Nov. 22, 2022
The Porch is Live - Are the Steelers Dead?
Are the Steelers dead? Find out.
Are the Steelers dead? Find out.
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Transcript
You.
Welcome to the Sports Porch. We're back. Mark's happy that he's just in the studio right now. Thank you for listening on American Busker iHeartRadio. A hundred and 50 million subscribers. 2000 devices. Two hundred and sixty. One. Plus one platforms exactly. Mark actually looks like he's in jail. What are you talking about? I don't know. That background makes it look like you're like ready to take a mugshot. It's a grey wall. I can honestly say I've never seen a mug swab. A mug a mug. Mug swab. A mug swab.
Yeah. Yeah. That's like last week the hanging swallow.
The hanging swab later on. Alright guys, so thank you for being here. Once again, thanks for listening on iHeartRadio and please take a moment. Subscribe to the podcast on iHeart on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you get your podcast. Drop a comment. Um. And thank you to all the folks at iHeartRadio. The whole team behind the scenes. Thank you for everything that you do. Absolutely and thank you Schwab for thanking everybody. You got it. I appreciate that. Okay, let's get right into it.
We got a game to talk about.
Really? Do we have to talk about it? Well, last week. I think we're going to have some angry viewers tonight. Last week, we didn't really have a chance to do any pre show notes. So, it was kind of helter skelter all over the place. So, this week, I I at least took some notes. We do have a friend from out of town here, an old friend who's in the background probably wondering what the hell we're doing with our adulthood now but so let's get into it. The Steelers, 37 to 30. They lose to the Bengals.
We're going to start first with Kenny Pickett. Ooh.
Now Steve you were at the game. I was. The first question I have is did you see any of the game at all? I did. Yeah. Cuz we know we know what you like to do when you're at the game. Well we didn't actually party too hard ahead of the game. And that's the key. Like if you want to see the important parts of the game you can't like go four hours early and start drinking then.
Like we did at another game. Right. Right? Right. So so that wasn't happening this game and I have to tell you you know we were in the stadium as they were announcing and they announced the offense this time. Okay. And I can tell you for a fact the amount of applause for Kenny Pickett was one tenth of what it was during the Tampa Bay game when he started first.
Really? Like I I think I heard like more golf claps than like actual Kenny. And was he was he the last one introduced? He was. And it was kind of like mm I think the I think the shine off of that penny is is is is now gone. But at the same time we still have what I call your Kenny Pickett apologists.
Chris Klein is one of them.
No Klein still loves Kenny. He's almost trying to fight like like Kenny Pickett made one really nice throw and our buddy Chris here sends us a text saying looks like Kenny's light bulb went on. He did. And I'm just And I'm sitting here. This is true. And I'm sitting here thinking like did did he did he not see did he not see the throw when Pickens was wide open in the end zone? It was nowhere near him? Did you miss that? Or the throw the prior move across the middle when it was four yards over him.
I I might have been sleeping during that part. I'm not sure. But you're in love. Let let's face it. You're in love with Kenny Pickett and you will live and die for Kenny Pitts. You will. Uh I'm not so sure about that. I mean I I I'm definitely in love with him. But I don't know that that I live not. No, I, you know what? I I think the issue again and I've been talking about this for literally a year now.
The issue with the Steelers offense is Matt Canada. Period. End of story. Well. Okay. You go back to last year and I talked about this last week. Ben would audible all the time even when Canada cannibal. Cannibal. Cannibal Canada. Even when Canada the would not. Canada the I like that. Ben audible all the time because Ben knew how to run an offense because Ben had experience Canada will not let Pickett audible and it's not that he has all the experience in the world but the the offense look there was a quote by one of the Bengals linebackers after the fact that it basically said what everybody's been saying yeah the runner the same we know what plays are calling right and and my my thing about Pickett and this is this has been and I want to get DG DG comments he's in the house hey Pomato from Palmetto is in the house as well thanks for being here guys.
So you know I I do sound like a broken record. I I I get it. I get it. I have. But Canada is not the kind of guy that's going to teach a quarterback how to play in the NFL and that's what Kenny Pickett needs. No I agree with you and I disagree with you. And I lost you against Juan. Okay. Keep talking. Try to resign. No I'm I'm I'm on here.
I don't want you on here. Can you hear me? No. I can we can hear you. Okay. We can hear. So you're going to have to sign back in. Technical difficult. For those of you who don't know we're not on the porch tonight because the heater broke and it's like I don't know 20 degrees outside. Well it's not it's not Minnesota cold. No. But it is definitely Pittsburgh cold.
Yes. Yes. Alright. Without a heater. Yes you are. Yeah. I think I am going to work. Now let me just say I agree with you and I disagree with you. Because I do also think that Met Canada is horrible. Yeah. Um and I do think he impedes the development of a young quarterback.
However we have to be fair okay because if Kenny Pickett had a good first half well then so did Matt Canada we can't say that Kenny Pickett was good in the first half and he stunk in the second half because Matt Canada stunk I think I think the offense was better in the first half only because they got turnovers you know and they they had a short field the majority of the time like Cincinnati special team sucked like the Steelers had the ball like over the 30 sometimes starting at the 40 and that's a big advantage like when all you have to do is hit George Pickens across the middle for 20 yards and suddenly you're in field goal range even with Matthew Wright I mean that that was I thought that really helped the offense and they needed it because the offense still was eh I mean I know they scored 30 points but with the short field it just didn't seem like the offense really was a juggernaut you know when it when the team scores 30 points like that usually scores like maybe two touchdowns you think oh wow they really lit it up yeah they did you ever think that offense was lighting it up and one touchdown let's face it was a garbage touchdown yeah right you know go down the field that nobody was in the stadium to watch so it doesn't even really count and Joe Carey's in the house he says he really missed Claypool's jet sweeps and Boswell's broke Gunner's doing it now the broke nuts will be back the Jets sweep will be back Volvo not.
And and we'll get to this Gary. Gary says the only good thing about Steelers is TJ Watt. We're going to talk about the defense later but you know as as far as as far as what you said about about what if if if Pickett had a good half Canada had a good half and that's not necessarily true. You know I I I think it still goes back to the fact that Canada is calling the same seven plays over and over.
No no no. What I'm saying is is that at one point in the second half Kenny Pickett was four for twelve.
Now Matt Canada did not throw the eight in completions right so you know it's also on Kenny Pickett to make the plays I you know I I give that to you and we talked about that last week as well he does have to execute yeah but I think the problem is he is not there is no way he's going to make progress in an offense that doesn't allow him to make progress I thought in the first half when they started going deep to Pickens when they started you know that that the run that Najay had which which was finally what you expect from I thought to myself okay I'm going to give Canada a chance this year and you know if he's going to open it up now like we talked about maybe they would do that you know maybe there's something there but when the second half rolled around they went right back to calling the same plays yeah instead of leaving it open and saying okay Kenny can put the ball there Pickens look we gotta talk about Pickens he's the real deal yeah I don't know why you're not calling more plays now sure a lot of they might be calling his number in the huddle and Pickett's just not able to read not able to read that okay or he's he's dancing around too much back there because the line doesn't really protect him that well but you gotta find way to get Pickens into that offense more because he is he is a stud he is a stud you put him put him on the field with Patrick Mahomes and he's he's thrown up you know a sea note every game here's where I disagree with that I think Pickens to Pickett is a great combination but Pickett has to find a way to get the ball to Deontay Johnson.
I mean, if you're just throwing the one receiver who's a really good wide receiver and you know if you get close to him, he can catch it. That's great and and I think that is certainly the future and I agree with you. I think Pickens isn't is finally the number one wide receiver the Steelers have been looking for. Yup. He's clearly a number one but the problem is because Pickett isn't going through his progressions quickly enough.
One, two, three, he focuses in on Pickens and that's all he's throwing the ball to like at the game because we're sitting up high could see the whole field many times Deontay Johnson was wide open the problem is is he's gotta hit Deontay such a great route runner it looks like he's covered and then he makes a cut and then he's open for that second right but because he's not fast and he's not big he doesn't stay open for very long so Pickett has to find a way to get some energies some synergies together with him in order to be that the the better quarterback you know anybody can throw to a number one wide receiver and they catch the ball what Joe Burrow and I hate to say this out loud what Joe Burrow was doing last night my wife wants to know if you finally accepted that Joe Burrow was an elite quarterback I have after watching him last night because here's why when whenever a guy wasn't open he didn't care like he knew he could throw it to the guy and the guy would catch it and almost every time he put it in a spot where the guy could catch it and it was never going to be intercepted you know and that's what what I was really impressed with Burrow last night like and and and that was after Mixin went down so they they had an offensive coordinator who changed up the plan and was like was like hey we got P Ryan he's a pretty good catching running back let's just send him out on the flare and throw it to him and what did he get three touchdowns like that you know so so that's what I that's what I like Burrow.
Clearly, he's the better quarterback for that reason. Now, of course, of course, he's in season three. Who's to say that Pickett isn't going to be that way in season three. Maybe he will be, you know, and and I think he has the possibilities of doing that but he's not there yet and and we all know this is the way it was going to be.
He's a rookie quarterback. He's going through those growth pains. I just hope by the last game of the season when they play the Browns that he's able to make quick projection progressions and and be able to hit the open wide receiver whoever the open wide receiver is. I I think it was to me it was a really really disappointing game because and the and the reason is because Pickett did play well in the first half.
He really did. And remember last week I I was saying like you know hey this this could be a signature game for Kenny Pickett. You know two touchdown no interceptions close to 300 yards and a win and then he just **** the bat in the second half and and I that's what was really disappointing for me I thought we were in the midst of seeing a progression and then we went backwards well it was his best passer rating as a starting quarterback by the way 85.
9 and he didn't throw an interception true and he threw over 250 yards so that leads me to go back to Chris' point the offense just sucks like if you have a quarterback that can manage the game well doesn't make stakes throws over 250 yards has an okay you know rating not not great but an okay rating they ran they were running the ball okay that then that clearly tells you that the offense just needs something better like it's not enough to get the job done well and we can also talk about the the defense at this point there were three drives over seventy yards for touchdowns so here's so here's what I want to leave this is what I want to leave us with as we go into what Monday night next next Monday against Colts okay so your point is a very good point but what happens when when you make that point what I say just just like Steve was saying you know Cincinnati's offensive coordinator decided to change the game plan or adjust the game plan to what the weaknesses on the defense were what the strengths of their players were Kenny Pickett started off having a pretty decent half that's when I sent you the text it said maybe the lights gone on you go in at halftime and they regressed okay no Pickett you know four of twelve he missed eight passes he didn't look great but the coordinator did not adjust the game plan to say this is what's working we're going to keep doing it so well you can't measure Kenny Pickett right now no let's see because of that but I I see I I think there's a problem with that I mean I I'm with you about 50/ 50 okay, but I'll take that I I put I put 50% on and 50% on on the offensive coordinator I still think like look how do you know like maybe if Kenny Pickett hits one of those passes that's a first down then maybe they get into a rhythm and they do end up scoring a touchdown in the third quarter you know what I mean so the the the problem is you know it's very easy to say hey whenever it doesn't go well it's Canada's fault you know when he was missing some wide open receivers yeah over the head and in the dirt yeah yeah but it it just seems to be a pattern though there's no adjustment no real game plan the other team on a regular basis the opponents constantly say they know what plays are being I mean I agree so until you can get an offensive coordinator who can make adjustments and get creative and understand the players he has I'm not so sure you can go down that line because if if if the defense knows that those plays are being called it makes it all the more harder you know for a quarterback or or an offense to perform so last thing I want to leave you with okay now this is this is kind of funny I I didn't get chance to do this but I wanted to go back and do it.
Maybe I'll do it for next week, okay? Okay. Alright. The Cowboys, they drafted. Michael Irvin, Emmett Smith than Troy Aikman. Troy Aikman, one in 15, okay? We know the Cowboys ended up with a dynasty. I'm not saying that. Now, Aikman was a little higher grade coming out of college than Kenny Pickett was but now. He was the number one pick in the draft.
That's right. He was. Yes. And but Kenny was a first round. And I'm sure he was better. Yes. Even though they were one in 15. I don't know. I didn't look up the stats but here here's my point. You can you can concede that they were both first round picks. Right. Yeah. Here's here that and and and I think you know where I'm going with this.
It took them two years to get it together. And what did we call them? We called them the triplets. Right? So now we got we drafted Najay Harris, Kenny Pickett, and George Pitts. All I'm saying is we have the right coaching in there and things could be different. Okay? Things things could end up being remarkably different. Well I can tell you Najee looked like a real running back again.
It it's nice to see him running the ball well again. Right. It is. I I mean I think that clarifies that he really is the number one running back even after even after Jaylen Warren went down he he still played well throughout the whole game so so I I don't know I think I think that the analysis against the Dallas Cowboys who won what three Super Bowls in five years that team I don't know that team was really good probably much better than this Steelers team but yes absolutely can can they be the three that gel together and turn and turn it into something good only if the defense can get their **** together right and and that and if they can get an offensive line they yes the Cowboys had a pro ball almost across the line offensive line yeah so you know defense yes TJ Watt makes all the difference in the world but obviously you know I mean we did put up not last night we put up thirty points but we couldn't put up enough twenty-three Twenty-three plus an extra seven.
It's like getting an empty net. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Right. Right. Right. Okay. I'll be I'll give you that. I'll give you that. Yeah. And nothing in the second half, right? Or just one or just three points in the second half. Well, they had twenty at halftime. Yeah. So, three so. Yeah. No, 10 points. They scored 30 points. Yeah. It was 37.
You're counting empty net goals. Yeah, whatever.
It was still nice to see them score that many points and Yo Kerry wants to know if this is the sports kitchen. Now, it's the it's the sports basement this is our yeah it's the sports kitchen basement whatever you want cave so I I I would say that obviously Minka coming back he probably came back a little too soon the the the defense is a push Burrow looked good you know Cincinnati's offense look great their defense looked okay I I actually happen to think Cincinnati's for real you know I I have I I will take a step back and say I know I was I've been down on Najee for the last few weeks but what I did say I wanted to see was after the by week I wanted to see that his injury was healed and that maybe he could prove me wrong and right now he's he's looking a lot better he's looking a lot better and if that offensive line gets better next year then yeah you know he's going to end up being the one and I never thought Jaylen Warren should replace Najay Harris I just thought he should be a bigger part of the offense we all agree that Jaylen Warren is a nice change of pace back change of pace back and now if they don't have him and actually her the offense even more it does you know it really does because they need to have somebody to is he seriously hurt or is he coming back this week I don't know I don't know what happened to him I get the I guess it was a ankle injury or something so those usually take some time okay so moving on here we got picks we gotta do NFL picks let's talk about last week let's talk about the Steelers first next week oh yeah we got yeah Monday night is it Steelers at Colts at Colts alright sir game for Jeff Saturday.
Saturday. One on one. Saturday. One on one. So Cower really had nothing nice to say about Jeff Saturday. Well I don't I don't know. Well I mean I I get it. I mean I I I do think it's true that it's it is a little crazy when you when you hire somebody that's got like no professional football you know coaching experience when there's so many people out there you gotta figure there's gotta be some good guys out there that are you know even core backs coaches.
I mean, you know what I mean? It it it seems a bit much but at the same time, you know, I also feel like if you're the owner of the team, you can choose who you want. Yeah, you absolutely can and that's his prerogative and the reality is is he's one on one so he's not. And and to be and to be honest, you can all you can almost consider it a win losing to the Eagles by one point.
Yeah. Yeah. They were winning.
And I look at the head coach. I a lot of people see the head coaches like the guy who makes all the calls for everything. To a head coach just needs to be a manager of his other coaches. Right. If the offensive coordinator and the defensive coordinator are doing their jobs then he should only need to step in when it's like well do we need to challenge that players? No. He's got vetos. You know? It's like so how much and the the guy is a football player.
So he's he knows what a head coach should sound like and what a head coach should do. Does he know the X and O's of the game? No absolutely not. He doesn't but does he need to? I don't know. Maybe not. You know. He probably knows a lot about yeah I'm sure he does. I mean he's a hall of fame center. Yeah. Of course. But I mean you know he's not going to draw you know nifty little plays for the offensive coordinator right? Maybe not.
Yeah. Mike Framel's done a pretty damn good job in Tennessee. Right. You know I mean and and he was a great linebacker. Whatever. I I don't understand all the all the backlash against Saturday. Yeah I don't really either to be honest with you. I mean I I I get it. He didn't come up through the coaching ranks. Yeah. But right so You know I I think this game is a 5050 shot for the Steelers. Oh they're they're going to lose this game.
Yeah alright Steve so positive so well no I mean you know they always play well on Monday night right I mean the Colts aren't that great of a team they're not but it all comes down like I actually thought like the Steelers were doing well because they stopped mixing this week do you think they're going to be able to stop Jonathan Taylor and Naheem Hines probably not probably not well Taylor didn't start off the year great and I mean you know once again if if I Matt Ryan throws a bunch of interceptions then they probably have a chance at winning the game.
Yeah. There and if they can score I I'll go I'll go out and say if they score thirty points again they'll win the game. They'll look at that. But I just don't see that happen. I mean I think somebody will win by seven points or less. It's going to it's going to be a close. Well I tell you what. If it's a close game I'm I'm taking the Steelers in a close game.
But I think it's going to be a ten point. Is Boswell back next week? I don't know. We'll have to go we'll have to go check his nuts later. Yo Kerry says time to tank for a pick. Yeah. I I don't think so. I I I don't agree with tanking at all. I think he out the season because when you tank you're kind of giving up and the personnel you have now is most likely the personnel you're going to have to play with next year and you got guys like Pickens and Pickett that you you want them to develop so you want you want Pickett to develop and maybe go on a little bit of a win streak here to develop a little bit of that that confidence that he needs because right now you know and I I do agree with you right now for Pickett it's 5050, you know I'm still a Pickett fan because I think he has the tools but I think hampered by Canada and and I digress so moving on to the picks we have last week here we go this is the week that Steve makes a little progress last week Titans at Packers Mark and Steve had the Titans I had the Packers Chiefs at Chargers Chris and Mark had the Chiefs Steve had the Chargers Jets at Patriots I had the Jets I should have known better than that I mean I thought the Jets were on the rebound but you know the Patriots dude that could've that game could've gone either way I three to three and then they call that the clip in the back that you know maybe it ends in a tie.
Yeah. And I should have picked the time. Yeah. Zack Wilson is horrible though. He is horrible. I agree. Yeah. Zach Wilson. Uh I had the Jets. These two guys had the Patriots. So Mark was three and oh. Steve is two and one. Chris was one and two and that puts our records for the year at Chris is 20 and thirteen. Mark is taking the 21 and 12.
Ever so close to 500 at 16 and seventeen go two and one again. Yep. So the Pittsburgh. Picks this week. Sunday night's game. Big game. Packers at the Eagles. Sunday night game. Sunday night game. Packers. Why don't we pick the Thursday night game first? Schwabber won. He went three and oh so you Packers at the Eagles. Uh you gotta be a bummer I'll pick I'll pick the Eagles I mean you know it's funny because the Eagles have struggled a lot with Aaron Rodgers in the past but it doesn't seem like the same Aaron Rodgers you know I mean and maybe it's the receivers maybe not I don't know I think it's a little of both yeah I mean I'm sure it'll be a tight game but I'll take the Eagles twenty-four21 Steve Eagles I'm not going to overthink it this week.
I don't know. It's just going to be simple. Eagles. Don't overthink. Alright, I'm going to go with the Packers just because. Um alright, Thursday night game. Once again, who to thank? Who to thank this year? We'd be calling this as a big game but we got the Giants this game. Giants at Cowboys. Yeah, you did. You did. You were right. I like both these games.
Schrobber, Giants and Cowboys.
I mean, it should be the Cowboys.
Cowboys look great this week although I do think Minnesota's severely overrated. Yeah I do. Uh but I mean it's almost ridiculous for me to say the Giants but for some reason I'm going to do it. Giants. That makes it even easier for me. I was going to Cowboys anyways. You guys know I think they still got a shot at you know pushing the Eagles to to take their the division. So I that means I gotta go with the boys.
Steve's going with the Cowboys. It's kind of going with history being that the boys will find a way to screw it up. I'm going with the Giants. It's very they they definitely play down but I mean the Giants are good everybody we like the Giants I like the Giants but I didn't but I think I think Micah Parsons you know going to get the Daniel Jones I'm going up all over I'm going with the Giants because first I first I hate the Cowboys and second they just they just put up 40 on Minnesota right they're coming off a high now it is Thanksgiving in Dallas yeah which is traditional they they were playing the Commanders I It's a big trap game but I don't know.
I think Pollard's coming out of the closet. I think he's a real deal. Do you think Pollard really did come out of the closet? I mean, he ended up in the end zone that when he came out of the closet. Yeah. So, I mean, it's not a Black Pittsburgh. Does he play tight end? He might actually. No, he's a running back. Oh. Yeah. Okay. I do think he's part of the American Cornhole League.
Okay. It's previous show. I didn't hear that but you know, we should get him on the show and ask if he's played Cornhole in his life. Cuz we know some guy in this room with that play. We will try to connect with Tony Pollard and have him on the show next week. Yeah. Yep. Cornhole Questions. Alright. Our people will get to your people Tony. Our pick em game on Sunday is the Bengals at the Titans.
Whoo. Swabber. We'll see. Wow. This one's a tough one. I need a little insight from a big fan of Jamar Chase. Uh will Jamar Chase be playing next week? There is a chance that he is going to be playing. He's he's questionable now instead out I think the Titans have gone on a nice streak of winning football games that sort of has to end at some point so I'm going to take the Bengals a little upset Robert's going with the Bengals Steve what about it not a this is this one this is the hardest of the three by far so what is it Sunday afternoon yeah in Tennessee yes in Tennessee all the Nashville fans will be out do I think the Bengals can win two games in a row on the road in the music's Yes I do.
I'm going with the Bengals. Okay so that means automatically I'm picking the Titans because I think Mike Vrabel is the next Bill Belichick. So. Oh my god. Did you just say that? Oh so you mean. That is ridiculous. So you never coach for the Browns. So you well actually he might end up coaching. Actually actually Bill Belichick should hope to become the next Mike Rabel. Because when Bill Belichick doesn't have Tom Brady he's under 500.
He's not five. Oh you mean Mike. Has never had Tom Brady. He's well over 500. There you go. So it should be the opposite. Yeah but he has Tannehill. Who's close to Brady? Who's pretty bad? Tannehill. The next Tom Brady. Alright so. I mean Derrick Henry right now we're hoping Kenny Pickett becomes Tannehill. Yeah seriously. Okay Packers and Eagles. Chris has the Packers. These guys have the Eagles.
Giants and Cowboys. Chris and Mark have the Giants. Steve has the Cowboys. Bengals the Titans. I have the Titans. Everybody else has the Bengals. That's it for football.
Let's move on to the Penguins and before we do that, I need to thank you for listening on American Busker iHeartRadio and remind you that you can catch up with us on the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you get your podcast and also remind you that we have our very own Hockey Jesus in the house who drops his podcast. Usually, after every Penguins game. Unless previously, he's been at a Steelers game.
That's Hockey Jesus book. Is that your Hockey hey you know you gotta keep it close yeah keep it close to the Vets and apparently Sidney Crosby is really good at hockey so really good after every Penns game tune in to the Sports Sports Podcast let's see about this comment we got coming on here oh Jeff says happy Thanksgiving sometimes I lose control really good really good I think is is you know you're just understating anybody like like Talbot is really good of hockey so talk to us about he did score a game seven goal to win that was really good he's a really good player is this like a Flyers Penguins was he really good when he played in Russia or was he really good when he played for the NHL who we talk about now? Talbot.
Who else? Your buddy. Okay. Let's get to get to the Penguins guys. Three in a row. Talk to us about the streak Steve. Three in a three in a row. It's an up and down year so far. Yeah I mean you know I think this is I think this is the real identity of the Penguins. They they come out and they they score early goals and they gotta find a way to hold on to the early lead to be able to win the game.
And in it's it really was kind of crazy in these three wins. Like the last one they lost the lead and then Sidney Crosby just said eh we're going to win this game.
And he basically stole a puck went down the middle shot it got his own rebound and scored so I they're just finding like here's the thing with any hockey team whether it's the Penguins or or any team you need to have timely save from your goalie and Tristan Jare and Casey DeSmith have offered that either in the first period or in the last period in the case of Winnipeg I mean Jare was just phenomenal the first two periods until they finally scored a goal and then after that he stayed good with the Smith he had like 16 saves in the first period against Chicago save them all and then they score they they score a goal and then they they're up three nothing and like I said they're finding a way to keep that lead and and instead of getting the loser point they actually get the win and that's the big that's the those are the two big things like the the the person who's on my **** list right now is Brian Rust this guy is terror like I think he should.
How did this happen? He was good. Well he signed a contract. Oh the money. The money. I think. I mean I don't I don't really know but I mean he hasn't come out of the gate smoking. And and Rust is a really streaky scorer. So like until he gets a couple goals behind the net he's going to stay this way. And I I'm just concerned that he he's going to stay this way for a long time.
Like Raquel like I said on my podcast. You gotta check him out. You're a big Raquel fan. I said put Raquel up on the first line. What happened that first line? I'm looking for is a blogger update.
Okay I got your I got your Blueger update right here. Yeah. I'm waiting for that. No point scored in the last two games. But did he play a two way game? He plays so the penalty kill is like sixteen killed sixteen of the last eighteen. That's a hell of a game. Because Bluger's in there. Bluger Bluger and and Carter are really really just doing great with the penalty kill. I mean and and that's where his the the one thing on Enmark I'm sure you saw that's being the Bluger fan that you are.
Sure. Bluger had a chance at a shorty went in stopped. Went for the five hole. It got closed. Bam. Well he missed some games early in the year. Yeah. So he's still getting back up to speed. He'll get it. He'll get it together. He'll he'll he'll get a goal for you soon. Maybe Wednesday night. I'm a I I am a closet Bluger fan. Yeah. Everybody likes Teddy Blueger. I mean who doesn't like to say Teddy? So what so.
I like to say Bluger. What we really what we really want to get to right now is we are what? 19 games into the season? 19 games into the season. So call it 20 games in after the next game. A quarter of the season is gone. Mm hmm. I'd say that that's a big statistic. Yeah. I'd say the Penguins are right on track to losing the first round again. Really? You think they're even going to make it to the playoffs? Oh yeah.
Oh yeah. Yeah. The way they're playing now they definitely can. Yeah but when when they when they lost five straight or whatever that that losing streak was a couple weeks ago. Yeah. You wouldn't have thought that? Well well no and the reason I wouldn't have thought that was because they weren't scoring goals and their penalty kill was terrible.
So right. So I mean anytime you go on a seven game losing streak and your top line is garbage and and maybe the reason they went through the seven game losing streak you you know your first line's going to make it back somehow. And in this case all they had to do was put Raquel on the first line. Gino's played great all season with Zooker. I mean Zucker's the MVP of the team right now. He's just been just been great with Gino on that second line but of course you have to expect Zucker to get hurt because he always gets hurt at some point.
Out the season but while they're riding that wave the first line now has got it together the third line with Carter and Heinen and McGinn are great and the fourth line with Paling and Bluger and whoever they want to put on the other side it's Archibald right now are it's it's a good lineup it's it's a good lineup is is long as they can stay healthy and and probably the second MVP is is Pederson Pederson's playing on the top line with LaTang even though Dumelin is garbage and they them down so so I I I actually think this team can't improve but them improving is not like going on a 10-game win streak it's not blowing out teams it's basically managing the game that's what they have to do and when they manage the game well they're going to win they'll probably tie some and they'll probably get blown out a couple times against teams that have speed and the Penguins think they still are young and can skate fast and they don't and that's when they they're going to get blown out so the question is if if it looks like they're still in line for you know to be seated in the playoffs and the trade trade deadline is approaching.
It's a little early to talk trade deadline. Yeah. But is that a place where they add speed? I I you know I don't know that they really need to add anything yet. If they're going to add something it'll be because of an injury. Right. To either a goalie or a linger or or somebody important. Right. Um they're not going to add depth to the bottom six. Because they already enough death there they're they're paying for actually.
They're I think they're they're bottom their bottom six pairing is is probably the most expensive in the league. Um so I don't think there's really any place to really add. You almost would have to make a hockey trade and they just haven't ever done that.
Okay. You know so I think this is the team you're going to see. You're going to you know enjoy Gino's one thousandth game celebration on Wednesday with all the lickered up people at the at the PPG Arena Everything revolves around liquor. Mhm. Oh yeah. Especially like the night before Thanksgiving. It's like that's true. That's a big part. Wednesday's the next game. Wednesday yes. It's a it's a it's a home game.
They play Calgary. So that'll be your next hockey Jesus update. Oh yeah I guess I'm going to have to figure that one out. Yeah you're going to. Yep. You made a promise. Well yeah I was a little late on this morning's but hey I mean last night. But that was because of all of the what do we call it? Celebratory. Festivities. Festivities going the Steelers game you know it's it's really difficult festivities yeah yeah so yeah I think this is I think this is the the hockey team you you we expected to see I didn't expect that really lousy downstreak and I think they got that behind them I think you know unless they put Russ back up on the first line which probably will happen because Sydney loves to play with Brian Rust he thinks he can fix him and if he can't then they're going to probably go on another losing streak Calgary's one of those by the way who does like to skate fast.
So this could be a trap game actually. I could see them losing this on Wednesday. A trap game. Well it really shouldn't be a trap though because they're a good team. Calgary is a pretty good team. But they don't have a they don't have a goalie who's very good. So so I think as long as they can score they'll be okay but if they can't then like all games you lose when you score less goals.
I know I know. I know that's you know. No it's it's a big revolutionary. Steve's dropping some knowledge. It's a big part of the game. Scoring word in the Yup. It's important. Yup. It's important at all. Sports. Well, not in hockey because you can actually score as many goals as long as you win in the shootout. Is it is it important and is it is important in Cornhole as well and that leads us to that that leads us to headlines.
It means something. We're going to add a segment tonight because. Oh man, I didn't know I don't even have one. No, no, no, no, I'm going to add mine. That's a surprise. So, this is this is from a previous show but I'm going to bring it up right now because we talked a lot about Cornhole in this show. A whole lot of trouble, a cheating scandal, oh my god, has the world of professional cornhole.
I did not hear about this. Did we even know that there was professional cornhole? I did know. Yeah yeah actually. Funny is the yeah. Really? Yeah. Well I'm going to I'm going to bring you the I'm going to bring you the knowledge on this one. A cheating scandal dubbed Baggate has sent shock waves. Oh I did hear. Professional cornhole world. The controversy spark in August at the 2022 American Cornhole League World Champ Champions.
Alright. Now, hm. That brings up some interesting. They were lubricating their tossing bags. Yeah. Ooh. Well, I'm not sure but according to Devin Harbaugh who filed a complaint against cornhole players, Mark Richards and Phillip Lopez claimed the number one ranked doubles team used illegal bags. I told you. I thought the bags were too thin. Ooh. I I want to know how you determine whether or not a bag is thin or thick. You know, they have these measuring devices called rulers.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You should try and. Have you ever used a ruler on your bag? On my cornhole Yes. Yes. Okay. Yes. After the complaint was live, officials performed a bag inspection which sounds like thousands of spectators. However, Lopez and Richards also wanted their opponent's bags to be inspected as well. Turns out none of the players competing were using regulation-sized bags. So, apparently, everybody has different size bags. Well, we knew that. Yeah, of course.
I want to know how you can measure somebody's bag. Um Well, if you want, you can go outside and figure that out later. Uh meanwhile, Lopez claimed I don't know how they became illegal size. We did not boil the bags. Oh, that's how you yes towards pain right there. The infamous known as Baggate has sparked a conversation. Right. About, get this, implementing more strict regulations to prevent the use of non-compliant bags. This sounds like a Tom Brady incident waiting to happen.
Yeah, we were talking about that. I think it's funny that anyone believed it would be all friendship and rose petals forever in Cornhole. Hey, can we get Jablansk off the screen by the way. I'm tired of looking at his face. Wrote wrote one wrote let me say that again. Let me say it again. I think it's funny that anyone believed it would be all friendships and rose petals forever in Cornhole wrote another commentator on The Addicted to Cornhole Facebook page which has 85, 000 members.
Now. Wow. The Dirty Underbelly is being exposed. It's a dark market.
Cornhole. That's all I gotta say about that. We got two comments coming in right here. I'm sure they have to do yes Yo Carey says Tom Brady Bags I'm sure he boils his back. And DG says here's your answer Steve. You measure by telling them to turn their head and cough. Now that makes sense. I knew David would have came to that way. Yep and and on that note guys I don't know if you guys have anything else to add. But before you do I want to thank everybody for listening and watching and especially listening to us on American Busker.
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Stay real. It's Robert. We will see you next week.
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