Nov. 8, 2022
The Porch is Live - Take Your Bye
Out-Of-Office email etiquette is important. What's wrong with the Pittsburgh Penguins? Does the Steelers trading Chase Claypool make a difference? Would Frank Reich be a good offensive coordinator for the Steelers? Our NFL predictions and more....
Out-Of-Office email etiquette is important. What's wrong with the Pittsburgh Penguins? Does the Steelers trading Chase Claypool make a difference? Would Frank Reich be a good offensive coordinator for the Steelers? Our NFL predictions and more. Hop up on the porch for the GREATEST SPORTS SHOW EVER.
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Transcript
To the sports porch. And then there were two. The Porch is live. The Porch is live. Thanks for being here everybody. Uh and thank you as always for listening on American Buster iHeartRadio, iHeartRadio. A 50 million registered users. 2000 devices. 260 platforms. I don't know why I have to say that every time. I love it. I should just say iHeartRadio is everywhere. And we are just thrilled you're here.
Now you'll notice you'll notice there's only There's only two of us tonight. Two of us and that's because Schwab mister Mark Schwab the anchor of the show if you will. The man who brings in all the ratings. And and and all of the intrigue is not with us. However I would like to I would like to let you all in on the fact that he's doing some very very important work and if you if you send him an email you're going to get an automatic.
We're not giving you his email. Yes we're not going to give you his email. However his reply is thank you for your email. I am currently away from my office in sunny Jamaica Sunny Jamaica for his company's annual conference returning on Wednesday November 9th so you know the first thing I want to talk about tonight on the porch is when let let's talk about before we get into sports tonight obviously we're going to talk about the Steelers we're going to talk about the Penguins we're going to talk about the World Series we're going to talk about some surprise teams Frank Reics firing and all that stuff but what I really want to do is I want to talk about etiquette.
Email etiquette and by the way, we got a comment coming in and comment on Instagram. Kyle is in the house. What's up? Hello. Um DG is in the house as always. DG, how are you doing? Um this is all about Email etiquette. You can see down at the bottom, The Porch is Live. com, The Porch is Live. com. That is our website and we encourage you to subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you get your podcast.
Email etiquette. So, When you're going out of town and you how would you do do you you put an out of out of office response? Oh yeah but it's just a canned response. Yeah. Thank you for your email. If you need something email this person. If you need this thing email that person and and it has the date I'm going to return. Right. But it's the same other than that.
Yeah yeah. I know a detail about you know hey I'm out enjoying. I'm sunning. Right. I'm funding. I'm getting accolades for all the great work that I do. No. No. I'm not doing it. I'm funny.
Do you say I'm funny? Not in an Email for more. Do you say that normally? Well yeah when I'm at the beach I'm saying hey I'm funny today. Yes. I'm funny. Yeah. Yeah. You don't fun? I'm funny. I fun all the time. Well I'm funny right now. And you're funny right now? Okay so what I do is I go into my outlook and I have the same thing the same response it says I'm not here.
Here's the date and that's it. Yeah you can get me on this day or you can call this poor person and right. You know thing. Oh man but not you know Sunny Jamaica. You just don't. That's email etiquette one 0 1. Maybe Mark's new nickname should be Sunny. Yes and later on in the broadcast we'll go on into some of the reasons he gives because not only does he say he's away in sunny Jamaica.
He also tries to justify it. Uh you know and we'll get into that later. So I don't do that with my out of the office emails. And Tim Eggarts in the house. Good evening guys. Hey Tim. How are you Tim? And remember you could get your Sports Porch mug on The Porch is Live. com. It's a good time to be drinking coffee. It's getting a little bit.
It is getting a little nippy out. I think this is the last time you're going to see the guns out so the guns. It sure as hell ain't sunny Jamaica. It is definitely not sunny warm. I hope you're watching down there as well. Of course he said he had some sort of he had some sort of I don't know awards banquet or something. So maybe he's winning an award and you know he deserves an award.
Kyle Kyle wants to talk about his fantasies. You know what? Maybe we'll do a little fantasy. I'm actually not sure we talk about porn on this show. Uh That's great. I love that and that leads us right too. That leads us right to, it's a by week. Everybody knows it's a by week. So, of course, the rumors are flying. The big thing right now, Claypool, you know, he was traded.
I just want to ask. Oh, that's right. Claypool got traded. Right. Yeah. See, that's the point. Yeah. That's the point right now. So, I want to ask you if you're if you're watching or listening to us, Claypool getting traded. Do you care? Uh what do you? Do you care Steve? Talked about this and and somebody said, would you trade him? I said, yeah, I would trade him for the right return. As I remember, you said you'd trade him for a second round pick.
I think I even said, I might even have said a third round. No, you said, you said if somebody offered. Second round, I would be 100% behind it. I I'm still 100% behind them trading Claypool. Look, they made the decision on him. They weren't going to resign him. He wasn't going to be part of Kenny Pickett's future. Yeah. Why keep him? Go get go go get a pick for him. I I'm I'm all in with you doing that.
You know I I I keep hearing this this Scott Walter said the Steelers even lost the by week. I had to get that that conversation or that comment in there. So I you know I I gotta tell you. I I heard I've heard this and I heard this from multiple personalities on multiple different sports shows, podcasts, and everything else over the last I don't know year or so.
Maybe even longer. Okay. The Steelers are great at drafting wide receivers. Okay. And and look I'm not saying look Antonio Brown for all of his Fultz was a fourth round pick. Fourth round pick. Okay. Great pick. Excellent. Uh who else? Who else? I mean they they went out and they got Claypool. He was a third round pick. Okay but they traded him and he really other than 11 good games to quote our illustrious Jamaican friend Schwabber in his first season.
He really didn't do much and he had some controversies. It was like he did he wasn't maturing. You know. Well what about Juju? Juju was also very good. I watched him fumble the ball again last night with the Kansas City Chiefs. They'll probably be somebody else. I want to qualify this talking about these receivers. I'm not talking about Heinz Ward. That is those are days gone by.
Okay? Yeah but I mean I'm I'm I'm talking what I'm saying is this. The thing about the Steelers are have a deep wide receiving core. Why do they trade Chase Claypool? Because they do. And and you really think so. Yeah. You think Calvin Austin the third is going to be better than Chase Claypool when he comes back. No I don't necessarily think Chris Sims is going to be better than Chase Claypool.
Chris Sims is absolute not better than Chase Claypool. Right. And and here's the reason why people want to chase Claypool because he's a big body. Mm hmm. Because he's easy he's an easy target and that's why people in Pittsburgh are up in arms if they are up in arms about this is because it'll make it easier for Kenny to throw the ball to a bigger guy, right? Yeah.
So, okay, I understand that but the reality is we're think we're not thinking about this year. We're not thinking about next year. We're thinking about three years from now, how can we be Super Bowl contender three years from now maybe if we're lucky in two years we are to the point where we're a playoff team and if Claypool was never going to be part of that why give him chemistry with Kenny Pickett you can go get another big body next year probably more talent with a higher pick if that's where Tomlin wants to go and that was going to be that was going to be my next comment which is it's not as if Claypool was past his prime he's a guy that should be coming into his prime and look He's been tortured by a horrible offensive coordinator, okay? And a very bad quarterback situation this year why not and and he is a big body type of guy he is why not allow him to have a little chemistry with Kenny Pickett what are they going to do now who's going to take Claypool's place now look I I know he wasn't having a hall of fame season and lighten it up but who do you bring in there now I I think Pittsburgh now they get to play Pickens he gets to start he gets to be out there full time with with Kenny right and now that's who he gets to go to so that's the thing and Deonte's you know number two the the thing the thing about the wide receivers are the the Steelers don't really I don't even know how to say this about the wide receiver position they've picked so many wide receivers in the past six years they've had so many come through here that it doesn't even it doesn't even really matter who the next one is like nobody knows if Calvin Austin the third is going to be any good right he's clearly not also like five foot eight I think he he's a different type of receiver right so so it's just like the Steelers actually before they pick Claypool never really pick big receivers so so they're usually you know they play that six foot game or you know or shorter and faster and drop and dump it and they got still they still have Fryermouth he's still a big body I mean they can still throw the ball to him I don't count Fryermouth as a receiver right now well you shouldn't count him a blocker.
Yeah well I know I I really can do is catch the ball. I mean it's not it's not that he's not a receiver. He is but but but he's a tight end and and DG gets a comment in here. Steelers wide receivers are plug and play. It's okay to trade Claypool. I mean I guess that's what I'm trying to say. I we have so many wide receivers like that we don't have a number one wide receiver like Jamar Chase or or Jefferson or Cup.
You know we don't have somebody like that who can just take over the game so we have to rely on a bunch of good wide receivers that we got in mid rounds to do okay and that's pretty much what they've done their whole career with the Steelers and when they go elsewhere they're pretty much the same receiver like Juju same receivers yeah still can catch6 balls for 70 yards and fumble and every once in a while get a touchdown you know that's what he does he's no different with Mahomes as his quarterback yes they're just not talent enough to to take it to that next level like a Tyreek Hill.
And I do have to correct myself. He didn't actually fumble it yesterday. He made a catch that looked like a fumble and turns out it wasn't a legal catch. But he dropped that ball. Yeah. So I I I guess. I know what you meant. I guess the point that I'm making is I I don't really have a point. I am just curious as to what you are looking at trying to gain with a second round pick and if this is true what Mike Lawrence is commenting on are are are rumors that Claypool was disruptive in the locker room and a practice true I mean we're not a practice I I do think we should get passes to practice that would be fun yeah I would go about that I would go do it but but I think that I think he had a maturity issue there's no doubt about that he had a maturity issue and right now you know there are no clear leaders in that locker room right I don't even think on the defense and I know everybody likes to say that Cam is a leader and TJ is a leader but you know it's just I think the T is a little shell shocked at the process that they're going through right now that it's kind of hard for you know like like they're looking at their individual performance and maybe they're not going to be on an NFL team soon.
Yeah. So it's hard to pick a leader right now but here's here's what I would say about that. Kenny Pickett has to step up and take a leadership role and show that he is the mature. He's older than Jaylen Hertz. You know he he needs to step up and and take a leadership role even while losing and playing poorly okay and his first few starts are not that much different than a lot of other good and great quarterbacks first few starts so you know and transitioning this into pick it I mean Claypool's gone you know what do they hope to get for that second round pick I mean it's too early to tell yeah but what do they hope to get I mean a other receiver you're going to draft another Claypool okay could he have chemistry with Pickett maybe I mean I guess the I guess for me the bottom line is at this point now that Claypool is out of the picture and he was definitely a primary target we better see Pickens get more opportunities well I think I think you will say that but you said a lot there so let me first talk about the Claypool thing that Mike bring brings out you know nobody knows if he was a disruption in the locker room but there were things that were said and by by pick it you know we gotta get into the film room as a team we have to do we we have to yeah we have to we have to you know we have to gel together more and things like that and then what happened Claypool was gone.
Right. So if you want to read into things you're basic they're basically we're saying Claypool didn't like the film study. He didn't like to hang round after practice and catch balls and get more you know stuff together and that was causing problems with the way he would run routes and Pickett would be able to see him so they got rid of him maybe I mean nobody really knows but if if you want to play that game you can say well they're not saying those things anymore and he's gone so maybe he was the problem of course Tomlin runs such a tight ship you'll never really know those things is true so so I would say the were probably there was probably some truth in that secondly I agree with you I think Pickett does need to stand up and become a leader on the offense him or Naje because those two guys are the future and clearly they have to be the guys to step it up and say let's make it happen so I I agree with you and I do think that Pickens will get more opportunities with Claypool gone and then lastly what are they going to get for that second round Pittsburgh nobody knows that you can't answer that question but if I was pick it I would be like could you please go out and get me some offensive linemen who will protect me so I can feel a little bit more comfortable for one more second that will give me enough time to find George Pickens streaking down the field yeah and my buddy Jeff a fellow Yorker he makes a real good point they can potentially have three picks in the top 40 to 45 of that Claypool trade a second round I think is big no round pick is is good.
Especially the Bears. I mean the Bears are probably going to be in the bottom fifteen. Yeah. They they yeah it could be end up being a great pick. Uh I'm just it's almost you almost shake your head. Yeah. In a way. Kinda like you know now Claypool's gone. Hey they didn't miss Claypool's two catches for 39 yards. That's that's very true. That's very true.
But I I think one of the interesting things that DG as he comments Pickett said he thinks everyone needs to study harder. Right. I I think I think and and that's kind of that's a paraphrasing but he did kind of say it like that. A leader says, we need to get into the film room as a team. You know, a leader takes that role.
I need to get into the film room and I need to I need to bring everybody in there with me and you know what? I have said this from the very beginning. Everybody that watches and listens to our podcast knows that I I am still a big Kenny Pickett fan. I I think his maturity level is there. Um I I don't think he has Tom Brady like skills but then again Tom Brady did not have those kinds of skills coming out of high school and college what he had was a work ethic yeah so where Pickett is going to make a difference is he's going to step up to the plate he's going to show that work ethic and then we'll see if he has the muster to be the quarterback for the Steelers for the next 567 years because that's what you want yeah you want somebody you know you're going to get 567 years about because that's window in the NFL right now.
Okay. If you're good. If you're good. That's right. If you're not good you get two or three years if you're a top three draft pick. Well and and that's it and if and you don't perform after that nobody wants you. Well and. Or they'll they'll they'll they'll you know give you a a contract for a million dollars and you'll go out there and kill yourself and you'll be out anyway.
Yes and that that brings me to what Tim Palmato from Palmetto comments saying gotta get the running game so you can go play action. So, I've been harping on this running game for a long time. Yeah. There are some there are some rumblings coming out of this out of Steelers camp about Jaylen Warren now. Mm hmm. Okay? Okay. There are some coaches and some people that are talking about his work ethic and all of that.
I know Steve, I know Steve is is he's not a Jaylen Warren fan from the standpoint if he thinks that Jaylen Warren just can't hold on to the football or he's not big enough to take the punishment. I am not advocating for Jaylen Warren to be the starting running back but what I am saying is Jaylen Warren has some things that I don't think Naje Harris has now we have a by week okay the by week is over I will give Harris the injury and say look you know this guy played for the first 7/ 8 games injured and that is definitely going to take its toll yes the offensive line is still not great okay they need to work that out they're coming in they're playing the Saints this coming weekend I expect to see Naje in better shape and even if that is not performing my expectation is that Anage who's had a little bit of rest and maybe a little healthier doesn't put in a forty-yard performance this is the time where he can step up as a leader on that team and take the pressure off of Kenny Pickett and run that ball he's got he's got to do better I actually would like to see a platoon and that might shock you I'm with you 100% yeah I'm with you 100%.
I think I think that I agree with you Najee I think was playing hurt and I think he will play hurt all season I think he has the type of injury that he'll be hurt all season so what I think needs to happen is they need to give Jaylen Warren one or two series every half yeah I agree it's the Warren series let's see what he's out there and you know if he if he breaks one off great I think that's a good thing get Najee in there you know I don't know how he is with the pickups but I think I remember in in in preseason where he pancake the guy once or twice yeah so I think he'd be okay in there on third down if he's gotta pick up the blitz he likes a block you know so because it's really remember Steelers Nation it's about protecting Pickett at this point because picket is our future yeah so all other people right now at least for right now I mean let's let's let's fast forward real quick and we'll be talking about this later in the year if the Steelers don't win very many more games and they have a really high number one pick there's going to be some quarterbacks out there well I can't wait too early to talk about that.
Today. But I don't I you know and here's that kind of that kind of leads me into this. Hey thanks to the Lions for winning too by the way. That helps the Steelers. Yeah. Yeah so the the thing. One step closer to the number one draft pick. Well we do want to talk about some other teams because on a by week it's kind of like the same old story lines.
Obviously Matt Canada is not going to be fired before this next game. What a joke. I I you know I I'm sorry. I'm done talking about it. I care you know and I think most of Steelers Nation is on is on board with this that guy's gotta go he's gotta go okay which brings me to something that I I thought about today Frank Wright just got fired okay nobody's knocking down his door to be a head coach somewhere nope okay first of all it's because there's a lot of head coaches there's no spots open but second of all he's not one of those coveted guys now he did take you know the the Colts couple years started one and five made the playoffs started one and four made the playoffs or was within one game of the playoffs but here's the thing okay in Philly as the offensive coordinator Frank Reich had Carson Wentz and he and he won a world won a World Series that's what's on my mind too he he won the Super Bowl he okay he goes to Indianapolis he has a good year with with Andrew Luck his second season Andrew Luck retires these are the quarterbacks that Frank Reich has had Andrew Law Phillip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan, okay? With Rivers, he skated into the playoffs with Wentz he he lost to Jacksonville that was two and four to one and thirteen or one in yeah one in fourteen when when he played them that put him out of the playoffs.
Right. And we all know the Matt Ryan debacle it just didn't fit. Now from what I understand a lot of that blame can go to the general manager but when you give a guy quarterbacks with Matt Pedigree and I know everybody's down on Wentz but look he had a fantastic season in Philly and Frank Reich was his OC okay that being said they did fire their offensive coordinator mid season this year okay so I don't know why we wouldn't fire Canada and grab Frank Reich trust me when I tell you there is no way I could get in trouble for these words there is no way that Frank Reich would be a worse offensive coordinator coming in off the street than Matt Canada No way.
What do you what do you think? I love the idea but here's why it won't work. Frank Reich would be bring a whole new offense with him and of course can't implement a whole new offense mid season. He would be a great hiring the second they're out the second they're either out of the playoffs or they know that they want him and they just say here's some money we're taking you nobody else takes you as soon as the season's over you're ours because we're getting rid of this Jamo Yeah.
Right? Is that a new word Jamok? Oh no. Jamok's a everybody knows. Is Jamok a Yinzer word? No no. Jamok is just standard. Cuz I've been here 30 years and I've never heard you're my favorite Yinzer. I want to use Jag Off because everybody knows that Canada is a jag off. Yeah. But they didn't know he was a Jamok. Or or Jablanke.
I've heard the if you want to go to the Jablancs. Yeah well you have to wait till Marcus we've got it and we've gotta take that to a Mark is the king of the right right but but as far as the goes Canada's up there he's a total but I do love the idea I think that the Steelers absolutely have to go get some talent to run some of that offense and you know I I've been listening to the words you know these newscasters are talking about and how they're saying that it's not about Canada you know we got rid of and we got rid of Bruce and the offense still didn't get better and we keep getting a new offensive coordinator clearly there's something else and they're clearly pointing towards Tomlin with that right can I interrupt you for a second a good friend of mine Dan Keller I'm so glad you're here watching the show Dan thank you so much he's actually watching it on LinkedIn Dan Bray another another good word Jabrony Jabron now I have heard you say that yeah he is a so he's definitely he's a Jamok Jabroni or Jabroni he's all three and a jagger.
It's funny how they're all they all start off with J Ace. It's so easy though. Perhaps the German pronunciation is we don't speak German on the porch. The porch is nothing about it's only about slangs. Okay. Pittsburgh slang. Steve we're getting some comments in here on this Frank Reich thing. I knew it would I knew it would spark. Jeff and York says Reich is a PA guy too.
Bring him in as an offensive consultant. That's kind of you were going. Give him some money now. That's right. Uh hire him. Bring him in as a consultant. Kevin Colbert. Air apparent. Love it. Says Kevin Colbert Senior says Reich is new OC. It's Kelvin. Facts. Uh Kelvin, I'm sorry. I say Kevin every time. It's because I don't have my reading glasses.
That's okay. That's why I'm. Here, let me see here. Oh yeah. That's Kelvin. Yeah. I I'll just call him mister senior. Um well, no, how about just senior? We'll just call him senior. Okay, senior. So, I you know, the thing about it is and you you talk about and you make a good point okay you fire an OC and and and you and you don't replace them with somebody in the organization right who already has a blueprint you bring in a whole new but listen this is crazy but there is there isn't an offensive scheme there is it's just too freaking simple that's what I'm saying that's the problem there is but you can't change it now I'm sorry but this is what we have I think you this is this is what Tomlin has put in place you can't just change it like okay new offensive coordinator whole new scheme for everybody here's your playbook we can only run four of these plays this week could you imagine what would happen to us even against New Orleans Saints nothing worse than's already happen you don't think so until it does yeah until there's a riot down at the field and I'm going to be at the game and I want to see a little bit of offense at least I would I would I would I would just submit to you that it seems to me let me rephrase it this way what do you think the chances are realistic question I'm not I'm not trying to lead you but in a way I am what do you think the chances are no matter what the Steelers season what unfolds okay let's say the offense gets a little better and they eek out a few more wins let's say it stays exactly the same it is and they they they I can't imagine them not winning another game they will but let's say they win one or two let's say they win four games this year okay what are the chances you think regardless better season worst season of Canada being the offensive coordinator next year well I would say either he is or he isn't.
So, it's 5050. Okay. So, that I mean that's that's dodging the question. I say that to Schwab on our other show all the time. I'm sorry. It was just too easy. Yeah. You know. Yeah. Engineer inside of course. A spreadsheet. Calculating probabilities. Yes. Steve is an engineer who uses spreadsheets to get to fifty fifty. Alright. No. No. That one I just uses you to use the art of deduction.
Which is there's one or two choices. Okay. Look. If you're watching us on live on so media right now. Drop a comment. Tell me what you think the percentage is that Matt Canada assuming he makes it through the whole year is the OC next year. Tim's like all in on this. Zero chance. Zero. Let's move. Zero chance. So so I'm going to put that comment up.
I think zero chance is wrong. Okay. I think there's probably about a four and ten chance that he stole it. So you're saying 40 percent. Yes. Okay. So let's air on the side of the fact that 40percent that's not those are pretty bad odds for him okay because the 60% I think it's closer to like 10% okay and if he is not going to be the offensive coordinator next year why not get that offense started on a new scheme now because you're not going to the play they are not going to the playoffs oh I'm telling you right now they are I don't know no two and six team in the history of the NFL has ever gone to the playoffs I think it's safe to say this team is definitely not going to the playoffs oh We've got some really good numbers out there.
Yeah. Negative zero is a good one. Hard would step in and make Tomlin fire Canada 25% negative zero senior you must be a physics professional negative ten David DG. So that that that's my point. So if you're watching again thanks for the comments. Uh tell me what you think. Is it better to start a new offensive scheme now? Which is is kind of unheard of.
But is it better to do that now or or wait till the end of the season and then they gotta go through you know OTAs and all that stuff and and start learning a new playbook well I hope they do I hope they sign whether it's Frank Wright or not I hope they do are looking at offensive coordinator schemes so that next year they can be rid of Canada and Tim wants to know if we saw Big Ben's comments on how he would fix the offense yeah he said throw it deep that's what he said on his podcast correct me if I'm wrong Tim I mean I'm paraphrasing a lot that I didn't hear but I think what he said is more play action and throw it deep and and to me you know that doesn't help.
That doesn't work if you don't have a running game. Well, it it can't so there is some truth to if you chuck it deep and you're successful at it, it loosens that safety of course from being able to creep up onto the line. But but you have to be able to be successful at it. You just can't chuck it deep and then it doesn't work then it doesn't do anything for you.
So but I actually I think that's pretty solid plan coming from the hall of famer. Yeah. I I I mean clearly play actions the Way to go. Um you get to the passing game first which opens up the running game. Right. Okay so Jeff Jeff from York chimes in correct. First down deep, second down deep, third down deep is what he said.
Uh Mike chimes in with a comment. At least start with a bit on the new scheme now. What do they have to lose? Well they don't have anything to lose Mike because they're already lost in the playoffs. Well and and the thing is and and you know this is 100percent.
Speculation what if I mean nobody on this side of the Mississippi River has mentioned or the the Ohio River has mentioned anything about Frank Reich coming to the Steelers other than you know yours truly and some various sports journalist that I heard out well everybody will be talking about it tomorrow yeah they probably will that's interesting I I I think you're right so but it's good I like the idea of replacing the offensive coordinator because then it gives us an either another peg in the okay Tomlin's going to try and do something different or it's Tomlin doing the same thing over and over and over again.
Okay so at this point I want to once again thank you if you're listening to us on American Busker iHeartRadio and remind you and ask you please follow the podcast on the iHeartRadio app. Steve does a nightly Penguins recap after every Penguins game. Steve is our hockey Jesus. Uh he drops it. It's anywhere between three and 10 minutes long depending upon how good or bad the game was or if he got really pissed during the game but There are some things that upset me.
I go on two-minute rants. Yeah. I like it. You gotta get a get a little more emotional. I want to hear. I know your emotions. I want to hear your emotion. Now, you might wake up your wife but you might have to go down the street for that but anyway, you would have heard me when they had that two-on-one break. Yup. And I rewind it four times and I still threw F bombs out every time it rewinded.
I couldn't believe it. I still we'll talk about that in a little bit. But yes Sports Sports Podcast on the iHeartRadio app. You can catch up with us and every night after the Pens game. Hop on right away. Steve is live doing the Pens Update. You can also get the Sports Sports Podcast anywhere you get your apps. Uh as well as visit The Porches Live. com.
That is our website. I'm going to be dropping some more blog post down there and leave us a review on the podcast please. That helps us out. Just takes a couple couple minutes and Mike chimes in. He says I've liked Steve's hockey comments so far. So we do have a few listeners here. So I I want to move on here if we can. Um that's okay Mike. I know I need to lose some weight.
Yeah no you. Oh good Lord. I feel like I put the freshman fifteen on three times since the pandemic was the best thing for me for the pandemic. I started landscaping. I lost 45 pounds.
Okay. So for those of you who thought the pandemic was a horrible time, it was a great time for my physical health. Okay? And I don't want any comments on anything else about your yard. Okay. No. Please. Go ahead. Go ahead. I can't see it. It's too dark. This stupid fallback. It looks good. I blew the leaves yesterday. Yeah you can't even see it now because of this stupid fallback.
How are you on that fallback thing? Are you pro fallback or don't you care about changing you know me. I I love an extra hour of sleep man. Yeah. I love waking up and it's supposed to be ten and it's only nine and I'm like I'm going to sleep another hour. I think it's time to just get rid of this. I don't we don't need to move these clocks.
People know what time it is. I don't need to go back, go forward. I don't I don't honestly know why people care about it at all, alright? I mean, time is immaterial. Everything in the universe is actually happening at the same time. We are currently living multiple lives, okay? Alright, so let's move on to something more important than that and that is surprises and I'm going to I'm going to start with my surprise my surprise I was watching this game yesterday my surprise was the Jets okay when the Jets played the Steelers now they did beat the Steelers but one of the comments I sent to you as a text during the game was are the Jets even an NFL team right because the team I watched play the Steelers was Zach Wilson I was like if we could find a team that was in more disarray on the field than the Steelers we found but but they managed to win I'll tell you what I think that head coach is on to something they've got a a lightning fast D they've got a onetwo punch at running back yeah Zack Wilson I think has a look if you're an NFL quarterback you're entitled to have a huge ego but I think Zack Wilson his one downfall is he does have a pretty big ego and you can tell yeah but but it it looks to me like they are a team finally a shout out to Gary Van because he loves them they are a team on the rise definitely on the rise and if they can beat the Bills now I know the Bills every team goes through a skit and the Bills they need a running game we could talk about that yeah they do but beating the Bills the way they did and playing them that tough I I think you gotta look out for the Jets maybe not this year but definitely in the next couple years they're putting something good together I think you're right about their defense their defense is fast that Sauce Gardner is the real deal yes there you go a guy who makes an impact a first round pick Glenn Granity was a high first round pick.
Right. First quarterback pick but man he said I'm the guy put me out there. They put them out there and he delivers. Yeah. I mean he's he's he's making a big difference on that on that defense. Yeah. They're fast. They're buying into the scheme. Right. They are real. They're for real but they're not going to win in the playoffs. But they will make the playoffs which is much better than what the what's going to happen with the Steelers.
They've got a good offensive line. They've got those two young one two punch running backs. They've got Wilson who he likes. Well remember Brees went down. Yeah true. But they did go out and get James Robinson at the trade deadline because they want to win. Yep. So good for them. Yep. Good for them. Yep. Uh Jeff Paulis says I'm still getting over this time thing.
That was deep Chris. Yeah. Well Jeff you know so was your comment about 900 megamometers back in high school and that's a whole other story. 9 00. Wow. Yeah yeah. We were riding into Sherocco and we had been we had been partaking some some illicit substances so to speak and I I told Jeff to speed up and he looked back at me and he said, what do you mean speed up? I'm already driving 900 megamometers and I was like, well, how fast is that? Wow.
Alright. So, the good time. And you weren't in a DeLorean. The Jets. In 1954. It was a Scirocco that he has to this day, to this day. Uh. It's a classic at this point. It is a classic. So, So, my pick for surprise team. Are you ready? Yup.
It's the Vikings I mean the Vikings are have one loss and I know they're not that pretty they're not that flashy they actually go into the fourth quarter losing most of their games but they still find a way to win and you know Kirk Cousins guy who messes up all the time is guaranteed to throw an interception in the fourth quarter and break some hearts he really hasn't done that that much this year he's been pretty good at at managing the game Dalvin Cook still pretty good talent even though he's coming off an injury they got Jefferson I mean they can throw the ball deep I think they got it going on and their defenses I don't even know who's on their defense well that's the that's the thing like but they still they still you know manage to hold teams that you know below 20 points most games and they only need they're not like going out there and scoring 35 points to win so I don't know I I just think there's something about that Vikings team that's it's pretty impressive yeah I I I think that and and being a being a Redskins fan for years I watched them draft RG3 and Kirk Cousins in the same draft then of course RG3 fizzled out and Kirk Cousins took the role Kirk Cousins had two straight years where he set the Redskins passing record right for yards past I think they should have kept him however that organization is in such a mess that he made the right move okay the knock on Kirk Cousins is he can't win the big games yeah now there is a stat on him that's very interesting since 2015 guess what place he's in for most the most yards thrown most since when 2020 2015 so eight years I'm going to say fifth place he's number three oh wow in yardage yeah wow yeah so he slings it man he throws it like a gunslinger so I agree with you that at this point right now the Vikings are a surprise but that defense suspect.
Yeah. Okay. And Cousins finds a way to throw late interceptions and they really haven't done anything real since Case Keenum took him to the championship game on the miracle in Minnesota. So. That was a joke. Yeah. I to me the bigger surprise right now is the Bengals and that offense finally coming to life and I have a special reason to hate that offense because I have a fantastic fantasy team this year.
Me and Schwab have it. Whoa. And I do and. Fantastic. And I would say fantastic. Six and oh. Of course we lost straight but Joe Mixon you know he's coming alive has that monster game I I think the Bengals are going to make they're they're going to challenge it after a slow start I I really do well I know you're a big Bengals fan but fan well I mean I just think they're better than you think they are well and I actually think that Baltimore is better than they are so that's what I've been saying all season yeah and I agree and the reason the reason I say that is well I mean we'll see I the one thing I like what the Bengals are doing is they lost Jamar Chase.
So they ran the ball. Yep. They needed to run the ball more anyways. Yep. So they recognized they needed to do something. They made the change and we're good at it. Right. That's a sign of a good team. And they also have a guy in T Higgins who would be a number one receiver on any other team. And and Tyler Board shout out the pit.
Yep. Um he could be a number one on any other team too. He's definitely a number two but you know he's been there a little bit longer than those other two guys but he's almost like the Wiley veteran at this point who can catch the third down. Yup. You know, he gets open. Yup. You know he's going to get open. You're dumping the ball and he gets it.
Okay. So, real quick, we want to go back to the fact that as you can see, there's only two of us on the screen right now and that's because our esteemed colleague, the anchor of the show, is enjoying a business trip conference in Jamaica and we're going to go back to a little bit more Email, business Email etiquette, okay? So, when I sent Mark an E today just to give him a link to the show in case he decided to brace us with his presence.
Although he is winning an award tonight at a banquet I believe he's he's getting an award. He's thinks he's getting it. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Um his response. His automatic response is thank you for your email. I am currently away from my office in sunny Jamaica. Um I don't know. That's a faux paw on email etiquette. You guys tell me what you think.
Um however he goes on to say that the conference is of tremendous value and it's designed to increase the knowledge, enhance it. Well, it may be difficult to reach directly due to spending these next few days in training.
Oops. I will still be checking my Emails and voicemails.
Okay. So, let's just let's just deal with that for a second. Well, you know, you have to go away to be trained in something. That is true. Like. Yes. If if you're going on a business trip and even if it's not in sunny Jamaica, let's just say it's. Yeah. In good old North Carolina. Yeah. You know, you you're usually going somewhere to get trained. Yes. Right? Right.
But we know what those training sessions are. Yes. It's like two hours of listening to something if you go. I don't. And then the rest of the time is free time. I don't know. I will tell you that that Mark is an extremely dedicated professional and that's no joke. He really is. He's he's helped me out on a lot of things. Some of the stuff we have here with his business.
So, it's no knock on that. We just think it's areas.
And what I want to know is first of all the etiquettes robber is this. You don't tell them where they are. Where you are. And if you happen to tell them that you're somewhere like Jamaica you don't want to say that while I'm in Jamaica I'm going to be in training. Mm. Yeah. I mean what do you think? Yeah I agree. I think if you're going to mention you know a tropical island somewhere training in Island.
Hmm. Yeah. Well, I mean you could get a stretch. You could train but you're, yeah, you're training for, you know, Mai Thai's. But deep seafood. The last business trip I went on was in Vegas. Did I say I'll be in Vegas. Yeah. Going through intense training. Yeah. Yeah. I know. Vegas is some seriously intense. Well, I mean, yeah. I guess that's true. I I wasn't training but it was mostly drinking and smoking cigars.
Yeah and April sends her love from Canada as always. We love when you're in the house. April's watching us for years and I can't tell you how much we appreciate that. Um DG thinks he's training for the Jamaican Bobsled team. Could be. Yeah. We think he's going to come back with dread knots but that you mean you mean dreadlocks. Oh dreadlock. You said dread knots. Why did I say dreadlocks? That's some sort of sailing vessel.
Which would actually you know maybe he's maybe he'll come back with dreadlocks for dread knots. Yes. Dreadlocks on a dread knot. So he's training to be a sailor. Come back next week and check it out. Training to be a salesman. And we still got picks to make. We do have picks to make but first I want to talk about the Penguins. We gotta talk about the Penguins. Okay. So, let's bust out the Elephant in the Room.
First, let me introduce Hockey Jesus after every Penguins game. Catch his podcast on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you get your apps after every game, the Hockey Jesus recap. You can also see it on the Porches Live. com and yeah, we got a little bit of a losing streak going here and the next game is. It's Wednesday. Wednesday night at the Capitals. Ooh and they're not going, they're going through a rough stretch right now too.
Capitals are not playing well either but that doesn't mean anything for this team. That that's true. So let's let's bust down the Penguins. Open the season up. Better than everybody expected. All their defense guys are playing great. All the offensive guys are playing great. Everybody thinks we're going to win the Stanley Cup. Four oh and 2. You know we end up throwing a couple you know loser points in there. And then it just all hell just breaks loose.
Yeah. Um did they fall apart? Um yeah.
Majority fall apart so everything fell apart when you go through when you have seven when you lose seven in a row like the Pens haven't lost seven in a row since 20052006 yes so you gotta go back to Sydney's rookie year right and in my podcast I said this but I'll give you a little sneak preview of what you hear essentially not only did they lose 10 in a row that year but Mario Lemieux retired after that after the tenth lost right so so I don't think anybody's going to retire after that.
Although somebody might get fired. Right. I mean because. I don't think he fires Sullivan after that. Well so here's the thing. Like I don't think you I love Sullivan. I think he's a great coach but like I keep saying he has no plan B. There's no okay we have a two we have a two goal lead. Let's just not drop the defenseman. Let's just let the defense guys play defense.
He never takes his foot off of the he always wants those defensemen joining in on the play trying to score the next goal when you don't need to if you have two goal leads in the third period you don't need to do that you just let up a little bit so it's just like ugh they have to figure that out and until they figure that out they're probably going to lose some more I mean yeah I I I don't really know if they can fix it Tim because they have old guys who aren't getting younger the season's going to get longer and for me I think they need to just put Sparks in there I think I think it's okay that Jari struggles a little bit I think he'll get it back I'm not that worried about him he looked really good the beginning of the season I think he'll get it back they have to do something about Brian Dumelin that guy has gotten so bad that he's making LaTang look bad so I think they immediately need to get Dumelin off of the pair with Letang Penguins actually been playing pretty good they're both they're both lefties Dumo and Pederson so you can switch those guys out that's the way by the way that the Pens like to play their defenseman a right-handed defenseman and a left-handed defenseman so that's why you know when you hear me talking about switching around defensive guys you can only switch certain guys for certain guys because they shoot left or they shoot right I also think that they need to get Brian Rust off that front line Sid has to play with Raquel and I don't care if he doesn't like it.
Tough **** I'm sorry Sid but you need a little bit of change in your life and you're not going to have that McDonald's M the stick handle around very much in the next three games. So we're taking away the safety blanket. Now you're going to play with Raquel who's just a bigger body. He'll be he'll give more space to both Jake and Sid and they'll allow him to do his things.
And I know that that first line's not playing terrible by the way. They're actually not bad. But that Power play is atrocious. The power play is a disaster. Yep. They they they gotta do something with the power play. A two a two oh breakaway and they are a two a a two against nun breakaway by the short handed. Right right. Thank god for Jari saving that.
Yeah. It didn't matter in the in the long run but oh my god. Can't let that happen. How can Malkin trip over the puck and then LaTang just blow tire then it's two on nothing. Yeah. Ridiculous. They can fix it. It can be done but I I don't know. They're going to have to do some soul searching while they're at it. So DG says here's a plug for the Hockey Jesus update on the Sports Sports Podcast.
If I hadn't been watching the Pence Tank for myself I wouldn't be able to believe Steve's Nightly Depressing Recaps. Uh they started out positive but lately they have been and and so I want to encourage you to hey I tell it like it is. You know I do it David. He does. He does. Uh I mean I even blast the the the the people announcing the games.
They're like oh you know these Penguins they can they'll be okay. They'll do good. They suck right now. Just come out and say it. They suck. Yeah. I mean that's what I that's what that's what I loved about Mike Lang so much. Yeah. When they played bad he wasn't afraid to say look the other team was just better than us tonight. They played terrible. They they're going to have to find a way to to get it back.
That's that's why he's the hall of famer.
Yeah. Thank you DG. Never miss Steve's recaps. I love him. That's awesome. Uh make sure you if you have a Penguins fan in your family or in your friendship circle. I don't know why I just used the word the phrase friendship circle. In our council we were talking about friendship circles. Friends that you like to funny and around. Well if you think about it just this is for Jeff's benefit.
You have many friends on many levels and many parallels of many dimensions. And if you know who they are and you can reach out to them through the power of your mind. You can refer them to the Sports Sports Podcast on the iHeartRadio app to get Hockey Jesus' updates. Or just share it through your social yeah or just tell people about it. Uh so April says something. I'm going to take issue with this April.
April says I feel like Pennsylvania's sports curse this year. No no no. Just Western Pennsylvania. Yeah. Because I I seem to remember that the Eagles are doing pretty well. They haven't lost yet. And and and the Phillies you know look losing in the World Series is not a bad season. It's not a bad season. We would celebrate for decades here in Pittsburgh. Yeah, we would probably. Uh okay.
So, that being said, one one more reminder, you can catch us on American Busker iHeartRadio. Hundred fifty million subscribers, 2000 plat devices, 260 platforms on the iHeartRadio app. Thank you so much. We love that and listen to the podcast. Visit the Sportses Live. com. Subscribe to the podcast to get Hockey Jesus updates and everything else. We drop the podcast every night after the show Two to 3 minutes.
So we're going to go on to. Now here's the thing. Why don't you do this? While I'm out while I'm announcing this. Tech Schwabber. If he's paying attention we need to get his picks. Got it. So text him on the picks while I go over last week's picks. So we're going to go on to our picks this year this week last week we picked the Minnesota at Minnesota at the Redskins.
I'm sorry Commanders. Uh just get to it. I was three and oh. That's all you have to say. Well but I have to recap them. Uh because you send you gotta send Schwabber it's Falcons at Panthers Chargers at niners Minnesota at Buffalo so Steve picked Minnesota Chris and Mark picked the commanders Steve won that one Eagles at Titans we all picked the Eagles Titans at Chiefs we all picked the Chiefs so last week Steve finally was three 0 Chris and Mark were two and one so what that means right now is the season stats are Chris and Mark are tied at seventeen and ten and Steve made a little headway.
He's at 12 and fourteen. Woo hoo. I'm going to be at 500. I'm I'm feeling it. Yep. Yep. You might be. So this week's picks this week's picks I am going to let's put you know what I'll do? I'll I'll add a Sunday as Chargers at forty-niners buddy. Uh what we'll do is we want to know what your picks are. Uh this week we are picking the Falcons.
The Panthers. Yep that's a Thursday night game. And that is the Thursday night game. So what is your pick? Uh Falcons at the Panthers? Yeah. Well let's see.
What's his faces playing again for the Panthers? Old the old Browns quarterback. I like the Falcons this year. I think I think they're really good teams. The the trick is they're playing in Carolina. I'm still going to go with the Falcons. Okay so Steve is going with the ATL.
Okay.
The Panthers are going back to that PJ Walker or TJ Stalker or TJ Hooker or whatever his name is what a what a what a mess seriously between Baker Mayfield Sam Darnold I mean no wonder they fired their quarter their their head coach Falcons at Panthers I mean I want to go I I I so badly want to pick the Falcons but I just feel like the Panthers you know they want to win a game. They want to win a game.
I mean, they're not a terrible team and anybody can win that NFC South. Look, I'm going with the Panthers because it's either going to give you a chance to catch up on me or I'm going to I'm going to do a game. That's a tough game to pick. That's really a tough one to pick. Yep, that isn't that is a tough game. They're actually either of those teams you could have picked as your surprise team for the year.
Well, not yet. Falcons. Not yet. With the Panthers. Okay.
Sunday night game is the Chargers at the forty-niners oh gosh I so want to take the Chargers on this one because I just want them to do well this year but they're not playing well and they're injured and the forty-niners play great at home there's something about them at home that's really kind of special and they have Christian McCaffrey now yeah I don't care so much about that I think he does help their team yeah don't get me wrong I think it gives Garoppolo another weapon to play with and I think Garoppolo by the way they gotta be thrilled that they signed that guy for 15 million less I don't know with the whole I don't know what they to me I don't you know we can talk about the forty-niners some of the time but you make your pick and I then I'll I'll I'll I'll I'm going to go with who I wouldn't go with so I'm going to go with forty-niners alright Steve's going with the forty-niners.
Normally I would just take the Chargers. Yeah. And let it roll but I do think the forty-niners defense is getting better and you play just great at home. I'm going with the forty-niners as well. Uh and. No word from Mister Jamaica by the way. Yeah of course not. He's too busy training. He probably still has his sunglasses. Uh I I think they're an hour behind us actually so he might actually have his so last game this is our pick em game this is actually a big game as long as Josh Allen can play yeah so this this is should we put the caveat on that or do we just have to go with the pick because I like the Bills but if Josh Allen isn't playing I think the Vikings rollover well Case Keenum is their backup he sucks he's terrible hey listen man Trubisky they should have kept Trubisky but there's a connection that Case Keenum in Minnesota so and it's in Buffalo I know I could assume Josh Allen is playing then I gotta go with Buffalo okay just because I you know Minnesota is my surprise team but I don't think they're whatever they would be eight and one or nine and one good I think that's a game they even even a good Minnesota team probably loses yeah I'm I'm going with Buffalo as well just because just because I if Josh Allen plays Buffalo's going to rebound oh yeah he doesn't play it's a pick em game that's the way I see it because stopping anything right and but Cousins is going against a pretty damn good defense he is Buffalo's defense is is pretty good yeah alright so we have no picks from Schwabber so we'll get his picks and insert them in so he's in the record for next week are you in sunny Jamaica so okay guys any any any last thoughts we blew through this hour I mean it's incredible we blew through it as usual I mean the only thoughts that I have is the second half I think for the Steelers is going to be a lot better than the first half but it's still not going to be pretty to watch.
No I I I agree with you. Uh I think they're actually going to go I think they're going to come out in the next four games. I think they're going to go 500 and then it's going to go downhill from there. Yeah. I we'll see we'll see when they play New Orleans this weekend. And I'm going to the game on Sunday. Are you? Yeah. I will not be wearing a short sleeve shirt.
Yeah. I bet you will. High of forty-seven. Yeah. Yeah. So listen guys. Thank you so much for watching the Sports Porch and also for listening to us, listening to our podcast and listening to us on Busker iHeartRadio and please we would love it if you would subscribe and follow the podcast anywhere you get your podcast especially on the iHeartRadio app and as well catch up with Steven Hockey Jesus after every single Penguins game and visit The Porch's Live.
com and if you follow the podcast we would love for you to leave a review that would that would just that would make my year absolutely make my year because I'm tired of writing reviews for my I thought it was my week for that. And DG says thanks guys. Catch you next week. Thank you DG April. Alright. Love it as always. Love you too April.
You guys are the best. Thanks so much for being here. Uh as always I'm the producer so I'm queuing up the music a little bit at a time. This is a this is a 1-2 man band. Thank you for listening and watching the Sports Porch as always. We love you guys. Stay real.
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