Jan. 31, 2023
The Porch Is Live - The Super Bowl is Here - Sort of...
The Porch is Live... did the NFC Championship game disappoint?
Season 3
NHL Pittsburgh Pengunins
NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins
Hockey
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Sports
NFL News
The Porch is Live... did the NFC Championship game disappoint?
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to ThePorchIsLive.com for updates and more!
Thanks for reading, and let us know what you think... email us at OGSPORTSPORCH@GMAIL.COM and join us every Monday at 7:30 PM Eastern on Facebook Live or YouTube. You can also catch the podcast on iHeart or anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Transcript
Alright, boys. We are live. Welcome to The Sports Porch. Welcome to The Sports Porch and if you're listening to us on American Busker iHeartRadio. Uh thank you very much. IHeartRadio has 150 million users. 2000 devices, 260 platforms and please remember, The Porch is Live. com. The Porch Is Live. com. The Porch Is Live. com. That's where you can find our website and subscribe to our podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcast, or anywhere you get your podcast. Well, boys, the championship games have come and gone.
Um didn't kind of went the way we thought it would go but didn't quite go the way we thought it would go but but listen right now let's let's do Steve was talking about this before the show okay okay so let let's let's talk about this from the standpoint of the Steelers because that's that's what everybody the original sports porch right we're a black and gold show right let's talk Steelers so Steve wanted to Steve had a funny question who are the Steelers more like the the the Chiefs or the Eagles? And the answer to that was neither.
Right right the Steelers don't have a veteran they don't have a veteran quarterback so I mean there's no way their offense is anywhere near the caliber of of the Chiefs their defense is probably better than the Chiefs actually and they're nowhere near the youth and immense firepower that the Eagles bring yeah on their offensive side and their defense is probably similar to the Eagles except the Eagles did the right thing and they actually drafted their studs in the quarterback position or went out and got guys. Well, Slay was Slay was and what what wasn't Bradbury? Yeah.
The corners were free agent signings. Yeah, free agent signing.
Slay was a trade. Right. And then Bradbury was a free agent. And that's that's where they put their money. They put their money there on on the defensive line. Okay. So, we've established that they're like neither team. So, let's let's let's think about it from this perspective, okay? Which team would you rather them be like and of those two teams, how do you think they get there? Well to be honest I I actually think the Steelers if they're more similar to one they're probably more similar to the Eagles.
Right I'd agree. Because the the Eagles believe in pounding the ball. So they run the ball more than anybody pretty much. And you know I mean the Steelers defense they're a little weak at the corner spot and maybe some at the linebacker spot but but their philosophy is to win in the trenches. You know. Right.
Um so I I think they're pretty similar and they they both have a young quarterback who has mobility. Um so I think they're more similar to the Eagles and that's a good thing I think but what but what do the Steelers have to do to become because see I disagree with you okay and and where I disagree with you is the Eagles like to throw the ball to set up the run they throw the ball early and then when they get a lead they run the ball and that's how they control the game I don't know I think the Eagles can do either I think they can run the ball to set up the pass or they can pass the ball to set up the run yeah see I think the Steelers strictly are let's run the ball to set up a pass but the thing that the Eagles do that the Steelers don't do is they throw it deep and they have deep threats that who can do that so in order for the Steelers to become more like the Eagles then Pickens and Pickett would have to become that deep threat like Devonta Smith is with with Jalen Hertz and and that's really the only way that that it works I mean they don't really have a second receiver like AJ Brown so they might even have to go out and get somebody like AJ Brown if they wanted to be more like the Eagles sooner unless they think I can't even say it out loud without laughing.
Deontay Johnson is that guy.
Right. We know he's not. Yeah. We know he's not. Right. I mean he's not a he's not a big body like AJ Brown is. And I don't know. I think I think in a lot of ways Nachi could be like Sanders but I don't know. They seem to have like two or three running backs who can run the ball. And and the Steelers kind of want to be that way but it's super light.
Yeah. And let's face it. The Steelers have no offensive line. So I mean they would literally have to hit the jackpot in this draft like the Steelers did in 1974 and draft three three offensive guys who would be starting this year for the next four years. And this is where I was going with this. Where I was really going with this is what CD is saying here. Uh they're more like the Eagles but need Canada to rethink the approach.
Actually they need Canada to be gone. Yeah. They would have to replace and and let's just let's just move right into that right now the Cowboys today fired Kellen Moore okay they fired a guy who basically I know what was the Cowboys offense ranked it was probably top five yeah I would say it was it was top five yeah it was number one when it was clicking right right right right nobody can stop it yeah and and so there's all kinds of questions about that you know you fired a guy who obviously the offense was clicking so why did you him because Troy Pollard got a high ankle sprain.
I mean what's the reason? Um this is starting to become more and more I think of almost a a game of chicken between I I don't want to say it but Mike Tomlin and the Steelers organization and the media. Uh and and and us the fans. Okay because I I I'd like I'd love to take a poll for this. Well I mean let's face it. It's about the owner. And when the owner says he's staying guess what? The is the only one that really matters.
Right. I mean I agree with you that that everybody who is a Steelers fan and most of the media are basically saying look this isn't working. Like you have to replace him. Like they're not even going to the level of Tomlin. They're just saying just replace the offensive coordinator but clearly Tomlin doesn't want him to go and the owner is backing the head coach. So I mean the conversation itself is basically over There's no there's no conversation to be had about it.
Right. We can continue to bring out points but they're all going on deaf ears at this point. Right. Right. Well I I and and I I unfortunately I think and then that's kind of what CD was saying. McCarthy versus Moore.
Wanted him gone. Yeah yeah yeah and I don't maybe they just didn't like each other or you know who knows. Well I mean that Dallas could be in trouble because if Dan Quinn goes and their defense you know is under a new coordinator. But he he said he was staying. I I heard I heard a lot to That's what he said.
Yeah. I heard a lot today that McCarthy might want to call the plays himself. Yeah. But they were also laughing about that because he's a horrible game manager. That's not good. So imagine being bad with timeouts and clock management and you have to call the next yeah yeah who knows? Right. Who knows? Yeah. Well and you're you're right Steve that you know it it it's like we're going to have to suffer through this.
We will. So all I if you know Matt Canada if you're watching or listening you got a lot of homework to do you know so you want to go into a season you want to be positive about something so you go into the off season and the only thing I think you can really hope for is that this guy says okay I gotta I gotta do a lot of studying I gotta make this offense different I gotta catch up to the NFL I mean I think it's ridiculous that we're talking about he's gotta catch up to the NFL game well the the thing that's ridiculous is in my mind yeah I mean look there there are some folks in the league that are true geniuses that really designed some incredible plays but the reality is I mean most of already out there.
All you have to do is you know analyze the the plays and the formations that's top teams in the league are running and replicate it. You know it's it's not that hard. That's what I'm saying. It's a copycat league in that sense. Right yeah. And and but the thing is like Canada either thinks he's smarter than everybody else or knows how to run a jet sweep better than everybody else because that that's what he keeps coming back to right? But the thing is the thing is Not even Shanahan was ready to play a game without a quarterback who can throw a ball.
And that guy's an offensive genius. Yeah. And that and and you want to know what and we're going to get to that. DG says take the pole but you know the answer. Yes of course I know the answer. Canada needs to go. We'll be mediocre at best. And CD I think he nailed it about Kellen Moore. He was stalking smack about Greenfield and the turnpike.
Hey. Get him out of there. McCarthy's from Greenfield. Oh yeah. So anyway so you know about the Turnpike. The most expensive road in America. Absolutely. Uh I love the turnpike. I do. Yeah. Who doesn't who doesn't mind that $30 for the I don't even notice it. I don't know. I'm too busy. That that that's the whole that's the whole magic trick of the whole thing.
You never know what you're paying. That's right. That's a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm. Oh my god. I'm broke. What happened? Oh, that's gross. I went to Philadelphia every every other month. Oh, they took out another seventy. Yeah. Well, I'm I'm too busy eating candy corn on the turnpike. Oh, too bad okay so you know we we we're going to we're we'll move this conversation we got Super Bowl stuff let's let's talk about the championship games okay do we really have to talk about the NFC championship game though yeah absolutely right it is so terrible we've got well and that's that's what I'm going to say I I I was completely let down because and I think a lot of people were sure because Brock pretty got hurt now there was a part of me that was thinking like I you know you know we were all thinking this did he like you know, did he cave under the pressure here? He didn't look like he wanted to come back in.
Right. Well, they they said if it was a nerve injury. Right. Like and we have a doctor in the house and we get asked the doctor. I I actually watched the video on this but they said if it hits him in the nerve like literally he can't squeeze his hand. Right. And like even if he does, he can't feel anything. Right.
It it's pretty hard to throw a ball. Yeah. Yeah. When you can't feel it. And and I think that was I think that was the biggest problem is that it wasn't the kind of injury that you usually see that leads you to it wasn't like a Pat Mahomes injury. Yeah. You know it's like there is no way that now of course he's otherworldly but where you're like he's out.
This was so what I did is I went online and I founded a a doctor's YouTube video and he literally broke down the elbow and the and the ligaments and the nerve and he showed the reasons why and I understand now more that like that's exactly right. I mean you know on the sidelines you could tell he was more upset than anything because he he literally couldn't even grip the ball.
That was the problem. And then you when they had to bring him back in. So you know all. Mahomes couldn't grip a ball in a couple of plays too. Well but but here you know but here but here's the thing. I mean you know so a lot of people will say well and look obviously if Brock Purdy played the whole game it would have been a closer game.
Yeah.
There's there's no there's no doubt about that.
Honestly. But I but I would say this it would have been close Here's the bottom line. Here's the bottom line. Shanahan was exposed as a here for all. Here comes the affiliate. There we go. Here's the affiliate. You can't say that. No.
No. No. No. And Steve was still saying they got a chance. But why? Touchdown. Let me ask you this. Why did this happen? This happened because Okay you want to call Nick Bosa the best defensive player in the league? Fine. He had 18 and a half sacks. Hassan Reddick had sixteen. Okay. Same player. One of the top defensive players in the league. What did they do? They thought that they could block him one on one with a backup tight end.
And you know what? Yeah. That got his quarterback hurt. That's true. That that is that is bad. That is bad coaching. That's a good point. And and the other thing that was really bad was the the fact that he didn't challenge the Devonte Smith miscatch. Now now see that that. Yeah but that that one I'm going to give him a little bit more of a pass on only because we when you come back to when you came back after the commercial that was when the announcers were like hey wait a minute we took another look at this.
It wasn't that obvious. No no it definitely wasn't obvious but what was obvious was the way Devonte Smith got up and said let's run a play. Right right. They did that signal where it's like let's run a play. Right. Because he wasn't sure he caught it. Yeah. Right? Let's a play, let's run a play. To me, as a head coach, if I'm seeing the receiver get up and saying, let's run a play, let's run a play instead of getting up and being like.
Yeah. Yeah, let's go. You know? Yeah. I would've that would have raised some some doubt in my mind and and I don't think he was paying attention and on top of that, dude, it was fourth down. Right. If he doesn't catch it, they get the ball way back at the 45 or something. Right. So, it had a double thing. Yeah. There were two things there and by the way, I don't think he challenged anything the whole game.
So didn't you any of us. And and the other thing too was like and and look I don't know what they have access to but every team has a system. You're supposed to have guys up in the booth who are looking at the replays and signaling down to the head coach to throw the red flag. Right. Whatever it was that they did.
Now granted give maybe Devonte Smith some credit for getting everybody to run up and run a play fast but sure. The bottom line is they all had to run down like forty yards down the field. There was time to look at it and they just didn't do it quick enough. Well, you know who's not going to make that mistake? Andy Reed, he loves to throw this out.
Yeah, he does. He does. He does. He does but you know, and to me, you know, the the bottom line was and the only part of this game that that actually kind of frustrated me was I mean the forty-niners quit. They quit in the second half, man. They they they absolutely quit and and I I'll tell you what, crazy as it sounds we were at the only other game I can remember that that we were down to a running back Brian Mitchell you know coming in to play quarterback oh they quit and yeah and and one thing I can tell you is look I I know Christian McCaffrey is not a quarterback I do know he's thrown two touchdown passes though in the league okay so he's got some ability like the fact that they were running running play if a running play in the fourth quarter with like 14 minutes left and they're down by three scores.
That was just embarrassing. I thought that was shameful. No no offense. Shameful. It was. I think I I I think you're wrong on this where I think they blew it was. Why not have a third freaking quarterback on the roster. Like I don't understand that. Like if you know you have Purdy and then you have Jack Johnson behind him. Josh. Whoever it is.
Everybody knows him. Johnson. One have at least a third why not have at least a third quarterback he played for the Redskins a couple years back when they lost I think where they blew it was they thought Garoppolo was going to be back for the Super Bowl and they were just going to bring him back yeah and that's the thing and that's the thing too is there was having there was an even if Garoppolo could've kind of gone there is the third quarterback there was a lot of talk that he could have been ready to play this week I think they didn't want him dressed in case Brock Purdy had a bad start to the game.
Could be. And that I think ended up hurting him. Could be. Well it not having him there I think that that was the big mistake. The fact that they quit dude I get it. You have a quarterback who can't throw the ball and and you have to put him in there just so he can take the snap. Yeah. Because clearly McCaffrey didn't know the plays.
I mean dude the guy's only been with the team for nine games. Yeah. I mean if he would have been with team for a longer period of time. I agree with you. Maybe he could've done something different. Well, don't you even think him running a Wildcat? You know, three runs. They still know that game was going to run the ball. Yeah. Look. At that point, dude, they were down by what? Three scores? Mm hmm.
And they had the ball and all they did was run it. They they clearly couldn't throw the ball. Yeah. Well, there was just no way. That's the thing. I mean, as soon as Josh Johnson, Josh Johnson went in, that game was a okay and you can actually tell that the Eagles kind of held back on offense not on defense but on offense oh yeah they literally because I think their thought process was the defense is still going to get after it because you never know it's the NFL you never know the defense still needs to play as an offense we just need to we can play a more dial back playbook they just wanted to run the clock we don't want to we don't want to risk any yeah yeah absolutely and and I don't you know that's why I'm saying like it it it after the game was over I text you guys and said you know I needed a cigarette because I feel like I just got screwed out of out of an entire NFC championship game we all felt that way yeah and and I think you know I'm I'm not I'm not a hardcore you know Eagles fan who says Shanahan has been exposed because I I told you that before the game didn't I yeah but you know it's easy look Brock Purdy did that before the game but if Brock Purdy doesn't get injured on the on that one play we're we're not really having this discussion okay because we might be having a discussion that Brock Purdy **** to bed and yeah well yeah anything I do think it was headed no and and I made this comment I made this comment during the when it right after it happened I said it looks like the injury to Purdy not did it obviously take the forty-niners completely off their game like Shanahan had no idea what to do you could tell there was no plans and and you could say you could say that that's a result of maybe not not forward thinking and and that's a coach's issue you gotta have a plan in place why didn't they have a third quarterback and all that kind of stuff but also for a little bit of time there it look like it shocked the Eagles to the point where they didn't really know what to do because they're like to change their whole game yeah what are we going to do now and whenever you have to change your game plan no matter what's going on you you take a big risk you know you take a big risk but all they really had to do was let the center center it to to Johnson the quarterback yeah and then the game was over yeah I mean yeah all they had to do is kind of stay in their own lane you know it's funny because at the at the at the end of the second half I think it was maybe there was like a minute left or something and Sam Fred had the ball and I'm like I'm like this is good we got time for a turnover here yeah and then it happened yeah but but you know but the bottom line is is that you know you know you could tell San Francisco's defense is pretty darn good yeah yeah but they still now granted you know maybe if Purdy is playing maybe you know the time of possession is different etcetera etcetera but the Eagles still did put 31 up on the number one run defense in the league yeah but they and they ran all over them what they did two or three turnovers that was the big difference yeah I mean that's why they got they got the 30 game.
Yeah yeah. And their offense is is pretty efficient. The Eagles offense is is definitely. But I mean they couldn't stop McCaffrey. Yeah. I mean. Yeah well and and look. He he had his one nice run. It was an amazing run. This this is the way this is the way I would look at it right now much to the chagram of the Eagles fan in our midst.
That game doesn't count. And I you know look the Eagles won. They won the game. They scored more points. They they were they were the better team. Um they were probably overall the better team even if Purdy stays healthy. Um but at the same time look if they'd lost that game right so they they're in the Super Bowl so we'll move to the Super Bowl but let's let's talk about the the I feel bad for Brock Purdy too because I don't you know alright that's you you and him and he's a young kid he might come back to a championship game in his career again maybe yeah yeah well he's not that good you know there there's a lot I mean there's a lot of talk now let's talk about him beating the next Montana I'm glad that's over yeah I mean there's a lot of talk there's a lot of talk about you know is that where Tom Brady goes next year? Is that where Aaron Rodgers goes next year? San Francisco? They've got they've got three quarterbacks who who they can choose from internally.
They're not looking for an external idiot like Rodgers. Alright there you go. Okay so let's go Casey and KC and the Bengals. Um another controversy of course at the end of the game that that that yeah the I'll tell you what the officiating in in both of these games.
It left a lot to be desired well I told you that the that the that the refs in the Eagles game they're the Super Bowl refs yeah I'm not looking forward to expect a lot of flags in the Super Bowl I think that's good for the Eagles though yeah they know how the how how to work the refs right but I mean they're not afraid to throw the flags they're they they're they're the officiating crew they had the the most penalties called throughout the season I will say this and they did it again in the championship game so I would expect not a lot of flow to the game I will say this though I honestly didn't think there were many penalties in the Eagles game that I disagreed with.
I mean they were pretty much on the mark. Yeah. They really were. I mean they really were. Well they kind of missed the holding call on. I don't know. I think we've already identified that wasn't a real game so let's go to the AFC game. So so Kansas City and the Bengals you know Kansas City you know they break the curse. They win the game.
Every game is has a call or two. They can be can change the the outset. It was clearly a penalty at the end. That guy Osai he feels terrible yeah you know I think the real story about this game is the fact that Mahomes who he clearly during the game you could see that he wasn't as mobile okay but even not being as mobile he was accurate they won the game they kicked the field goal he kept his team in it and Andy Reed you know is going back to the Super Bowl he's going to play his former team the Eagles who he just he got him to the brink you know con Yeah.
And he just couldn't get him over the hump. Right. And I I think that's obviously the media's going to play that. Oh. As a huge story. And the Kelcey versus Kelcey Bowl. Yeah and we met brothers before though right? I know. First time ever. Is it first time ever brother versus brother? An opposing team. I think I could take my brother in the Super Bowl.
You think so? Yeah. We'll see what he has to say here but. Nah, he knows I can take him. But I I liked the fact that that was a close game. Um I I think it you know I was looking at it and saying man we're we're we're going to overtime you know until that penalty could've gone either way they could've they could've had they I think they could've had one more play even if that wasn't if he decides not to hit him and does the right thing I think they have one more play to get what five or six more yards then you kick a field goal they weren't going to kick a 60 yard field goal no no I don't think they're going to change but I think you're right they they probably would have tried a 60 yard field goal with you know whatever the punt return was a huge play.
Well so did did you see the the penalty that they missed on that? I don't know. On the punt return. Uh huh. So a guy definitely got clipped. You know he a guy got blocked from behind. This was like while the while the ball was still in error. So it was kind of like the ref wasn't really looking that way and it kind of happened.
And then he ran up the side that he got clipped on. Bengals fans are going crazy out there which I love. I just love that. Um and and and they did miss the call in fairness to Bengals fans but Screw you Bengals fans because I don't really care. And and and but so they got a nice return from that and even the series before you know that grounding intentional grounding penalty.
That was that was an iffy call. Yeah. I mean. Yeah. I mean the running back was in the area. The bad call was when they got the third down over again. When they got the third down over again. Yeah. When the ref from the middle of the field noone near them saying stop. Yeah. What the hell was that? Well and I mean you know Bengals were beneficiary of you know Mahomes being down then he didn't have to throw the red flag and and challenge that.
True yeah yeah. But yeah. I don't know. To me the officiating was pretty bad but and I don't think it was lopsided but it is kind of sad that it it it it was the outcome of game. Uh a referee making a call. Yeah. But to me that was more about the player's action than it was about the the ref making the call. It was.
There was there was no judgement Clearly he had both feet out and he hit a star who was on the player and for and you know to be honest for all we know you know he's running full steam he probably doesn't even know he's two feet out of bounds. Yeah and well that's the that's the problem with those calls. Yeah. Is that they and and the same thing with the roughing the passer calls and how how you know how light you know the the test for that is now and it it's it's like but but how do you manage that Howard it's it's like the old time role where if the receiver was going to you know was going up to get the catch and the defender pushed him out of bounds in the air they would give him the catch right yeah it's kind of like then they decided well that's you know I mean as a defensive as a defensive person you have to recognize this situation right like you have to know that he's he's running out of bounds at the 40 and he's they're not going to be able to kick a field goal there I don't have to run over there really fast and make sure he goes out of bounds.
Right. It was clear he was heading that direction and it was clear he had him cut off. So there's no reason to even touch him at that point. Right. So I mean so that's coaching. That a player has to inherently know that in their system while they're doing it and if they don't that's honestly it's on coaching. It's not on the player. Right.
The coaches have to instill that. Like what's the situation here? What going to do if the if this happens? Like if they're not coaching that into them and you have a young player and he's not smart enough or hasn't been in that position before maybe because he played junior college and and he's just trying to make himself in the NFL he's going to overdo it.
And that's the problem. Yeah. That's the problem. Yeah. Well that game was better. No it was the best game because the Bengals lost. Well right right. The Bengals lost. Right. So I mean they're still clearly better than but really that was anybody's game. I mean anybody could've won that. It was anybody. I love the fact that Joe Burrow lost a game. That made me that made me happy.
Well you know the the Bengals didn't you know ingratiate themselves to anybody by doing the whole barrel head thing. Yeah. That was that was really stupid. Yeah I mean they I think that was their fans though wasn't it? No no no it was a play. It was Mike Hilton.
Tomlin Tom saying it's Burrowhead yeah alright well let's let's let we will table our Super Bowl predictions for next Monday sure because we got a week to go and obviously there's some injuries Mahomes is still not 100% Jaylen Hertz I although I think he's going to end up being just fine and we can do a Super Bowl we'll we'll we'll do a whole Super Bowl analysis CD said he wanted to see the new OT yeah it would have been fun who knows it's I think it's going to be a tight game in the Super Bowl maybe we'll get to see it in the Super Bowl.
Yeah. New overtime rules and stuff. I think that's possible. So, before we move on here, I want to thank you for listening on American Busker iHeartRadio. IHeartRadio has 150 million registered users over 2, 000 devices in 260 platforms and I also want to encourage you to listen to the Sports Porch. Uh our podcast drops every time we do a show. Uh you can listen to it on the iHeartRadio app.
Uh the Apple Apple Podcast or Spotify please follow us and leave a review and now we're going to move on to the Hockey Jesus who also preaches on the iHeartRadio app live on the podcast or anywhere you get your podcast after every Penguins game. It's going to be a few days because we got an all-star break here. Um so, you know, I was talking to Steve. I I I'm sorry.
I was I was talking to the savior, the hockey savior. Um. This guy. Before the show and I said Steve miss Jesus I mean what do you think are they just are they just you know too old I mean is that what we're looking at here we are looking at an old Penguins team it's true they're still the Stells team the the thing that that made them different earlier in the season was they had better goaltending and they had their compliment of defensive guys right so I think that I think that made them a little bit of a team to play against and and Zooker and Mulkin in the first line and the second line are still playing very well.
The the problem is The third line with Teddy Blue.
The third line is just they've they they they've experimented with a few things. You know they've tried it lately the experiment is bringing Bluegra up from the fourth line. Have him center the third line with Carter. The guy who's really aging out quickly is is Jeff Carter. The guy is just hit a wall. And I think if he doesn't look different after the all-star break refreshed.
Gets his legs back.
He's in trouble. Because they can't keep him out there on the third line. He's just not good.
No.
The Hershey Bears screw the Hershey Bears. They're they're they're part of the Capital System. He knew you're going to. And we don't like the Washington Capital in this in this city. That's why he did that. Screw those Hershey Bears. So so just take it easy man. So so rather than rather than break it down that way. Let let let me just ask you this question.
Okay. Since we're at the midpoint of the well a little passive but we're at the midpoint of this season they signed a couple bunch of the I'm I'm using the term light because we're talking about some hall of fame players here. Yes. But they signed a bunch of these old guys to two three year contracts. Yep. That that that really they can't get out of them unless they say okay you can trade me.
Right. Um the the the real reason they did it there's a lot of hockey reasons but obviously it's to keep the stands filled. Keep them filled. Right. Um that's what the fans want. They want to see the big three. They want to see LaTang. They want to see Gino. They want to see Sid. They get all the applause. You know. Right. Well still all playing great they're still all playing great right okay so you know that being said the rest of this year not much they can do right they they don't have a lot to offer when it comes to a trade package to bring in some some maybe some better defensemen maybe some guys that are secondary scores so it sounds like they're stuck well they could make a hockey trade for a bottom six guy it would be a guy you wouldn't know a guy who would be a banger a guy who would you know cause some ruckus on the on the third line maybe create more space for Carter Kaepenan hasn't played lately he's been injured it seems like he plays better with Carter on the third line so maybe that would help but it would be pretty much the same old so that would be the only thing could they could do from a trade standpoint lately the the the thing everybody's talking about is what did they do about the goalie series right that was that was next right yeah so so Des Smith they signed a two-year contract and Jari's contracts out year.
And he gets injured way too much. So yeah this is his fourth injury and you know that's too many times to get injured and not do something about it right? Right. Normally if you get injured it's kind of like unfortunate you know you you tear something because you're trying too hard and then you fix it and repair it and then you you know prepare your body so that it doesn't happen again.
Well he's been injured four times and to me that's too much. So the question is maybe he gets injured so badly they can put him on the IR and pick up a goal.
Made. This this see this all doesn't sound good to me. That that that's what I'm saying. I'm I'm I'm looking at this. Well so so the other thing you can say is when he comes back he comes back healthy. He doesn't get injured and he plays lights out the rest of the season. Like that's what they need. They need to have consistency in the goal position so that so that when they do score five or six goals they're only giving up two or three.
You know that's that's how you win games. So so is this this to me smells like the beginning of the end of this current Penguins franchise as we know it. So the problem and and you normally you would say that because your big stars are not performing. Right. They can fix the bottom six. They just have to be able to do something about it. And and they haven't they haven't wanted to do something about it.
Like why would you sign Carter to a two year contract? That makes no sense. He's a bottom six guy right? That would been a guy they could replace with somebody else. Somebody else. Right. And and why signed Danton Heinen and Brock McGinn to 1 or two year contract when you could go get somebody else. See the problem is it's the same guys. So the problem is is unless you other people want some of those guys and you bring in new guys you're stuck.
But those are guys you can get rid of. Right. So it is possible that some of those guys go away and it is possible that Jari gets healthy and those things all work together in the last 30 games to to be able to make a run at it. Because they're First two lines are not the problem. You know, normally you lose things because you lose games badly because your first two lines just aren't going.
Got it. You know what I mean? Yeah. But that's not the Penguins problem. So, that's something to be optimistic about. Okay. So, when are we going to hear hockey Jesus again? Um I actually am going to do something later in the week about what I think a little bit more in depth about what I think they can do specifically targeting players who I think they should go on the bottom six.
Okay. I haven't quite finished my analysis yet so you're going to have to come back to the Sports Porch The Porch Is Live. com. The Porch Is Live. com. The Porch is Live. com. Yeah. To get that analysis. Right. But it'll it'll be up Thursday or Friday this week. Would you would you mind? Oh God please no.
I don't know how many times he he he does stuff like this and and and you gotta hold it closer to Mike Slobber I'm not even sure we're going to hear that oh and by the way the hockey Jesus will give a shout out to the Bears toss 67, 309 teddy bears is probably worth mentioning yes yeah it would be worth seeing to be honest oh there's video you can see it it's pretty impressive so the the the Hershey Bears do a a bear toss okay I think around the holidays for Children's Hospital I think it's after the first goal that scored they okay they throw the teddy Yeah.
Only in hockey. Could you imagine if like 80, 000 people at a football game all through teddy bears on the well they do the thing in Iowa where they turn around and wave. Yeah.
Oh Iowa. Alright guys. Well listen man. Uh we're looking forward to the Super Bowl. I don't think there's a whole lot we need to talk about anymore. Oh we're not going to talk about the all-star game? Uh the all-pro game? The all-pro game. Why? Why would we do that? Well there'll be some good flag football. Yeah. Anybody likes a good flag football game. Sorry. Coached by the Mannings. Eli and Peyton are coaching it up. Um I think they're going to warm up with the balloon toss.
Yeah.
Yeah they tease that Mark I just think that's ridiculous you think that's ridiculous yeah you wouldn't fly to Vegas to watch him play flag football I wouldn't fly to Vegas at all oh I was in Vegas once did you fly there and that's the only no I drove through well that's why you gotta fly there flying in Vegas the only time I'm ever going to Vegas in my life oh no I lied I lied I was in Vegas twice yeah the only two times you go Vegas if the guys want to go to Vegas he'll go to Vegas the fact that you're alive having been to Vegas twice.
It's it's a it's remarkable. It is remarkable. It is remarkable. It's remarkable. And with that will see you guys next week and thank you so much for listening to us. Catch the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you get the podcast. Catch Hockey Jesus there as well and we'll see you guys next week. We'll see you on the flickity.
On the flippity. Yeah. What the hell? Who says that? That's on the office. Come on. Is it really? I see you on the flippity. No, I'm not in office.
On.
Listen On
