while we're doing this.
Because I mean you know we talk about this all the time and a regression to the mean for the Pirates means you know two fifty. They're tied for the last wildcard spot right now. Yeah so I mean if they can if they can stay there or stay you know within three or four games of the last wildcard spot I think that's the best we can hope for at this point you know.
Right. Right. Right. That's not that's better than last year. It is.
Oh yeah. Well, it doesn't take much to be better than last year but but right. So, you know, I I I still do the Buckos report. I'm going to keep doing em. Uh so, I want to remind you guys and I I want to express my appreciation for everybody that does listen to the Buckos report and there are a lot of people that do. I was actually very surprised but you can catch your Buckos report after every Pirates game on the podcast on iHeart, Apple, Spotify, anywhere you get your podcast and I'll get in tonight after the show and I'm going to keep doing them.
I said I would do them until they're back under 500. I don't know. I think I'm just going to keep doing them because I I really do enjoy it and and some point you're going to run out of sinking pirate ships though. I know. I know. I did. You did throw a couple Jolly Rogers in there though. I I did. Maybe for a loss maybe show somebody you know walking off a plank.
Yeah. Oh that's a good idea. Mix it up with that a little bit. Thank you. Thank you Schwabber. I appreciate that. Yes. AI is only as creative as it's the person doing the input and yeah I was running out of ideas. There you go. You come to the best.
Alright. Alright. Alright. Steve wants to talk about the Steelers and so do you Mark. So I'm going to let you guys take it. There was some news today that I heard about. A certain a certain ex quarterback possible most likely hall of famer who had some things to to admit to as far as the individual who I I have my man crush on Kenny Pickett.
So you guys take it away. Yeah Ben said that he Had to admit that he wasn't exactly rooting for him when he first came in last year and it was really just more about it was more about him not wanting to be forgotten quickly. Um is that is that just ridiculous? Well, you know, here's the thing. I mean, I I would say on one hand and I heard a lot of people like, hey, it's really cool that he's being honest.
Who hasn't had bad thoughts? Which I kind of agree with. But on the other hand I still feel like if that was something that I felt I would have kept that to myself. Mhm. Just kind of makes you sound like a jerk. Yeah. Like what do you mean? Like why would people forget you? You won two Super Bowls. You're a hall of fame quarterback.
Why are they going to forget you? Yeah don't try too hard. Are you still that fragile? Yes. Well I found I I found it ironic that he's speaking up now because you know when Ben was a quarterback he didn't really have many like memorable things that he said. You know he wasn't a he wasn't a big voice for the Steelers you know.
Every time he said something he'd say the right thing or he wouldn't want to you know make ripples. You know he just he just said the right things and and just kind of kept to himself. It's really interesting now that he's got his own his own podcast that he's really kind of saying controversial things. And I don't know if that's just for his podcast.
I it makes me wonder. It really does.
Because maybe maybe it is true. Maybe that's what he was thinking but I think he's playing it up a little bit just to get people to tune in and make him more relevant now which I think is sad actually because I like I like football players when they're done playing football just to be quiet. Kinda like ex presidents. It's like you know you were you were president once.
You're not president anymore. Just go make your paintings down in your Texas Ranch and everybody will be happy. You know? You know and and and that's the way that's the way I feel about my ex quarterback like I I mean I actually I actually do like the fact that he does have a podcast because I think he'll have some good perspective on you know what happens inside the Steelers organization but I think he's probably fairly limited in what he'll actually say about the Steelers organizations because remember who runs the city of Pittsburgh it's not Mayor Gainey it's the right so you know I mean you know he better watch Himself and how far he goes in in talking about that but.
Interesting. I think you bring that up. Did you hear what he said in his interview with Bill Cower? Uh no I didn't I didn't really listen to that interview. Yeah it gets right to your Rooney point. He apparently and and Amy brought this up. She she shared with me. She was listening and apparently Ben had always felt a little off put I guess in that he had heard from people that he Cower's first choice for quarterback.
Uh that it was either you know man Eli Manning or Rivers. I've heard this story before but go on. Right and so and so he he asked Cower you know on air. Is that true? And Cower said no it's not true. And then Ben said well that's what Art Rooney said to me. And he said well you know he says a lot of things and when you're the owner of the Steelers you can say whatever you want.
Hm. And he and I mean so there's another owner who you don't really hear from very much either I think that's why it's surprising that you know Ben speaking out a little bit now actually I think what's even more surprising than Ben speaking out is the fact that Kenny Pickett's going on these interviews in in in in the off season he's not really saying much like the things that he's saying like have you heard anything about what Kenny Pickett saying no he so he's not really saying anything of any substance so I don't even know why he's going on these interviews to be honest with you.
Maybe he's just trying to become more of a voice of the the offense. I don't really know but it doesn't seem like it doesn't seem like it's doing him any good all these interviews. Well I I I don't you know when it comes to Ben and what he's saying I I I honestly I think it's ridiculous. Well I mean why you know Luke made a good point he he said he said how are we going to forget about him after all the good times you know what I mean yeah we're not like Terry Bradshaw did not leave Pittsburgh with the you know with terms on the best of terms but you know it's years later now and everybody loves Terry okay I mean Bradshaw he won four Super Bowls you know he's he's he's he's a he's a great guy the the city loves him you know he gets a pretty good reception when he comes back now nobody's ever going to forget what he did Nice family.
Love the Barachshaw bunch. Yeah.
Yeah. Seriously but but you know but that's a show right? That's his his realities though. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I mean I I think that shows that that Ben does not have a level of maturity that a guy his age and and you know you guys he he's almost 20 years younger than we are but I mean seriously grow up okay grow up.
You had a whole fame career. You won two Super Bowls. You are the number one quarterback for the arguably most storied franchise in the NFL. Um you set most of the records. Uh the town loved you in spite of the trouble that you got into earlier in your career. Everybody was willing to look the other way. And give you another chance. In today's NFL you'd be gone And you have the nerve to sit there and say I didn't really want Kenny Pickett to do well.
Well cry me a freaking river. Okay? Sounds like you're being very protective of Kenny Pickett of course. Of course. Of course. But I gotta tell you if if this had happened to Ben. If when Ben came in Cordell Stewart was like I don't really like him. I was hoping he would fail I'd be like Cordell get the hell out of town.
And and honestly if you're going to come on a podcast on your own podcast and play that kind of BS up. I'm not going to listen to your podcast. Okay. Right now. Well you don't anyway. Right now the sports officially reaching out to Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah come on. Come on our show and face the music.
We love you. Absolutely. We want you to stand up for yourself. Come on. And defend that line of thinking and tell me hold on. Tell me how that makes you a champion. Champions Don't Think way. You should want the Steelers next quarterback to be just as successful as you were to continue the tradition. If you're not, if you don't feel that way, you were never the Steelers quarterback because that's not how they play football around here.
Well, he did come around to that thinking by the way. At the end, at the at the end of everything, he said. Yeah. After I got over myself. No. My ego. God said. He he said that he found himself for Kenny Pickett because. Okay. He realized that he has all the talent and that the Steelers were lucky to get him when they did and the fans should be thrilled that he's their quarterback for the future.
Yeah. Honestly, that I mean just to just to just to be fair to the whole story. Okay. Okay. Can we get can we get Darcy in the studio to reach out to Ben's people? Yeah, please. Darcy, yes, get on that Darcy. I I didn't I didn't I didn't realize we made a hire. Yeah. We did we yeah Sorry. Didn't kick didn't get you up to speed yet. That's great.
I'm glad we got somebody that bird dog these things. Darcy's on it. Darcy Blevins. Darcy Blevins. Wait wait a minute. Wait a minute. What's this question here? Think Thomas a little bit about let's wait wait one second three quarterbacks yeah. Yeah one second. We'll get to the quarterback. Go ahead put that back up. Yeah Tolski and Duba are are going to be in the hockey segment. Oh. Um we'll be talking we'll be talking about that right after this segment.
So Robert stick around in about five to 10 minutes you'll get your answer. Oh yeah. Versus Robert but we're coming with with that for you. So so once again we want to extend an invitation to Ben Roethlisberger to come in here. Come in to the Gauntlet. Um three old guys you know we're not we're not insiders. We got a space right beside me.
Either here or or this side. Whatever going on. Ben I I may have a better Nerf career than you. Yeah that's possible. That's possible. I I don't think so. Yeah. You have to yeah. I don't think he won any championships in in their football. Maybe Ben can be the number four hitter for the Pirates. And then and then if he like you know if he's successful.
I don't think Ben has Bo Jackson like skills.
Talk about the three quarterbacks being back resigned. Rudolph resigned. This is an E one. This is a softball. Just set it up there for me, Mark. I'm going to knock it out of the park. There you go. Why? Why? Because the NFL just created a new rule that said, you are allowed to dress three quarterbacks every game. Do you know what they're calling that role? The Purdy rule.
No, the 40 Winers rule. Oh, well, maybe maybe maybe that's what they're calling it in Philadelphia and and I would agree by the way but yeah, that's it. That's all it is. So, now they can dress three quarterbacks so why not have three quarterbacks signed. Actually, still think that Mason and you know the extension on Trubisky were just poised to try and get him out of here honestly but maybe not I could be wrong with about that I guess it's good to have one backup quarterback but to have two of that caliber I don't know seems like a waste of salary Yeah well I think that I mean the rule aside where was Mason going to go? Okay.
Uh he does know the system and Trubisky was already locked up for what two years or three I can't remember for some capital leaf that's what happened right right so he was signed for next this coming season right but they signed him they they added two years on to it okay so so I mean he may or may not be around for that long so you know I I think that the status quo was always going to be where this was going to go because you know what you have with Rudolph for or for worse and there's a guy that knows the system and I don't think anybody else was going to offer him a job he would've got a job somewhere I don't know would have had to have been released probably I I I I yeah I mean I I I don't know DG says it's not really waste if they get him for the veteran minimum they're right there yes let's answer me this question though because I I know you guys will oppose my my stand point here.
Now I do I do agree and believe that you know the the Steelers are 100percent all in on Kenny Pickett. I mean there's no doubt about that. I mean he's he's going to be expected to be the starter this year and and hopefully noone else gets on the field. Um but with the fact that I guess Pickett now has you know a concussion issue from last year. Um coupled with the fact that he kind of came on at the end of last year.
Um but still hasn't thrown two touchdowns in a game I think they're hoping and expecting that he is going to round into a very good quarterback but I'm not sure that they're 100% sold and I wonder like you know if god forbid the Steelers got off to a bad start let's say they start two and six that's not what we predicted that's not what we predicted I did have them at oh and three though but let's let's say started it let's say they started two and six you know and and and Pickett's play has been poor you know maybe they go to Trubisky because you know you know Steelers and Tomlin they're all about winning I want to start this right now Schwab I I I don't want to start this right now but Mark Mark brings up a good point that would be a reason to keep three quarterbacks oh yeah yeah I I I get it and the NFL change the rule and that's that's the way it works I totally understand I don't think they're sold on Kenny.
I I mean I do agree with Mark. I don't think they're sold on Kenny Pickett 1 00% because look I I I love them coming out of college. Everybody knows I'm a Kenny Pickett fan. I right now am a Kenny Pickett fan because of his marvelous hair. No.
No. That's a good reason actually. No no no no. Do you think he wears a scrunchie? Uh I I'm tired of your freaking scrunchies. I I bet he does. I bet he does. Yeah he probably go man bun. Yeah and he can pull it off, okay? Um and. It sounded like a slight to me. Anyway, I'm always sliding you.
Okay, okay, okay, look, let's get back on track here. Well, here here's here's my name is not. Here's the others. Let me finish that thought. Let me just finish that thought for real. I am I am a I am a Kenny Pickett fan because coming out of college, I thought he had the maturity and he looked like he could manage the game, okay? I think he is dedicated to it he's a hard worker and he does have the technical skills and he's got the mind to play the position but in the NFL in the NFL okay the small sample that we have which is a it's a reasonable sample from last year he has not proven to me at all that he can be a good quarterback in the NFL I don't care what anybody says look you know yeah he had those late come from behind victories year but look man you gotta you gotta put the numbers up you have to have a good completion percentage you have to throw touchdown passes you have to do it when it matters which is the entire game and this is the year where he has to prove that so are they 100% all in on him this year yeah to start the year he's the quarterback that's an advantage that he didn't have last year but are they sold on him being the answer I don't think they're sold on being the complete answer yet but they're not going to say that publicly.
You know, I will. I'm not sold on him being the complete answer. I want him to be but I'm not sold on it.
Okay, I'm done.
The only thing that I was going to say is one of the things that they could've done is they could've just not brought Trubisky back or tried to move him and so therefore, there would be no question at all that it's Kenny Pickett team and he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder at all. Now some folks might say well hey he should be able to handle that but you know there's there's other situations where you just say hey look if Kenny Pickett's our guy and he goes down then we're screwed anyway.
So why even have anybody there? Yeah I like that thinking more so than signing these other two guys as backups and I think the thing about the thing about Pickett that everybody said last year was well he might not be good this year but he shown that when he's in the system for long that eventually gets it like remember when he was at Pittsburgh like he wasn't very he wasn't very good and then he kind of came along and then he actually was very good at the end good enough to receive some Heisman trophy votes you know the first guys you know since Dorset to do that so to me I think that's why you gotta stick with him because that's who he is he's not a great talent right up front he's not you know he's not Trevor Lawrence who had a terrible first season you know so so I don't think he has as much upside but he's gotta show progress this year and I agree with you Chris that the proof and the progress is you have to throw at least a touchdown every game and some games you have to throw three or four touchdowns you have to show you can be the man the problem with that is and I hate to use this as a crutch but we all know it's true is he's running Canada's offense yes and and that's that's not what this offense is geared to do so there's always going to be that but he's running Canada's offense **** and and as long as that's in play there's always going to be that well maybe we don't really need a great quarterback we just need somebody good and that's part of the problem in this equation for us to analyze is what is it and then we'll be talking about this all year by the way yeah of course we will and and I I just can't express to you how perplexing it is and I think you guys are on the same page with me as this that Matt Canada is still the offensive coordinator of the Steelers.
I it is one of the most perplexing questions in sports. Uh I'm just you'd agree or disagree. No, I think I think last year when the Penguins didn't go out and get a goalie, that was more perplexing than this. Well, you're more, you're hockey Jesus so of course, you agree that way but but I mean in all all seriousness I I cannot for the life of me figure out why that guy is calling the plays now it's a loyal it's a loyalty thing Chris we're stuck with it this year I know what it is that that's what I that's what I was saying last year was we're stuck with it I I get it I get it but but that to me that's like you said Steve you know yeah Houston the Mac Canada offense.
Alright how how much longer are you going to stunt this kid's growth by having this this this guy that I mean good lord. Okay. Enough of that. So as far as the Steelers go you know there's there's not much more to talk about at this point. We've invited Ben on the show. So hopefully and maybe Darcy can reach out to him. Who the hell is Darcy? Darcy Blevins.
Darcy Blevins. You Haven't met Darcy yet? Darcy. She's our she's our booking agent. Uh oh. Yeah.
God Chris. So much. Stick stick with the technical director. So much goes on here that I have no idea about. Okay. He's in sales Chris. Oh that's right. You're the IT guy. That's right.
I am. I've got enough on my plate already so I got it. I got it. Um okay. Alright. Hockey Jesus and I want to remind you that the hockey Jesus during the season preaches after every single Penguins game on the Sports Sports Podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Apple Podcast or anywhere you get your podcast and right now, he's paying extremely close attention to the Stanley Cup Playoffs even though our beloved Penguins are not there but I think the first thing you want to talk about is the the potential GM hire that that that we got we're we're working on.
The guy from Toronto, right? I did hear an argument about that today. You might have heard Same thing but but tell us what you got Steve. Tell us what you're thinking about. I love how you just call him the guy from Toronto. Yeah I can't remember. You know there's a movie. There's a movie called that. The guy from Toronto? It's pretty good.
Yeah. Is it? Is it Dubas? Yeah it's Dubis. Thank you David. Thank you David. Yeah. It's Kyle Dubis. Yeah that's right. Actually still he is still Toronto's general manager. Well I guess technically he doesn't have a contract now that there's over. Yeah so so So I mean so in order for the Penguins to talk to him they actually have to ask Toronto if they're allowed to talk to him.
And supposedly that hasn't even happened yet. Oh no no no. I do have an update on that. I heard I heard today that they've been given permission. Um that's not what my sources say. My sources from Sportsnet said they're expected to but I haven't heard that they actually have. Your source isn't Darcy then is it? No no my sources is not Darcy.
So if you're using if you're using Darcy as your source I think you need to find another source but no I I I think so so they interviewed about 20 people in the first round of interviews but in the second round of interviews they've kind of narrowed it down the five and Eric Tulsi is definitely one of them he's currently Carolina Hurricane's assistant GM I guess he supposedly knocked it out of the park they really like the things he had to say which is a little scary because if you're watching these hockey playoffs like I am I hate the way the Hurricanes play I think it's terrible so I'm not so sure about Tolski but I think he's I think he's an interesting hire the other guy obviously Kyle Dubis we just talked about from Toronto you know he's a wiz supposedly but what is he really done in Toronto that really makes you excited not too much I mean early exits you know and you know that's not really what the Penguins are looking for Um they also interviewed Dan MacKinnon.
He's a Devil's assistant GM. That's actually pretty exciting to me because I think the Devils really did a good job although boy they they really they really had a lot of first round picks to be able to to build the team that they have but I think they're finally getting it together. I don't think the Penguins have that kind of runway so he I don't think would be a great pick.
Um they also have Jason Carminos. He's formerly he's actually so Carminos I think in MacKinnon are former no Tuls I think it I think it was MacKinnon they're four they were in the Penguins organization for a little while before they moved on to other positions Carmenos went to Buffalo when Botterroll went there surprisingly I didn't see Botterol's name on the list in in the second round of interviews so I don't know if that means that they've they're already thinking of hiring him for her position remember they're they're hiring for two position here.
Uh vice you know president of hockey operations and the general manager. So maybe the maybe they already have already picked one that they're not interviewing for a second interview. They already know who one of those positions are going to be. Uh two other two other names. Uh Steve Greeley he's actually currently with the Dallas Stars. He I think has ties with Boston University which is where a lot of players and and Sully is from.
So I think there's just some friendliness there and Methu Darsh he's the director currently the director of hockey ops for Tampa Bay Lightning I I think I think actually somebody like that makes more sense veteran players trying to get younger that's kind of what Tampa Bay did when they won their back to backs I think he might be a better immediate fit but I think you know somebody like Tolski or Carmenos might be looking you know further out I fully expect that the the Penguins will pull the trigger this week and and hire a GM and or Director president of hockey operations.
They gotta they gotta they gotta make a decision soon and the fact that they're on the second rounds leads me to believe they're pretty close. So I bet by Friday this week the Penguins will name somebody. I'm going to go out on a limb. I think they are going to go with Tolski. I don't know if they can do that with the Hurricane still playing but they must because they're interviewing with the guy unless unless Dubis comes in and just knocks their socks off then I think Dubis might be in the mix but I think they'll probably go with somebody more familiar like Carmeno's you know formerly in the Penguins organization I think he's just just just a familiar face unfortunately I think that's the way it works unless Sully has some play then you might see you might see Greeley come in maybe as a director of operations and not a GM because he's more of a strategic guy not really not really a GM you know boots on the ground type guy so those are that's that's what I got I mean it's it it's coming down to an end I'm I'm happy that the Penguins will finally have a GM again not from the Philadelphia Flyers organization and I think that can only mean that can only mean better things for the 23 twenty-fourseason so I heard an argument today that Duvis is not the guy that he essentially is not as bad as Hextaw obviously but you know hasn't been able to get Toronto over the hump if you were to would you would you prefer Dubis because in the past you've talked about him? Um what I prefer Dubis I I what the thing I like about Dubis is he'll bring in some analytics that the Penguins currently aren't looking at and he has play he has managed superstars so I think that's really important although they're younger superstars I think that's a little bit different so but I but I think he's got the ability to be able to know who fits on what line because I think I think Toronto I I I think Toronto as a team is actually gotten better.
You know what I mean? Like before they only had a couple superstars and everybody thought because they had a couple superstars they were going to go all the way. Well he actually put together you know second and third and fourth lines and he actually was able to keep some of those guys like Nylander and and the problem is he could never get a goalie.
He they never had a goalie. He brought Matt Murray in to be his number one goalie. Right and he didn't even play one single playoff game. So I mean you know and he only played like I think 3030 games for for Toronto and that was early in the season when they weren't playing well so so I don't know I don't I'm I don't think he's like if they hire him I don't think it's like oh great we're going to we're going to win the Stanley Cup or we're going to be back to greatness I don't think he's I don't think he's that kind of hire personally I don't think that kind of hire is out there that's why I'd rather them get somebody who's kind of been through this rebuild already and just kind of look towards the future because the next GM's gotta last more than you know 2 years well yeah yeah yeah well and they got handed a raw deal when when they the dude Rutherford you know left and hexed all came in and then he then he buggered up all the contracts and all that kind of stuff so for sure so I think they really need to look to somebody who can identify talent and figure out where it goes on the team and do that within the cap I think they I think that's going to be really important for the for the GM to come in right away and by the way I think the director of of hockey operations need to somehow get Mario Lemieux back into the fold.
I think with the selling of you know Mario sold his shares out to FSG. I still think that there needs to be a place for Mario Lemieux in the organization so that you know when things aren't going so well they can at least you know make Mario you know kind of the face of you know hey we still got our great guys around and you know the guy did save hockey in Pittsburgh so I think they need to make him part of that whoever hire is whoever they hire as director of hockey operations.
Which by the way that would mean Mark Bergevin should be the director of hockey operations. If you hear that if you hear that Mark Bergeven and I didn't mention his name because he's not in the second round of interviews. But if they if you hear his name as director of hockey operations then you know for a fact they're thinking of bringing Lemu back in because Bergevin and and Mario are are like best friends there.
Okay. So we got the we got the third round of the playoffs going. Um looking forward to obviously the Hockey Jesus when the Stanley Cup Finals are around but what's going on there real quick before we move on to what we're watching? Well, the Hockey Jesus is is laying an absolute turd. I have I have yet to win a single game.
I I had both my teams that are going to win down oh two after two games each. The the thing that's really interesting about the playoffs the the Eastern and Western Conference Finals all four games have gone to overtime in fact the the first Carolina game went to four overtimes wow yeah that's right it did yeah four overtime it's crazy and actually I stayed up to watch two of them but after two I'm like good for you no I I I gotta be out on this and let me tell you the hockey is just terrible it's bad hockey like I I love hockey so I watch it no matter what but some of those Carolina Florida games I mean they have like 15 shots at the total at the end of the second period I mean nobody wants to watch that kind of hockey and this is the problem this is why NHL is such a niche sport because you have teams who you know people might like that style of hockey where it's kind of like not a lot of flash and you know it's really tight and you know there's a lot of you know the games are always close but the hockey is just not good it's not flashy you know people aren't scoring and they're not celebrating that's what people really want to see I get the hockey purest you know they they love the close games in the goalie battles and you know getting in the lanes of not getting shots on goal to me it's about scoring and you're just not seeing any of that left and we knew that was going to be the case after you know Colorado and Boston you know bowed and then Edmonton didn't make it to the Western Conference Finals we knew that this was going to be the kind of game that was going to be going on so that's what's going on Dallas is down to nothing Vegas is up to nothing they won both of their games at home Florida I don't know what they're drinking in the water down in Florida but I mean between them and the Heat they're just they might sweep both of their series and Florida's up to nothing and they beat Carolina on the at home and and Carolina's been lights out at home but Florida two overtime wins too overtime wins and Florida get this has an eight game winning streak on the road in the playoffs that's ridiculous I mean that's ridiculous I mean you never hear that but I hate Florida I hope they end up losing the next four they were really hot at the end of the season though you know well think of think about it if you're Pittsburgh Penguins beat Chicago and I even forget who they lost to now because I blast Columbus.
Columbus. Right. If they would've beat both of those teams, Florida wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Right. So. It's the same thing with the Miami Heat. They were a playing team. Yeah. Right. Same thing. Yeah. So so yeah so yeah they got and they weren't actually that hot because you know remember like they lost the game before the game they had to win. So they were they were just playing like 500 hockey.
Right. But but they really turned it when they got to the playoffs. So my buddy Jeff is in the house. Hello everyone. What is he talking about here? Big 33 game. Oh it's a Pennsylvania thing. That's what I thought. Preseason preseason football for high school like nobody unless you're in the Hershey area. Yeah. You know really care about the big 33 game. Yeah. Yeah. Well that means almost nobody. Jeff was a football player at York Suburban.
So you know in this vaunted York Suburban years.
Huh? Was he any good? Was he any good? Did he score a touchdown? He he was good if he scored a touchdown. He was big. That's all I can say. Oh so he was he was an offline.
Broderick Jones want to be? I don't know. He's not that big. All all he he's gotta be laughing right now because listen man I didn't defensive line with no sacks. I think he was Jeff were you offensive line or defensive line? I think he might have played a little bit of both. Well then he then he wasn't popular he just got his headbeat around which means he probably has concussions now which makes sense why he's friends with you there yes wow that was a great that was a great connection Steve thank you and he would probably contruth yeah and if he if he didn't have such trouble with his memory because of those those concussions he would probably remember that and here he said yeah laugh a lot I played offensive line that's right he was an offensive lineman did he play guard or center or tackle do we really have to Does it matter? Oh because guards suck.
Actually Scott Keefer was a guard. He would take Keefer was a guard? Exactly. Oh left tackle. So you he was like the Jason Peters of that squad. There you go. We had some good years back then but listen I when I went to the football games I wasn't watching football. Alright. We know. We know. We know. I was there to play basketball in the never mind. Yeah. Never mind. Yeah I'm just you can only get yourself in trouble with that.
You spend most of your time under the bleachers.
There's a song about that. Yeah.
Um Now. You got one more segment boys. I know. I'm I'm I'm busy remembering my time under the bleachers.
Well Hopefully that doesn't tie in with what you're watching. Yeah. It it well not for this show.
Alright. Alright. Alright. Let me let me there's another comment here. I gotta get in. Big thirty-three is PA oh yeah that's right. Pennsylvania versus Maryland. Yep. And we still don't care. Okay. Um this part of the we call what are watching because it is the famous Dead Zone as you can see we're waiting for football to start hockey is over what documentary are you watching I'm not I'm not watching it well I did watch a documentary last night but that's not Mark what drug show are you watching yeah right okay here we go what are you watching what is it well we we we like we like to talk about we like to talk about what we're streaming and what we're watching and give you a little analysis and hopefully you'll take our lead and either watch the show or not watch the show but truly we don't care about that either.
Um we just have fun talking about it, making fun of each other. Um I'm going to start with me. I'll just start with me, okay? I, what? Shocker, you never start with yourself. Yeah, that is surprising. Yeah. Because I want to because you know, you guys, you know, I'm going to get mine out of the way. I am watching The Recruit. Oh yeah, I love that. Yeah. Well, I'll tell you what, I I I I didn't love it I don't I I did finish the first season and and I will most likely watch the second season but I I I felt like the guy that plays the recruit I I I rarely feel this way so when I do I I believe it to be true I think he was in like over acting like crazy don't you Schwabber no Well here's the thing.
What's going on? I just thought I just thought it was fun. You know what I mean? It was it was like I thought it was so funny how like you know they were just like you can't you can't you know talk you have to talk in the lingo. You can't actually say what's really going on. That that scene was funny. I thought that I just thought it was very funny how they're doing stuff like that.
Now I enjoyed it man. I mean I wouldn't say I wouldn't say it was like amazing but it was definitely good enough that I'm going to watch season two and look forward to it. I think just a quick update here. The Pirates are have now broken out to a six to 1 lead. I do believe that Marcano hit a grand slam home run. Woo hoo. Oh there you go.
There you go. Bring him in the four position.
Okay so basically for those of you who are interested the recruit is about a young lawyer just out of law school who gets hired by the CIA to be in the office of general council. So he's not a CIA agent. He's an attorney who looks out to like solve the issues the CIA gets himself into but he gets sent gets dragged into this whole scenario where he's actually acting like an agent and it it's actually good.
I I think it's good. I just think this kid overacts. I you know he just overacts. That's just a high bar to please Chris Klein. It really is. It really is. Okay so the recruit on Netflix. Uh we're going to move on to Mark here. Uh Mark you are currently watching. I have watched it. It's in the past tanks. Is that Jennifer Garner? That's Jennifer Garner. The last thing he told me.
And what what was that? What was the last thing he told her? What did he I I think if I told you that it would be it could ruin it. Oh okay. Oh. Well basically you know she's engaged to this guy and the guy's got a a daughter and then basically something happens and the guy's on the run and she has to Basically figure out how to protect the daughter and how can she you know get back in touch and and you know with the guy and it was pretty good.
I mean it was like it was just like a seven episodes so you can get get through it pretty quickly and and it wasn't entirely you know I mean I I sort of figured it out but maybe like four episodes in out of seven. You know so it kind of you know you're kind of of like trying to figure out what's going on for a while so it's pretty good.
One one season or is there another season coming? Uh I think it's just one season because it's a it's a book. Oh okay. Alright. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Uh the last thing he told me is on Apple TV Plus. Apple TV Plus you splurged Mark. Yeah. Um alright so this one Ted Lasso had to. Oh you know what? I haven't watched the last season yet. It's pretty good.
I'm enjoying it. I hate Ted Lasso. I really. I think it's a Don't worry. He doesn't like it. He's so freaking campy. I I I'm I I like when Jason well we had this discussion in the past okay Steven's not really a good watcher either. Yeah no. I'm not. I'm a horrible watcher. I'm a girl watcher. Um by the way I tried to watch Trailer Park Boys again.
I just can't I can't get into it. Can't get into it. I can't. I try. Like it's on my you know we'll keep continuing to watch and I'll like watch an episode and I'll be like what was funny about that? I He I always feel sad for these guys. Listen. Listen. I I watched I watched the first couple episodes too. I don't know if I ever told you that I did.
Um I I'm on the fence. I'm not where Steve is. Mm hmm. I'm on the fence but what I find really intriguing about it is that if if if you could ever label something complete white trash humor you would label that and the fact that you find that so hilarious. I think you got you got Mister Leahy the drunk. Yeah. You know Everything's happening at the park.
The guy with the drink in his hand. Bubbles. Yeah.
Bubbles. Bubbles is just classic. It's so it's so freaking dumb. Maybe maybe I maybe I should have used that instead of what I actually use but I think this will be more entertaining. Well what in God's name is that? I mean come on. Could you give us actually and I I look at that site but that's that's not watching anything. Yeah. Well that's yeah that's You could. You could go to YouTube Methodist. Show. Yeah. I mean what do you what do you really watching Steve? I and so here's what I'm doing with the set list. So there's this great singer who has this world famous concert out now.
You might know her Taylor Swift.
Do you know her? Do you know some songs? Where the Swifties go? Yeah. Yeah. Where the Swifties go? Yeah. You you probably know some of her songs. You know Closet you know it's one of those songs where you would put it on but you would secretly say I don't listen to it but we know you've listened to the whole album.
Like we I know you I know you I know you know at least one or two songs on midnight. Only because my kids put them on the on my iPod. And so anyway so she puts out you know set list they just put out all their songs right? Well Taylor Swift is you know singing 44 or 45 songs every night.
Just crazy. And and that's a lot of songs right? So I don't want to I'm not a guy who likes to be surprised when I go to concerts. Like I want to know what songs I'm going to hear. Me too. Like Like I I want to than listening to the album. I mean don't you I I like to be surprised. Well I so I don't want to be disappointed.
But so here's the thing. Songs 37 and 38 are always different. So if you know what song she's going has already sung. You know you're not going to have a chance at hearing that song in concert. So therefore I've been tracking every concert that she's been and on my trusty spreadsheet here, I have all, I have all the songs. I have all the songs that she's already sung marked off and I'm trying to track to see what she's going to be singing next.
You now. Go ahead. Interestingly enough, Steve, you'd be surprised. Um I, I, you know, I look at that site all the time and I actually just got tickets to a different concert and so that's one of the reasons why I was looking but I was on there. Rough Leopard. No. I was on I think you have zero chance of getting it because it's it's it's a newer artist that you guys don't know.
I I would see Carlisle. Well well let me put it. It's not a bad guess. I do like her. I know. But let let me put it to you this way. Uh this guy's best video. It has is the most viewed video on YouTube of all time and it's in the billions. Gangham style.
Do it Steve.
But. That's what it is.
I was I was looking at the Taylor Swift set list because I was just curious what does she play. Right. But I have to say because I'm an old school Taylor Swift guy. Right right. I was a little disappointed. I mean there's some major hits that she was not singing. Well she has already sung them Mark. That's the thing. So that means you're not going to if you're a Swifty then you've already heard all of her most popular songs and you don't need to hear them again.
No but I think like for example a Tim McGraw needs to be in every concert song. Tim McGraw was only sang in Arizona this year. I'm sorry. See that's a problem. I got a problem with that. Yeah. Well she has like over 400 songs she could choose from. Like between now and and when she comes to Pittsburgh she's gotta sing in New York, Chicago, and Detroit. There are 14 songs that are coming off the board and I'm going to be bitterly disappointed by probably eight or ten of them.
So why do you why do you put yourself through this torture because it sounds to me like by the time she gets here you're not even going to want to go? Oh no I definitely am going to want to go. I would not miss my third Taylor Swift concert for the world. I've I Taylor Swift not singing Tim McGraw to me is like you two not singing with or without you.
Um no I would I I would disagree. I would say Love Story. That would be the equivalent. And she does sing stories so I mean you you have they're just too many hits. And even in a in a even even in the era of the eras tour she can't sing them all.
So anyways. Gotcha. I think I I so I I'm going to be prepared for this Pittsburgh concert. I'm going to have predictions on on the album she's going to choose because it's nearly impossible to actually choose the song. But I am going out on a limb for those of you seeing her in New York which it will be her next concerts May twenty-sixth, 27th, and twenty-eighth. I'm going out on a limb. This is going to This is going to shock some Swifties. I think she's going to sing Cornelius Street and I know it's about her breakup with Joe Jonas but I believe it's going to happen.
So, if you got tickets to New York. Wow. Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, I think you're going to see a great song. Of course, she's going to sing Welcome to New York, of course. Now, Chris, now, actually, the other reason why I go to that site is because when I see somebody who I haven't seen before, I like to see what are the sing and what do I not own so I can get it and I can know those songs. Okay. You want to be prepared? That's fine. But I I have a question for you Steve.
Are you 53 years old now? I will be in a few weeks. You can send me any birthday present you'd like. Yeah. Oh I got a birthday present for you.
Alright. Hopefully it's not a hot dog. I I was going to say Hebrew National but I I like Hebrew National. That's my brand. That's yeah.
Um no. What I'm saying is what what the hell are you doing? What do you mean? I'm getting ready for a concert. Don't you ever get do you first of all have you been to a concert lately that isn't Pearl Jam? Um I'm thinking. So the answer is no. So therefore you don't know how to prepare for a concert in the age of twenty twenty-three.
Right. The way you do that.
That's not what I do. The the way you do that is you you first of all you have to listen to the most current album. And since we know she's playing the eras tour you have to be prepared for all the albums and that takes time and effort. And and in order not to be disappointed. Like you know I really hope that you know she plays change. That's really the song I'm looking for. So, Taylor, I know you listen to our podcast.
If you play change in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, you will have made my life and I can die the next day. Steve will take off his shirt for you. Oh no, I I will not I I have a I have a lavender vest ready to go. I'll I'll I'll show you the guy. I got patches for it. I'm ready to go. What? Wait a minute. I you you can't just go to a concert in a Yinzer shirt to a Taylor Swift concert.
Wait a minute.
Vest with patches on it. Oh oh yeah. I'd like to take a picture of that for us. Yeah. Uh yeah. As a matter of fact we'll we'll on the next show. I do. Everybody coming back next week. They're going to get a sneak preview of my Taylor Swift vest. I mean I know I look we've known each other. We've all known each other for a long long time but I So this should not surprise you.
Yeah but that's the thing it does and that's worrisome. Well maybe we need to spend more time together. No. I don't think that's the case at all. As a matter of fact I'd like you to stay a minimum of 50 feet away from me when we were together. Only only when I wear the vest I promise. Don't you ever wear that damn vest anywhere near me.
No listen. We gotta end this show here because we're going overtime. But the only thing that I want to say about concerts is I guess I look at it Different than you guys. I go to a concert to enjoy the concert and that's it and I'm there for the entire atmosphere. I'm not saying the way you guys do it is wrong. It's just much more detailed than me.
Do you know what I'm saying? And and like I don't care what they play. I'm just happy to be there. I don't know why I you know I would spend an inordinate amount of money for a concert ticket and then like make spreadsheets about what I think they may or may not play and then set myself up for ultimate disappointment because she didn't play Cornelius or Tim McGraw or whatever the hell it is she's already played those already played those you're not going to hear that whatever okay whatever whatever whatever whatever so okay alright Mark answered DG's question and okay guys you around for Memorial Day next week Steve it's this weekend and this weekend yes that well that's what I mean next Monday okay cool so listen everybody I want to thank you for listening to the Sports Porch Podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, Spotify, excuse me, or anywhere you get your podcast and remind you that you can always catch us on the World Wide Web because it's open twenty-four seven at The Porch is Live.
com. The Porch is Live. com. The Porch is Live. com. Right on queue. Right on queue and American Busker iHeartRadio every Sunday at 4 PM Eastern Time and thank you guys for supporting us and following us on social media and watching us live every Monday night at 730 and boys, I would say that's it. We are out.
Out. Alright, guys. Have a great week.
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