1 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: This segment is brought to you by eighty four lumber 2 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: Dynasty partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tom Offerman in today 3 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: for Mark Madden. Mark returns to the show tomorrow. I bet, 4 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: in the midst of all of the Pirate's excitement to 5 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: start the season and the Penguins closing in on a 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: playoff spot and second place in the Metropolitan Division, so 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: home ice in the first round to boot y'all forgot 8 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: about today being day one of Steeler's off season workouts. 9 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 2: That's all right, that's. 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: Why I'm here for you, for the really exciting stuff 11 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: to sink our teeth into. We haven't really had much 12 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: Steeler talk, if any at all till this point on 13 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: the show today because they're not really relevant. And yeah, 14 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: you get some cool pictures of Cam Hayward and TJ 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: wat showing up to the facility today and some other 16 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: guys show up. 17 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 2: We're gonna lift weights with Steelers' logos on them. Awesome. 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: But I do have some takeaways, some thoughts that I 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: would like to get off my chest after my time 20 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: off from the show, mainly I took a half a 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: month off. 22 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 2: Still don't know. 23 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:20,479 Speaker 1: Who the quarterback is the stage is literally being set 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: for the NFL Draft here in a couple of weeks. 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: Still don't know who the quarterback is, still have no 26 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: clue about Aaron Rodgers, and most around the Steelers view 27 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: it as this kind of FATA complete and some of 28 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: them even look down their nose at you and scoff 29 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: at you and go, ugh, it's cute that you're worried 30 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: about this. Still, he's obviously going to be a Steeler. 31 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Open your eyes. It's clear as day, and it is 32 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: clear as day. I think he is obviously going to 33 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: be a Steeler, but it's annoying that he isn't just 34 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: sign the piece of paper. 35 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 2: And I know at the owners. 36 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: Meeting last week, Art Rooney said that he expects it 37 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: by the draft. 38 00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: Boy. 39 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: I hope that that is the case then, because if 40 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: that passes and he still. 41 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: Hasn't signed. 42 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: It, just again kind of adds to what I think 43 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: should be annoyance from the Steelers side of things, And 44 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: I'd hope that there is some, but they put on 45 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 1: a good poker face if there is, because you don't 46 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: seem to see that. You seem to see calm seas 47 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: and I talk to Aaron every day if you're Mike 48 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: McCarthy and don't worry about things. Everything is kumbayah. We 49 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: know Rogers will be back. It's silly to. 50 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: Fret about it. 51 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: And again, he probably will be, but it is just 52 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: getting dumb to this point that for a second year, 53 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: we're waiting this long. Oh it's just who Rogers is. Well, 54 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: maybe he can give a little bit back to the 55 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: Steelers this time. And sure you'll say to me, well, 56 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: they know, just make it official. Why can't we make 57 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: it official? It's understandable, I think if you're in Steelers 58 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: Nation and you're not, you know, subscribing to this thought of, oh, well, 59 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: he's gonna be back, so who cares. It's just Aaron 60 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: being Aaron's just who he is. Who gives a crap 61 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: about who he is? Sign on the dotted line and 62 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: play for the Steelers for another season, because as I said, 63 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: we all pretty much know that this is gonna happen. 64 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: So I don't even get what the dragging of the 65 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: feet would be for like last year, you got it. 66 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: You have to decide if you're gonna jump to your 67 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: third team in four years. You have to make another 68 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: big decision as far as your life is concerned. But 69 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: even though there's a coaching change and you came here 70 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: to play for Mike Tomlin, you ingratiated yourself with the 71 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: Steelers organization. You went ten and seven, you won the 72 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: division for them. If front office is still in place, 73 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: most of your teammates are still there. 74 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: You know the lay of the land. 75 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: Now I need to ask people for help about where 76 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: to get to the whirlpool, or to get to that 77 00:03:55,280 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: room or this room. You got some comfortability here. No, 78 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: it should be different this year, and it very well 79 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: might still be different. 80 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 2: And maybe the week of the draft rolls around. 81 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: In that Monday we get the announcement that Aaron Rodgers 82 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: assigned his contract and he's gonna find the Pittsburgh and 83 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: take the picture, or maybe they'll fax a two hm 84 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: ount in Malibu and we'll take a picture at his desk. 85 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: And I guess if you're just overwhelmingly annoyed by this, 86 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: you could just ignore it. And that's be what you'd say. 87 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: He just ignore it, don't don't pay attention to it. 88 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: It's impossible not to. And I just want it to 89 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: be over. So I hope it is done by the drafts. 90 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: As the owner for the Pittsburgh Steelers, said he expects, 91 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: and you know what the two way Street last year. 92 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: You know, it wasn't just like Rogers did this great 93 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: favorite to the Steelers and they should bow down at 94 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: his altar at every single turn. Yeah, Steelers did a 95 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: pretty big favorite to Rodgers as well. His career was 96 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: about to be over, and that last chapter or two 97 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: was a tragedy as far as the ending is concerned, 98 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: with his time in the New York Jets organization, blowing 99 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: out his achilles in year one and then in year 100 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: two having one of his worst seasons as far as 101 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: team success is concerned. Just an absolute train wreck. Not 102 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,119 Speaker 1: the case now, though, that's not what his final chapter 103 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: looks like. If indeed this is his final chapter, don't 104 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: think it will be. But let's just pretend. Now you 105 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: go ten and seven, you win a division. Yeah, you 106 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 1: got beat badly in the playoffs, but you got to 107 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: the playoffs. That's a much better ending than what you 108 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: had in New York and the Steelers, a much better 109 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: organization and upgrade in every way from where you were 110 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: at in that Jets organization. No, it wasn't just Rogers 111 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: doing this massive favor to the Steelers. There was a 112 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: two way street there, and because of that, I think Rogers, 113 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: to be quite honest with you, owes it to the 114 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: Steelers to hear what the owner said. And even though 115 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 1: I think it it's too late now to be waiting 116 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: get this done by draft, I will say this though, 117 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: if you're one of these Will Howard heads out there, 118 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: if you're someone who's banging the table for Will Howard 119 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: to start and you want to see that, you should 120 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: be praying to every single god that you can find 121 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: that has ever been in existence that Rogers decides, for 122 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: whatever reason to hang it up because there ain't nowhere 123 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: to pivot to. I don't think if you're the Steelers 124 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: at this point, you have seen Kirk Cousins go off 125 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: the board, and I wasn't really a fan of that anyway. 126 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: You saw the money that Cousins demanded. Cousins needs the money. 127 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: There ain't no such thing as a discount when it 128 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: comes to Kirk Cousins, third highest paid quarterback of all time. 129 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: So that was gonna cost you and probably a downgrade 130 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: as far as the level of play is concerned. I 131 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: know that has been up for debate, and some people 132 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: think that Cousins is better right now. 133 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 2: Than Rogers is right now. I don't know. 134 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: That's a close call, and I would probably give the 135 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: edge to Rogers there. They're both not that great and 136 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: they're both not a solution obviously to the problem that 137 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: has been perplexing this organization for years now, and that's 138 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: who the quarterback of the future is going to be. 139 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: But anyway, there was a Plan B that was kind 140 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: of getting talked into motion. If Rogers indeed said no, 141 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: but everybody else is gone, there's no one else to 142 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: turn to. You're gonna get Jimmy g You're gonna strike 143 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: a trade with some veteran I don't think so at 144 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: this point. If things go completely belly up and you 145 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: have to pivot away from Rogers, the only pivot left 146 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: is a Roodolph and Howard tandem and maybe a draft pick. 147 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: So if if you really do believe that there is 148 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: a future with Will Howard and Mike McCarthy saying he 149 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: would have drafted him a lot earlier than the sixth 150 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: round if I was in that draft class as a 151 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: head coach, I mean talking him the hell up at 152 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: those owners meetings. If you buy into that, that there's 153 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: any chance at all that he could be the guy. 154 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: Shouldn't you kind of be rooting for Rogers to not 155 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: come back, because I think the Keys would then be 156 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: very close to being his. Rudolph would start, but it 157 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 1: would probably be only a matter of time before Howard 158 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: got his chance. My feeling is that a lot of 159 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: you out there just like to say this stuff about 160 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: Will Howard and like to talk a big game, But 161 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: if it came to it and push came to shove, 162 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: I don't know if you would be all aboard with 163 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: that unless you're coming from the angle of start this kid. 164 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: Let's see if this is like one billion to one 165 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: lottery ticket scratches off and it hits, but if it doesn't, probably. 166 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 2: Only win four games. And there's your arch manning. 167 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: There's your quarterback with some serious pedigree, with a serious 168 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: ceiling that could absolutely become that franchise option. 169 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: But everything I just. 170 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: Said, I think is pointless because Aaron Rodgers is going 171 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: to come back. I just don't understand why we all 172 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: have to pretend, we all have to keep playing this game. 173 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 2: We all have to keep, you know. 174 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: Having these moments on the talk shows on ESPN of 175 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: Rogers this, and Rogers that, and what do the Steelers 176 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: get out of Rogers? 177 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: And waiting for Rogers? 178 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: And I'm sorry, but you can't tell me that he 179 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: doesn't like the attention of this at all, Rogers, even 180 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: if he's not consuming it. Like I'm not saying he 181 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: sits down to some grapefruit or whatever the hell he's eating, 182 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: Actually some drugs. He probably just has like a cocktail 183 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: of drugs in front of him in the morning for breakfast. 184 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that he sits down to that and 185 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: clicks on the TV, looks around, SE's my name on 186 00:09:59,360 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: the scroll? 187 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: What are they talking about? What are they happening. I'm 188 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 2: not saying that. 189 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: I just think he likes knowing that it's out there, 190 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: that he's being talked about a lot. And he says, Oh, 191 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: when I retire, I'm gonna fade away. You won't hear 192 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: from me at all. Don't think that that's true. I 193 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: believe that when I see it. Eight three, three thirty 194 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: nine is the number to call. No more Steeler talk. 195 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 2: Done with that. 196 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: Pirates relevant, Penguin's very relevant. We'll get more into them. 197 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: I got some Penguins thoughts. A little bit later, this hour. 198 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: When we come back, though, I'm gonna talk a bit 199 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: about Connor Griffin some more and his struggles at the plate. 200 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: It's Tom off from an in for Mark Madden. 201 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 2: One of five ninety X. 202 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: We have ourselves a lineup for tonight's Pirate game, with 203 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: Paul Skeens on the hill for the Pirates, making his 204 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: third start of the season. O'Neil Cruz leads it off 205 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: play center d hing tonight is Brandon Lalle batting second, 206 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 1: Reynolds and left in the three hole, Ryan O'Hearn in right. 207 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 2: Batting cleanup. Third baseman tonight will be Nick York. 208 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: He'll bat fifth, second baseman Nick Gonzalez batting sixth. Seventh 209 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: is Spencer Horwitz playing first. Eighth is shortstop Connor Griffin. 210 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: Ninth Henry Davis of course doing the catching, And if 211 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: Paul Skeins is on the mound, you can always pretty 212 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,199 Speaker 1: much assume that Hank will be behind the dish. They 213 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: need a third baseman. That's kind of it's so early, 214 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: but like if you're looking at what they need to upgrade, 215 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: hoping that they're in it come the deadline, third base 216 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: is clearly the obvious spot there or not that I 217 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: haven't been impressed with York and what he's been able 218 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: to do with his bat to some degree to this 219 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: point in the season, this very early point in the season, 220 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: but they just don't have a third baseman. Hey, Treola 221 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: is just not going to cut it, especially if this 222 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: team is actually going to push for a playoff spot. 223 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: We mentioned earlier in the show, Marcelo Zuna and his 224 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: struggles at the dish probably deserves a day off, and 225 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: that's exactly what Don Kelly is doing. I think Don 226 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: Kelly has really hit pretty much all of the right 227 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: buttons when it comes to his lineup so far this 228 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: year and kind of the moves that he's been making. 229 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: And I think it's a good one to give Ozuna 230 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: the night off. 231 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: You let lu Dh rest a little bit, doesn't have 232 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: to go out there in the field and just just 233 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: bat three or four times and see if Ozuna can. 234 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: Kind of reset himself. 235 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: But you have to wonder at some point is Ozuna 236 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: gonna turn from oh, well he's gonna break out eventually 237 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: to will he ever break out again? Maybe it's just 238 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: done with him, and I think there is legitimate reason 239 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: for some worry there. Now. The other pirate that's really 240 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: struggling greatly at the plate is Connor Griffin, who has 241 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 1: just the one hit so far in thirteen at bats 242 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: since being caught up in that one hit, of course, 243 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: being the double on the home opener against the Oiler, 244 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: the Oilers, the Orioles. In Connor Griffin's debut, other than that, 245 00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: he hasn't gotten a hit. He has walked to twice, 246 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: he struck out four times. He's got that one RBI 247 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: on that double. So there has been some struggle, to 248 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: say the least, when it comes to Connor Griffin and 249 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: how he has taken to the major league level. But 250 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: I think it's foolish to worry yet about that now. 251 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 2: If you want to wonder what the plan would be. 252 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: If we say go two or three months from now 253 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: and he's still hitting under one hundred and it's just 254 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: an overwhelming task for him right now at the plate 255 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,719 Speaker 1: at the major league level, then do you send him 256 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,440 Speaker 1: back down to Indianapolis for a little bit more polish. 257 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: I don't know. I hope they'd never have to get there. 258 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: But it's looked like a pretty big struggle for him 259 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,599 Speaker 1: at the plate so far, and something that everybody was 260 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: so high on when it came to Connor Griffin was 261 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: the fact that whenever you just dropped him into Altoona, 262 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: you dropped him into Bradenton single A, double A, even 263 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,559 Speaker 1: in the what four or five games he played in 264 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: triple A, and he ripped the cover off the ball. 265 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: There just hasn't been a learning curve for this kid. 266 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: He's just hit the ground running at every single level 267 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: of baseball. Well, now he's at the major league level, 268 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: and there is clearly a learning curve that he's going 269 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: to have to go through. I bet you gets a 270 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: hit tonight, though, I bet you he breaks out of 271 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: that mini slump that he's in since the home opener 272 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: gets a nice hit today, and we start to roll 273 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: forward a little bit. I don't need Connor Griffin this year, 274 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: in his age nineteen season, to hit three hundred and 275 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: have an ops. 276 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: In the nine hundreds. 277 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: If you can get you know, two forty two fifty 278 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: and give us twenty home runs and play really good 279 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: defense at shortstop and show us that potential and have 280 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: those streaks at the plate where you're just ripping the 281 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: cover off the ball, it's just got to find some 282 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: consistency now. I think that's a good rookie season for 283 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: Connor Griffin. You know, people that thought that he would 284 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: come up and be a Ken Griffy junior type of 285 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: in his prime right away. That's a little bit foolish 286 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: and a little bit of too much expectation I think 287 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: hoisted on the nineteen year old. But I do think 288 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: patience is necessary when it comes to him at the 289 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: plate and something that the Pirates are going to give him, 290 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: and the fact that they sign him to that contract 291 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: it allows them the leash to give him that patience 292 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: and to hope that things will work out, and I 293 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: think they will. And one thing you don't have to 294 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: worry about with him, and I'm not saying this is 295 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: like a hey silver lining. If the bat never comes along, 296 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: at least you got this going for you, because he's 297 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: got to be the best player in the lineup, MVP 298 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: caliber type of player within two three years of being 299 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: at the big league level. That's what Connor Griffin is 300 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: supposed to become. But he looks smooth in the field. 301 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: I mean, there does not seem to be much of 302 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: a learning curve at the position of shortstop defensively speaking, 303 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: very smooth on turning double plays, a lot of range, 304 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: has made some pretty spectacular plays already, really strong, solid arm, 305 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: So the defensive aspect of the game is not a 306 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: worry at all, And that's what so many people said 307 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: in spring training. Connor Griffin is probably the team's best 308 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: defensive shortstop just overall on the roster, and I think 309 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: that that has shown itself in just his brief time 310 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: up at the big league level, in just the four. 311 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 2: Games that he has played, so at least, there's not. 312 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: You know, a struggle at the plate, combined with he's 313 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: really trying to get his feet wet out in the field. 314 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: He seems very comfortable out in the field, and I 315 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: think the bat's going to follow playing good field, having 316 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: that good glove, especially at shortstop, that can carry over 317 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: to the dish and maybe he'll get some confidence very 318 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: soon and we'll start to see Connor Griffin going a 319 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: little bit of a run here at the plate. But 320 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about him at all, And I'm not 321 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: worried about Azuna. 322 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 2: Right now either. 323 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: But I entertain the likelihood that Azuna could be hitting 324 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: a wall as far as the player is concerned, in 325 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: that would just mean it was a disaster of a 326 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: signing for the Pirates. But I can still close my 327 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: eyes and see it stretch in June where the offense 328 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 1: is just being backpacked by Ozuna in that five hole. 329 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: He's got like five home runs over his past ten 330 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: games or something crazy like that. So I still hold 331 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: out hope for both of them, and I kind of 332 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: know that Connor Griffin is going to come around. Just 333 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 1: looks too good to fail. And it starts tonight. You 334 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: know what I'm gonna up it he hits a home 335 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: run tonight. That's right, not even a hit. He doesn't 336 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: even get a hit, not a single on a little bloop, 337 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: a full on blast. 338 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: He's getting a home run. 339 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: Eight three, three, nine, if you want to jump on 340 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: and talk some Pirates baseball and some Connor Griffin. If not, though, 341 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: got a lot of Penguins talk prepped for the next segment, 342 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: so we'll get into that next. It's Tom Off from 343 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: an Infra Mark one of five ninety eh. Tom Off 344 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 1: from an end today for Mark Madden. Got some Penguins 345 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: thoughts that I just want to kick around here, just 346 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: some random ones, really little Penguin's popcorn, if you will. 347 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: A couple colonels just popped into my head, wrote them 348 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: down on this here piece of paper, and now I 349 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: will make those words that are written down on this 350 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: piece of paper come out of my mouth into this 351 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: microphone for everybody to hear. This could potentially be the 352 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: last Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin matchup. 353 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 2: This coming weekend. 354 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: You got the home and home between the Capitals and 355 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: the Penguins Saturday and Sunday, the third to last and 356 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,479 Speaker 1: penultimate game for Pittsburgh, and then things wrap up on 357 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: Tuesday of next week in Saint Louis against the Blues 358 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: for the regular season for the Penguins. But those two 359 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: games against the Caps could very well end. Really, do 360 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: you want to say? It's the closest thing that the 361 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: NHL has had to a Larry Bird and Magic Johnson 362 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: type of rivalry. Now, they didn't capitalize on it in 363 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: any way close to what the NBA did with those 364 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: two taking their league into just the next kind of 365 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 1: stratosphere of popularity and television and all that stuff. 366 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 2: But without question, it would. 367 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: Have been hard for the league to generate out of 368 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: the lockout if it wasn't for SID, if it wasn't 369 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 1: for Ov if it wasn't for the insane success that 370 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: they experienced immediately and sid winning just a few years 371 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: into his career, and then you have the Ovechkin endless 372 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: pursuit narrative that happened for a lot of his career 373 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: of winning that Cup and always being denied by Sidney 374 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: Crosby and those Pittsburgh Penguins until twenty eighteen finally breaking through. 375 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 2: It's just phenomenal. 376 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: I don't need to remind everybody out there about it, 377 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: although I'm sure you'd like to listen about it. 378 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 2: I never get bored with the history. 379 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: Between those two and the Penguins and the Capitals in 380 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: this you know, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin era. But it's 381 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: certainly on the table that this comes to an end 382 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: on Sunday. It's the last chapter in that event, and 383 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: you don't know that for sure, and Ov might come 384 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: back next year. 385 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 2: Sid is coming back. 386 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: I mean, this isn't you know on Sidney Crosby as 387 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: far as that coming to it, And it's all about Ovechkin, 388 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: and you know, you just he he played well this year, 389 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: Let's put it that way. 390 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 2: He played at a level that at. 391 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: Times this year, you were saying, maybe he is just done, 392 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: but he picked it up towards the end of the 393 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: year and I could see him playing again, no doubt. 394 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 2: But what is there really to even play for anymore? 395 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 2: For him? You got the gold record, you have a. 396 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: Thousand total goals now, both postseason and regular season. 397 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 2: I just don't know what else is out there for 398 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 2: Alex Ovechkin. You got your cup. 399 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: I guess just that cliche love of the game, right, 400 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: But Sunday could be that final chapter. And you won't 401 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: hear a people about that from the league at all, 402 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: maybe a mention of it on the broadcasts. You know, 403 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: these are the last two games they could would potentially 404 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: play against each other. 405 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 2: And again you can't really bill. 406 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: It since you don't have a Vettion, you know, flat 407 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: out saying I'm retiring at the end of the season. 408 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 2: But you could read between the lines a little. 409 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: Bit there and kind of cheat somewhat, so you don't 410 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: want to miss what could potentially be the last meeting 411 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: of the two greatest rivals arguably individually speaking, in the 412 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: NHL's history. One thing that will happen to the Penguins 413 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, I guarantee you this, This is kernel 414 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: number two. As far as the Penguins Popcorn is concerned, 415 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: I promise you that they're going to get egregiously screwed 416 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: on goaltender interference. 417 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 2: I promise you that I can see it right now. 418 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: You know, Game one against the Flyers, Penguins score a 419 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: big goal to go up three to two or something 420 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: like that, and Justin Brazo's skate tip is just kind 421 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: of inching into the crease in it all almost brushed 422 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 1: up against. 423 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: The pad of the goalie. It looked like it might have. 424 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: And they're gonna review it and they're gonna say no goal, 425 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: and that's gonna come back to haunt the Penguins in 426 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: that game, and. 427 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 2: They're gonna lose. 428 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 1: And then you're gonna fast forward to like Game three 429 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia and Trevor Zegres is gonna go just like 430 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: flying into the net and Porter Martinez is gonna tap 431 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: one in and they're gonna say, oh, you know what, 432 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: wasn't this fault kind of got pushed by the Penguin 433 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: goal for the Flyers. 434 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 2: You know that that's gonna happen. 435 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: And I'm not gonna sit here and start whining already 436 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: about it and say they're gonna lose in the first 437 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: round because of the goalie stuff. 438 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 2: But it has been such a theme for the Penguins 439 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 2: this year. 440 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: Hard for me to just say, oh, that won't continue 441 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. 442 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 2: You don't want to be a conspiracy theorist. 443 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: But Kyle Dubis and how he's felt about in Toronto, 444 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: Dan Muse, first year head coach, didn't play in the league, 445 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: showing a little bit of stiffness towards him because of that. 446 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: Wouldn't be the first time that that's happened. I'm just 447 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: saying that there's some breadcrumbs that you can follow here, 448 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: and you know what, I'm just gonna fly out saying 449 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: the league is absolutely screwing the Penguins. They are giving 450 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: up way too many goals. Though, Colonel number three, can 451 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 1: you win games two to one? Can you win games 452 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: three to two? Borky was on yesterday when Paul's Ice 453 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: was hosting the show. He talked about that it's so 454 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: spot on because the old two nine ers always so 455 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: spot on. But you know this firewagon hockey eight two 456 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: after two periods against Florida and you know, back and 457 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: forth games, that's not going to be commonplace in the playoffs. 458 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: It can happen, but you gotta win two to one, 459 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: you gotta win three two, and I. 460 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 2: Don't think the Penguins can't do that. 461 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: But I would like to see that maybe of these 462 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: next four games. And I know you've got New Jersey 463 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 1: not gonna make the playoffs, Capitals twice. 464 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 2: Probably not gonna make the playoffs unless they. 465 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: Sweep you and some other things fall in their favorite 466 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: they're not dead yet, Washington, but they probably won't make it. 467 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: I would predict that they aren't gonna make it. And 468 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 1: then you got Saint Louis not gonna make the playoffs, 469 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: so it's not like you're going up against the stiffest 470 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: of competition. And to be quite honest with you, once 471 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: you get to that Saint Louis game, who's to say 472 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: you're not already wrapped up in that second spot in 473 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: the metro and your big guns don't even play. But 474 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: New Jersey, Washington, Washington, those Washington games, i'd like to 475 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: see two to one, three two, and maybe that's where 476 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: the Colonel Number four steps in. We talked about this 477 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: earlier in the show, but stir gameberrishoff, he really feels 478 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: like that last button right that you just you need 479 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 1: to push if you you really want to make a 480 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: serious run at this thing. And again, as I said before, 481 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,160 Speaker 1: I don't know what I mean by serious run at 482 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 1: this thing, because I still don't think I'm ready to 483 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: be like they are a Stanley Cup contender. They can 484 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: win the Stanley Cup. But if they just get better goaltending, 485 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: who's to say they can at least win one two 486 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 1: rounds and get to the Eastern Conference Final. And once 487 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: you're there, once you're four games away from the Stanley Cup, 488 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: I mean, come on, it can happen then at that point. 489 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: So goaltending is kind of like that last missing piece. 490 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: It's probably the biggest weakness right now for the Penguins. 491 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: It's obviously not scoring goals. Averaging three point five to 492 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: five goals per game, it's third most in the league, 493 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 1: if the second most goals overall in the NHL. 494 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 2: They're scoring a ton. 495 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: They need better goaltending, though, and I'm not excusing the 496 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: blue line either, they need better from them. But there's 497 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: a reason why the goaltender position exists, and it's to 498 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: make saves, and they're not making enough of them. And 499 00:25:58,119 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: I'm not sure they're going to turn the Miroshov and 500 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: a series fashion. I saw Skinner today looked a lot 501 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: better as far as I was concerned, But I really 502 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: would love to see him in Net Thursday against the Devils, 503 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: And whether Skinner's healthy or not, I think this is 504 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: certainly a gamble that the Penguins should take, because it 505 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: really is kind of house money. I know we were 506 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: talking earlier on the show and said, hey, the expectation 507 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 1: now for the Penguins is to win around in the playoffs. Okay, 508 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 1: fair enough, don't use my own words against me. But 509 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: at the same time, this does have a bit of 510 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: a house money feel to it. When you were not 511 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: supposed to even sniff a playoff spot. What was it 512 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: like a seven percent chance at the beginning of the season. 513 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: If even that, you were more likely to be in 514 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 1: the McKenna sweep stakes, you were more likely to be 515 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: looking at a top five pick this coming draft, and 516 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: what is a loaded draft class then not only going 517 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 1: to the playoffs, but with four games, were sitting pretty 518 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: comfortable and potentially locking in home iice advantage. You know, 519 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: no one in their right mind could have seen that 520 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: coming from the Penguins. So because of that, why not 521 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: take the gamble on the kid, the number one prospect, 522 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 1: see if it pays off. It's definitely happened before in 523 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: the NHL to a degree, It's happened before with Matt 524 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: Murray here in Pittsburgh. Now. I know he had a 525 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,640 Speaker 1: little bit more of a ramp up before he had 526 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: to play in the playoffs, but it's been done before, 527 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: and he's, I think, on a pretty consensus basis, considered 528 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: the best goalie in the Penguins organization right now. When 529 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: he was up earlier this year, Penguins were playing some 530 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: bad hockey, probably their worst hockey of the season. Very 531 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: unfair to just look at that small sample size when 532 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 1: they needed him and there was injury and say, hmm, 533 00:27:58,560 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: he didn't. 534 00:27:58,960 --> 00:27:59,439 Speaker 2: Really do that. 535 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: Well what he made that jump? Do you really want 536 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: to do that again with so much on the line. Yes, 537 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: I do want to do that again because the Penguins 538 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: are playing great hockey right now, and I want to 539 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: see if Mirshov can unlock that final level, that final 540 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: kind of missing piece gets placed into the puzzle and 541 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: then we can really start talking about the Penguins making 542 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: a run. Here, Sid reached his twenty one straight points 543 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: per game season Colonel number five, and some of the 544 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: hate I see on this as just laughable, but it's 545 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:31,199 Speaker 1: also not surprising. 546 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 2: There's so much yeah budding. 547 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 1: You go to NHL's Twitter page and they post a 548 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: picture of sid and they say twenty one consecutive seasons 549 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: averaging a point per game. Here's the list of players 550 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: that have done that, Sidney Crosby end list, And then 551 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: you open it up and it's like, yeah, but there 552 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: should really be like a cop it should be eighty 553 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: two games, you know, because what if you only got 554 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,239 Speaker 1: hurt after thirty five and he who's to say he's 555 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: gonna get to eighty two? You know, you just can't 556 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: do that. So because of the injury, you know, I 557 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: just want to take away from him in this obviously 558 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: unbelievable achievement that speaks to his incredible consistency at the 559 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: game of hockey, because I just had a big dump 560 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: in my pants. I guess I really don't understand these people. 561 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: You Yeah, but well what about this, Yeah, he got 562 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: hurt a lot. You can't just assume that. I absolutely 563 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: can't assume that in the years that Crosby lost the 564 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: injury in his prime, when he was an absolute force 565 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: in the games that he did play, that he would 566 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: have had a point per game had he saw that 567 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 1: season through. And furthermore, if you're not impressed by this feat, 568 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:40,720 Speaker 1: if you want to say. 569 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 2: Oh, well, you know he had all those injuries. 570 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: So you know you average, you have thirty seven points 571 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: in a thirty five game season. For you, how hard 572 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 1: is that to even do? Anybody can do that? Well, 573 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 1: why hasn't anybody else done it? Then? You know, that's 574 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: where it always comes back to for me, that's the 575 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: argument ender right there, all of the squawking that you do, 576 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: all I have to say is, yeah, that's cool, but 577 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: why has no one else done it? How come he's 578 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: the only one When you say, hey, twenty one consecutive 579 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: point per game season, Sidney Crosby done. 580 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 2: List some great players didn't play for twenty one years. Okay, 581 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 2: that's on them. 582 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: Why didn't they play as long as sid has? Oh 583 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: you know, you play a long time. Sometimes you fade. 584 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: You have an eighty one point season in eighty two games. No, 585 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: that's fine, it's fair. That's what mortals do. Not sid 586 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: not so far at least, so that feat just keeps 587 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: stacking and stacking and stacking, and it's great. Sydney needs 588 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: to play a lot better, though, don't know if he's 589 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: really one hundred percent. It's really unlike Sid to not 590 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: play at one hundred percent or close to it, But 591 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: I don't know. It does seem like there is just 592 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: a little bit of something missing there from him. Maybe 593 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: a really strong weekend against the Panthers as far as 594 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: point production is concerned, will kind of wake him up. 595 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 2: Not worried about him and. 596 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: He never want to tempt this fate, but him now 597 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: starting to heat up a little bit and being a 598 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: little bit quiet, and coming back from an injury and 599 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: then getting injured again and missing a game or two here, 600 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: and then coming back again with the Penguins role in 601 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: the way they are without that, without Sydney Crosby as 602 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: part of the equation, well that just makes me think 603 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: that once he wakes up, and he is going to 604 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: wake up once that puck drops in the playoffs and 605 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: he tastes that playoff hockey again, I mean, look out, 606 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: it's gonna be fireworks. I think Eric Carlson is, without questioning, 607 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: the team's MVP right now, and I think he should 608 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: be getting top five votes in the Norris Trophy race. 609 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: He could realistically reach seventy points. He's just a machine 610 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: out there, by far the most dominating player on the ice, 611 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: I think, night in and night out, and that's including Crosby. 612 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: When Crosby's come back from injury. Carlson is driving the 613 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: bus right now for the Penguins' defensemen in this league. 614 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: He should finish top five in the Norris Trophy voting. 615 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: We'll see if he does or not, but we Pittsburgh 616 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: know that that's the kind of play that we're seeing 617 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: out of him. Chinakoff and sid they're starting to pair 618 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: together pretty nicely. Right Next year could be explosive with them. 619 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: Let's just say that, yeah, they still have some things 620 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: that they can do this year, they still have some 621 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: damage to do, but with that eye towards the future, 622 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: because Chinakoff, he's part of the future. Chinakoff and Kindall 623 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: are like the two big future pieces that are coming 624 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: together for this team. Everybody else has been on the 625 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: older side, but those two man it looks really bright 626 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: and I'm excited to see a full year of Sidney, 627 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 1: Crosby and chinakov together. 628 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 2: They Ricard Raquel to center experiment. 629 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 1: It took a while to click in, but boy, thank 630 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: god it did because the Tommy Novak second line center experiment. 631 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 2: That was starting to not cut it so much. 632 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: But Ricard racket named NHL's first Star of the Week 633 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 1: last week. Seven goals in a nine game span on 634 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 1: fire and blink, and all of a sudden, he's got 635 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: twenty four goals on the season. And he missed a 636 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 1: considerable stretch of time and had to adjust the center 637 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: and it wasn't smooth for him. 638 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,120 Speaker 2: But now he's really taken to it well. 639 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:26,320 Speaker 1: And boys, that perfect timing because you were nervous about 640 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: riccard Raquel having to take on that center role when 641 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: Sidney Crosby is out and if he could do it. 642 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 1: But now he's on the second line center with Crosby 643 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: center in the first line, and Kendall can stay in 644 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: the third and thet comes back and forth. 645 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 2: It's falling together real nice. I'm getting pretty excited about that. 646 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:46,800 Speaker 1: So I think that riccard Raquel at center is really 647 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: working out big time for them, and I'm excited to 648 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: see that continue to yield positive results and him and 649 00:33:55,560 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 1: Malkin continue to click together. Penguins have a really good 650 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: problem to have, by the way, they're back into that 651 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: mode a team that has good problems to have. And 652 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: that's when it comes to Blake Lazot's return. Who's gonna 653 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,440 Speaker 1: sit from the lineup that's currently just clicking on all cylinders. 654 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: It's probably gonna be Soderblom, right, He's probably the answer. 655 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 2: But he's been just insanely good. There's no problem. 656 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: You're like Herb Brooks looking at your roster talking to 657 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: your wife Patty at the kitchen table. You're saying, how 658 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: do I cut this guy? He's done everything I've asked 659 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 1: for and she's just like, well keep them. 660 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 2: Then I can't, Patty. I can only play so many 661 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:33,440 Speaker 2: damn forwards. 662 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: So someone's got to take a seat, and I think 663 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: it's probably gonna have to be Elmer Soderblom. 664 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 2: But this is a good problem that exclusively good teams have. 665 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 2: So Penguins are in a good spot for this. 666 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 1: And for all you glue heads out there, I promise 667 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 1: you this someone will get hurt again, so Elmer will 668 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: slide right back in. 669 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 2: And again that's a good thing. 670 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:00,760 Speaker 1: Need that kind of depth that you can tap into 671 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:02,799 Speaker 1: if you're a team that's going to be serious in 672 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 1: the playoffs. Malcolms is not going back to center either, 673 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 1: which is such a good thing and kind of something 674 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: we all knew, but it's just nice to see. There's 675 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: been so many opportunities for them to put Malkin back 676 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: at center, and the Penguins have every single time said no, 677 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: we would just convert Recard Raquel to center instead. He's 678 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: going to get another contract from the Penguins, and he 679 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: probably should get another contract from the Penguins this offseason. 680 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: In fact, he should, No, probably he should. Just has 681 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: to be a year to year. You can't do multi year. 682 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 1: Just take it one year at a time. Now and finally, 683 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: my final Colonel, my final Penguins thought. I want to say, 684 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, it's really nice that Sid's gonna be back 685 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. 686 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 2: We've got to cherish this. 687 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:45,760 Speaker 1: It's been so long since he's been there, was wondering 688 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: if he'd ever get back, and now just going to 689 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 1: this one knowing it could be the last. Who knows 690 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: if you'll get there again with him, But I have 691 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: a hunch that there's gonna be a few more here 692 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 1: to come. When it comes to Sidney, Crosby, Gino La Tang, 693 00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: that's a different story. 694 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 2: The Holy Trio, the Trinity of Penguins Hockey. Don't think 695 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: that's gonna happen anymore. 696 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: But when it comes to Crosby, as he just continues 697 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: to play at such a high level, a point per 698 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:12,839 Speaker 1: game level, and this team's only gonna get better and better, 699 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: and it's in the hands of a just masterful GM 700 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,399 Speaker 1: and Kyle Dubis, who should be GM of the Year 701 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 1: Executive of the Year in the NHL. 702 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 2: There's gonna be some more bites at the apple here. 703 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:24,279 Speaker 1: For said, when it comes to the playoffs, I'm not 704 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 1: saying that this is, you know, a new dawn of 705 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: ten plus years of Sydney Crosby going to the playoffs. 706 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: Who am I to rule that out, though? But what 707 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: I am saying is I don't think that this is 708 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,720 Speaker 1: just gonna be some random blip. Here's a gift Penguins 709 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: fans from the hockey gods, one last Crosby playoff experience, 710 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: and then he's gonna have to retire. 711 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:42,920 Speaker 2: You're gonna miss the playoffs again in the next couple of. 712 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 1: Years, and I think that they're gonna be here to 713 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,920 Speaker 1: stay or at least they should be here to stay 714 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 1: for the years to come. Eight through three, four, one 715 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 1: thirty nine. Tom Apperman in for Mark Madden. You're listening 716 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:01,399 Speaker 1: to one O five ninety X. The NFL Draft coming 717 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 1: to Pittsburgh is just a few weeks away, but the 718 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: number one overall pick will not be in attendance. Fernando 719 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,880 Speaker 1: Mendoza is saying today he is not planning to attend 720 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: the draft here in Pittsburgh. 721 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 2: I want a scumbag. 722 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: I mean to be honest with you. Why wouldn't you 723 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 1: want to come to Pittsburgh. Total jerk move by Fernando Mendoza. 724 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,960 Speaker 1: So no number one pick coming to Pittsburgh won't be 725 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 1: walking across the stage and accepting that hug and hat 726 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 1: in jersey from Roger Goodell. But if you go down 727 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,839 Speaker 1: towards the stadium, you can see the stage being built 728 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 1: right now. It just looks insane. Gonna be just such 729 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 1: a wild few days that weekend, in the second to 730 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 1: last weekend in April, when the draft starts Thursday, April 731 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 1: twenty third, here in Pittsburgh. If you want to do 732 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:53,880 Speaker 1: some scoreboard watching tonight in the NHL games that are 733 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: relevant to the Penguins Red Wings taking on the Bluejacket. 734 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: I'm kind of done with the wild card, to be 735 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,360 Speaker 1: honest with you. It's all about just the metro and 736 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 1: clinching that top three spot, clinching that number two spot, really, 737 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:07,799 Speaker 1: and they are just so close to doing so. So 738 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: go Red Wings. Beat the Blue Jackets, get them out 739 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,720 Speaker 1: of the equation. The Flyers are in New Jersey tonight. 740 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: That game's on ESPN. If you are a fan like 741 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:18,720 Speaker 1: I am, of the collision course depends and the Flyers 742 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:22,280 Speaker 1: are on Root for the Flyers tonight to beat the Devils, 743 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:27,080 Speaker 1: and I believe that's it as far as implications are 744 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 1: concerned for the Penguins and the Metropolitan Division. No Islanders 745 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: active tonight. The Capitals aren't playing either. Penguins, of course, 746 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 1: go to New Jersey on Thursday of this week to 747 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 1: take on the Devils. We come back here to start 748 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 1: the five o'clock hour. We're actually gonna do a ton 749 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 1: of hockey talk and we'll talk to Brian Metzer and 750 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 1: Per maguire as well. So if you're a hockey fan, 751 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:53,759 Speaker 1: if you're a Penguin fan, this next hour is certainly 752 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:59,200 Speaker 1: for you. Tom Opferman in for Mark Madden marks back Tomorrow. 753 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:00,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to one of five nine The X