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BONUS EPISODE: Pgh Sports Current Events - November 20, 2025 · Pittsburgh Sports Memories

0:00
SPEAKER_01: Hello and welcome to another exciting episode of Pittsburgh Sports Memories Current Events.
0:05
SPEAKER_01: We're airing on the 20th of November.
0:10
SPEAKER_01: So we're going to go over some stuff here.
0:12
SPEAKER_01: The Penguins, Tim, they went to Stockholm, Sweden to buy some IKEA furniture, maybe have some eatballs, visit the Swedish chef.
0:23
SPEAKER_01: So they played against Nashville in Sweden, which I'm sure the people in Sweden were really excited.
0:29
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
0:29
SPEAKER_01: They have Forsberg.
0:30
SPEAKER_01: Nashville, I I guess.
0:33
SPEAKER_01: So on Friday, a game I I actually watched at 2 o'clock in the afternoon for no apparent reason.
0:41
SPEAKER_01: They lost in OT.
0:43
SPEAKER_01: They scored a really late goal, like with like a minute left, and then they lost in OT.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: But then they played again Sunday at 8 a.m.
0:53
SPEAKER_01: I did not watch that game.
0:55
SPEAKER_01: I did other things like going to church.
0:57
SPEAKER_01: And uh they won four to nothing.
1:00
SPEAKER_01: So um they are third place in the Metropolitan Division.
1:04
SPEAKER_01: Um they're behind the Devils at 27 points, the Hurricane's at 25 points, they're at 24, so they're really not even that far up the lead, like what one game.
1:13
SPEAKER_01: And uh Murashov, the rookie, got a uh shutout in the second game.
1:18
SPEAKER_01: Um I thought uh what's his Shield Hobbs?
1:22
SPEAKER_01: I can't pronounce his name, played well on Friday, but they just didn't generate enough offense.
1:27
SPEAKER_01: Um they'll play the wild on Friday at the end of the week.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: Um, any thoughts on going to Sweden?
1:34
SPEAKER_01: Did you want some furniture?
1:36
SPEAKER_01: Did you ask Crosby to bring you back a hargarten Barton?
1:40
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, they got I mean, they got three out of four points.
1:43
SPEAKER_02: That's you you know, after they had the lead on Friday, you would have liked them to have four out of four points, but whatever.
1:49
SPEAKER_02: I mean we said it last week.
1:51
SPEAKER_02: It's a young team.
1:52
SPEAKER_02: They're gonna have their ups and downs, they're gonna you know blow some leads and do stuff like that, but I don't I don't think we could have asked for more at this point in the season, honestly, given what we they were up against and what we all thought was gonna happen.
2:05
SPEAKER_02: And we're getting very close to that Thanksgiving milestone.
2:10
SPEAKER_01: Well, they played the wild and I want to say the Kraken on Saturday, Friday.
2:13
SPEAKER_01: Saturday.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: I know there's a traditional the the 26th is the traditional Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day game.
2:25
SPEAKER_01: So we'll see what happens.
2:27
SPEAKER_01: I mean they're pretty close to like I think they could lose all three and still be in playoff position.
2:33
SPEAKER_01: So I I don't know what that means.
2:36
SPEAKER_01: Are they gonna make the playoffs?
2:37
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
2:38
SPEAKER_01: I'm kind of skeptical, but what are you gonna do, Tim?
2:42
SPEAKER_01: Hopefully the goal, the rookie goaltender, if he pans out, then I think they make the playoffs, Tim.
2:47
SPEAKER_01: I really do.
2:49
SPEAKER_01: So I said that I think I said that at the beginning of the season that they go as far as the goaltending takes them.
2:55
SPEAKER_02: So makes sense.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: Yep.
2:58
SPEAKER_01: So let's get into it.
2:59
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna start football palooza, Tim.
3:02
SPEAKER_01: Yay! And for our football Palooza, we are going to start with European football.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: Ha ha switched it up on you, didn't I?
3:12
SPEAKER_01: Uh I only talk about this because we do have a Pittsburgh team in a championship game playing for a championship on Saturday, Tim.
3:21
SPEAKER_01: No, it is not Pitt volleyball or the Pitt football team who we'll talk about later.
3:26
SPEAKER_01: It is the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
3:28
SPEAKER_01: And I know Tim is a big fan of the Riverhounds.
3:30
SPEAKER_01: He can name all their starting 11 players coaches.
3:34
SPEAKER_01: Um, so the Riverhounds made the playoffs.
3:36
SPEAKER_01: They won two off playoff games in shootouts, both were in shootouts, and then they won one to nothing against Rhode Island.
3:43
SPEAKER_01: I didn't know Rhode Island had a soccer team, but apparently they do.
3:48
SPEAKER_01: And uh so now they're heading to Tulsa and uh for the championship game on Saturday, November 22nd.
3:55
SPEAKER_01: And uh here we have some video of Robbie Mertz scoring that goal.
4:00
SPEAKER_00: Trying to get on his right button! The Pittsburgh Kid gives Pittsburgh the lead in the Eastern Conference Final.
4:13
SPEAKER_01: And they're gonna play November 22nd, and it said CBS Network, but I don't know if that's a CBS sports network or regular CBS.
4:22
SPEAKER_01: I can't imagine CBS is gonna show a soccer game in the middle of college football season at noon, right, Tim?
4:29
SPEAKER_02: I think it's their cable channel.
4:32
SPEAKER_01: Um, Rob Vincent, who's the intern coach, has done a great job.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: He played for the uh River Hounds way back when I remember him playing.
4:39
SPEAKER_01: He was a pretty good goal scorer, one guy to watch.
4:42
SPEAKER_01: Um and another thing that happened was, and it this has been weird because they don't get any coverage in the press.
4:49
SPEAKER_01: And it there's this their their legendary coach, Bob Lilly, who's like won a ton of games, is probably gonna be in whatever level of soccer this is Hall of Fame.
4:58
SPEAKER_01: Um, he was put on administrative leave and been on administrative leave since October 10th.
5:04
SPEAKER_01: And I have no idea what that means, why that is, if they're firing him, hiring him, if he's sick, if he you know custom the owner, Tuffy Schellenberg.
5:16
SPEAKER_01: I I don't know what's going on, but hey, if they make the championship, wouldn't you assume that they're probably not gonna keep the services of Bob Lilly unless he's like obviously sick or something?
5:28
SPEAKER_02: Probably.
5:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: I I I don't know.
5:31
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
5:32
SPEAKER_01: Your guess is as good as my what's going on with this guy.
5:35
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's been a well-covered story, Tim.
5:39
SPEAKER_02: Oh yeah.
5:39
SPEAKER_01: It's funny how under rate under the radar this is, yeah.
5:43
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
5:44
SPEAKER_02: I mean, cool.
5:45
SPEAKER_02: I'm glad you pointed it out because I had no idea.
5:48
SPEAKER_02: And it is something it it's it, you know, good good for the River Hounds.
5:53
SPEAKER_01: This could be the uh most influential championship since the Pittsburgh Triangles of the world.
6:00
SPEAKER_02: And and and the River Hounds have a nice little um fan base of people that are loyal.
6:05
SPEAKER_02: And it uh so yeah, always always nice to see them doing well for sure.
6:09
SPEAKER_01: Well, they had another sellout of I think it was six thousand some.
6:13
SPEAKER_01: And they they have they have a lot of sellouts in the season, like six or seven thousand people they can fit in that that high mark stadium.
6:20
SPEAKER_01: But by comparison, the Tulsa team had a sellout of 9,000.
6:23
SPEAKER_01: So they they do play in a pretty small stadium.
6:26
SPEAKER_01: I know the owner wants to expand the stadium, so maybe Pitt will go play over there instead.
6:32
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
6:33
SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
6:35
SPEAKER_01: And anyway, uh getting on to pit football here.
6:38
SPEAKER_01: Um, yes, Tim, uh, they lost to Notre Dame 37 to 15.
6:44
SPEAKER_02: Um And it wasn't even that close.
6:46
SPEAKER_01: Probably not, no.
6:48
SPEAKER_01: Um, really, it wasn't.
6:49
SPEAKER_01: Um Arduzi's comments saying that he didn't care if Notre Dame hung a hundred on him.
6:54
SPEAKER_01: Well, I mean, Notre Dame didn't hang even 50 on him, but that's because Notre Dame's quarterback stinks.
7:01
SPEAKER_01: I'm just gonna say, I I I know this sounds like sour grapes, and we lost to the guy, but he threw two horrendous interceptions that if Pitt would have had any little bit of offense, they they would have made a game.
7:13
SPEAKER_01: That should have been a much closer game if Pitt had any offense.
7:16
SPEAKER_01: It literally looked like Pitt had a regular defense with the offense from Western Carolina in coaching, in talent, in just every which way.
7:27
SPEAKER_01: And I will say this early on, Pitt had some wide receivers open, and Heights will hit the two guys and they both dropped the ball.
7:36
SPEAKER_01: And it seemed from there, then he gets sacked on a fourth and whatever, fourth and four because they were like the 30-some yard line, and it just it just seemed to go downhill from there.
7:46
SPEAKER_01: Notre Dame's defense just totally had the pit offense figured out.
7:51
SPEAKER_02: So um I think I think I think one of two things is true.
7:58
SPEAKER_02: Uh I think number one, that game was too big for them.
8:03
SPEAKER_02: College game day was here, all that stuff.
8:06
SPEAKER_02: It was just too big for at least for the offense, like you said.
8:09
SPEAKER_02: The defense was was actually pretty decent.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: They kept them in the game probably longer, but the defense didn't like it's a whole story of Notre Dame made plays.
8:18
SPEAKER_01: Notre Dame had a guy jump up and make an amazing catch.
8:20
SPEAKER_01: Notre Dame had another play where the the literally the defense on the opening drive had a fourth and four, and the I was the safety or whatever came in to tackle their stud running back, and he just literally made a move and outran the guy.
8:33
SPEAKER_01: And if he tackles them there, you get Notre Dame off the field and maybe you get some momentum.
8:38
SPEAKER_01: And even when Pitts defense returns a touchdown, uh interceptions for touchdowns still in the third quarter, they give up the two-point the other way.
8:47
SPEAKER_01: So the offense was just that's from the top down.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: That's from Cade Bell down to the receivers.
8:55
SPEAKER_01: Uh I I just that that really disappointed me.
8:58
SPEAKER_01: The coaching disappointed me, the talent level disappointed me.
9:01
SPEAKER_01: Desmond Reed, I don't know whoever thought he was going to make the NFL.
9:05
SPEAKER_01: He's too small.
9:07
SPEAKER_01: He's fast, but that's about it.
9:09
SPEAKER_01: He's and he gets hurt all the time.
9:10
SPEAKER_01: He's he's not he's like a discount Lerod Stevens Howling.
9:14
SPEAKER_01: He's he's Larod Stevens Howling if you know Lerod Stevens Howling got hurt all the time and couldn't block anybody.
9:21
SPEAKER_02: So, so yeah, either either that game was too big for them, but they learned a lot of lessons about how to be properly prepared for big-time college football, and they'll learn from it, and they'll take that into the next two games.
9:35
SPEAKER_02: Or the second possibility is they're just not as good as the teams who are contending for the CFP.
9:42
SPEAKER_02: I think that's that's that's one of that's the only two outcomes of last week's game, and we're gonna find out now because I mean Arduozi, as much of a blowhard as he is, and as much as those comments were tone deaf and stupid, he's right.
9:56
SPEAKER_02: That game really didn't matter in terms of you know their postseason aspirations.
10:02
SPEAKER_02: These next two games do matter.
10:04
SPEAKER_02: So was that game too big for them?
10:06
SPEAKER_02: And and now the 18-year-old freshman, you know, is going to come back and be like, okay, I've been through the ring or I've been through big-time college football, I can handle it.
10:15
SPEAKER_02: Or are they just gonna like kind of fall apart knowing that you know Georgia Tech and Miami and Notre Dame are just in a whole nother class than they are?
10:23
SPEAKER_01: I really hope they don't make the ACC championship game because I really don't think they're ready.
10:28
SPEAKER_01: I I just don't think they have enough talent.
10:30
SPEAKER_02: Especially, yeah, I'd hate for my team to do well.
10:33
SPEAKER_01: I I don't know, Tim.
10:34
SPEAKER_02: I just don't make the Yeah, I'd hate for them to go far and do well.
10:39
SPEAKER_01: But it seems like they'll get blown out.
10:40
SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
10:41
SPEAKER_01: So what?
10:42
SPEAKER_02: I'd rather them be there and get blown out like I guess you're right.
10:45
SPEAKER_02: They got blown up by Clemson, I was still happy they were there.
10:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's true.
10:48
SPEAKER_01: Even go Kenny Pickett completed what, seven, eight passes.
10:52
SPEAKER_01: I mean maybe, maybe they maybe you're right.
10:54
SPEAKER_01: Maybe they do turn around.
10:56
SPEAKER_01: I just don't see it.
10:57
SPEAKER_01: Maybe you know, I doubt Georgia Tech and although I don't know.
11:01
SPEAKER_01: Like, didn't Florida State beat Notre Dame like the first game of the season or something like that?
11:06
SPEAKER_02: I mean Notre Dame had two losses early, but but they bounced back from it.
11:11
SPEAKER_01: Well, I think they're they're a running, they're a running team with the defense, and as long as their quarterback doesn't have to be relied upon to beat you, they're gonna be fine.
11:20
SPEAKER_01: But they're gonna run into teams that are gonna be able to stop that running back, and then they're gonna be in trouble because that quarterback's a turnover machine.
11:27
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I don't I don't think Notre Dame's gonna be back in the championship game this year, but I don't really care too much about Notre Dame after this game.
11:34
SPEAKER_02: I just care about I can't stand there.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: There's there's like three teams I can't stand in college football, and they're definitely still number one.
11:41
SPEAKER_01: I can't stand them, Penn State, and then West Virginia.
11:44
SPEAKER_01: That in that order.
11:45
SPEAKER_01: Like, I I just what are the the arrogance of that effing team?
11:50
SPEAKER_01: I and then like they're like, oh, we're all mad because he said this game didn't matter.
11:54
SPEAKER_01: What do you care?
11:55
SPEAKER_01: You're freaking Notre Dame.
11:57
SPEAKER_01: Like, like you're like a national, like Pitt's like a nobody to you.
12:02
SPEAKER_01: Although I think I think Pitt's always been kind of in their heads after like they beat them.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: Like now Pitt hasn't beaten them in like what six or seven years, and they've gotten blown out the last two times.
12:12
SPEAKER_01: But like, remember that one year, like it definitely was a Notre Dame fan, like just named, like, oh, Bill Stahl, uh, one of the running backs and two of the receivers were uh yeah, they were uh on the south side riding.
12:26
SPEAKER_01: Called in the they called in like a tip to like the media.
12:30
SPEAKER_01: It was like, why are you that scared of Pitt?
12:32
SPEAKER_01: It's like good gravy.
12:34
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I don't I know a lot of people hate Notre Dame, and I understand why.
12:38
SPEAKER_02: I'm definitely not in that camp.
12:40
SPEAKER_02: I I don't like them.
12:41
SPEAKER_02: I used to at one point kind of like them.
12:42
SPEAKER_02: I don't I'm kind of just kind of neutral.
12:44
SPEAKER_02: They don't bother me as much as Penn.
12:46
SPEAKER_02: You talk about arrogant.
12:48
SPEAKER_02: I mean, to me, Penn State is a whole other class, but that's a that's a separate topic.
12:52
SPEAKER_02: I the question again for Pitt is you know, are they are they ready for big-time college football or are they not?
13:00
SPEAKER_02: And maybe they'll be more ready next year whenever Heinzel's a sophomore and and have more experience.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: It's been a good coaching job overall by Narduzy.
13:09
SPEAKER_01: This game aside, that that defense is decimated by injuries.
13:15
SPEAKER_01: It really is.
13:16
SPEAKER_01: And the to like be able to at least keep them in the game, like that's pretty they just needed their offense to score points.
13:23
SPEAKER_01: Like, this is the lowest point total they've had since Heichel's been a quarterback, right?
13:29
SPEAKER_01: Since the West Virginia guy.
13:31
SPEAKER_02: And they got guys back, they got Biles back, and they had Desmond Reed back, so it's like they even had that bye week, they had time to prepare.
13:39
SPEAKER_01: It's disappointing because it the it just looked like there was such a big talent disparity.
13:44
SPEAKER_01: That's it wasn't like, oh, Pitt gave a good fight and they lost on a uh in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame just pulled away.
13:51
SPEAKER_01: It's just I just feel like they weren't even on the same level.
13:55
SPEAKER_01: Like I it felt like a Division I playing playing the Division I team.
14:01
SPEAKER_02: Remember that year that the Penguins like it was Crosby and Malkin.
14:05
SPEAKER_02: That was like their first trip to the playoffs.
14:06
SPEAKER_02: We're playing Ottawa.
14:08
SPEAKER_01: Ottawa, and Ottawa was an experienced team that had been there, and they just it wasn't like Ottawa was all that great.
14:14
SPEAKER_01: It just they blew the penguins out of the water.
14:17
SPEAKER_01: They just weren't ready.
14:18
SPEAKER_02: That's exactly what Sarah felt like.
14:20
SPEAKER_02: It's like, hey, this is this is a team that this team was in the national championship game last year.
14:25
SPEAKER_02: Their experience, they're they're like every week for them is national TV, thousands, tens of thousands of fans, tons of attention, you know, and then here's Pitt with like college game day coming and all the ESPN guys fawning all over Narduzzi.
14:42
SPEAKER_02: Like you had Nick Saban there talking about how like you know nobody's done more with less than Pat Narduzzi.
14:49
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
14:50
SPEAKER_02: You know, like I mean it was just and and McAfee was there.
14:53
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it it it was just it was just a big, huge like setup for you could feel was kind of like a setup for failure because it was just like what a great program, what a what an amazing but again the good news is that like Narduzzi said, they could have lost 100 to nothing, and their aspirations for the postseason are still alive if they can somehow win these next two games and get a little bit of help.
15:21
SPEAKER_02: And and that's all you can ask for.
15:22
SPEAKER_01: Georgia Tech almost lost to who did they play?
15:26
SPEAKER_01: Uh it wasn't it.
15:27
SPEAKER_02: They don't need Georgia Tech to lose, they need Virginia or SMU.
15:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
15:32
SPEAKER_02: Because Georgia Tech, they play.
15:33
SPEAKER_02: So that's they'll take care if they they control that, but they need Virginia or SME.
15:39
SPEAKER_02: I I I don't think they're gonna win the next two games, Steve.
15:41
SPEAKER_01: But ESPN keeps predicting Miami's gonna be in the college football playoff.
15:47
SPEAKER_01: I don't and then there's some weird rule where like you have to be ranked in the top five of the con like I thought it was an automatic bid if you won your conference, but apparently you have to be ranked in the top five or something like that.
16:00
SPEAKER_02: It's the top, it's the high top five.
16:02
SPEAKER_01: You take conference winners.
16:04
SPEAKER_02: The highest ranked conference winners.
16:07
SPEAKER_02: So it's pretty automatic.
16:10
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
16:11
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
16:11
SPEAKER_02: I mean you'd have to you'd have to.
16:13
SPEAKER_01: Well, I will say this.
16:14
SPEAKER_01: Pitt has to play two ranked teams.
16:16
SPEAKER_01: It isn't like they're playing unranked teams, so that should help bolster them.
16:20
SPEAKER_01: And then they'll have to play another ranked team in the championship game.
16:24
SPEAKER_01: So they would they would have beaten three ranked teams.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, if if they if they win the ACC, they'll be in the playoff, but that's uh that's a tall task.
16:32
SPEAKER_02: I mean they have to they have to win three games in a row against the basically the three best teams in the conference.
16:38
SPEAKER_02: Can they do that?
16:39
SPEAKER_02: Probably not.
16:40
SPEAKER_02: Is it possible?
16:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and is it cool that it's at least possible?
16:44
SPEAKER_01: If the quarterback can play like he was and not be too overwhelmed by the moment, if the offensive coordinator can figure it out, yeah, that's a lot of big ifs.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: So maybe it's just a growing year and a learning year, and yeah, we'll see you next year.
16:59
SPEAKER_01: But moving on to a team that probably shouldn't be saying see you next year, that would be your Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim.
17:07
SPEAKER_01: They're your team.
17:09
SPEAKER_01: Not mine, no, no.
17:10
SPEAKER_02: Well, since you don't want to see your teams do well, I guess uh the viewers missed the playoffs.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's why I love the Browns.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: They miss the playoffs every year.
17:19
SPEAKER_01: You're never disappointed.
17:21
SPEAKER_01: It's like I hope the Browns missed the playoffs.
17:25
SPEAKER_01: So the Steelers uh they went over the Bengals 34-12.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: Um Rodgers actually hurt his left hand.
17:33
SPEAKER_01: Uh Jalen Warren, he got hurt also, but he had 10 carries for 62 yards.
17:38
SPEAKER_01: Um Rogers was 9 for 15 for 116 yards and a touchdown before he got hurt, and that was only one half.
17:45
SPEAKER_01: And then Mason Rudolph comes in and does his thing, does his does Mason Rudolph type things.
17:50
SPEAKER_01: 12 for 16, 127 yards, one TD.
17:54
SPEAKER_01: It was really lots of screen passes, quite on.
17:57
SPEAKER_01: It was the definition of dink and dunk.
17:59
SPEAKER_01: That my favorite play of the game was um, I think there was a first and 25.
18:04
SPEAKER_01: Like, I think I did, I can't remember if we had a personal foul or a holding call.
18:11
SPEAKER_01: It was like first and 25 from like the Cincinnati 45.
18:14
SPEAKER_01: And this is why the Cincinnati defense is the gift that keeps on giving.
18:18
SPEAKER_01: You're figuring they throw a screen pass, just figure, well, we'll get five or six yards, get another five or six yards, make it a makeable third down, maybe we get it, we'll just kick a field goal, right?
18:28
SPEAKER_01: No, Kenneth Gainwell literally gets a 35-yard gain and picks up all the yardage on one play.
18:34
SPEAKER_01: It would and it wasn't even close.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: It wasn't like he had to break any tackles or anything.
18:38
SPEAKER_01: He had like a wide open.
18:39
SPEAKER_01: I mean, how does somebody get that one?
18:41
SPEAKER_01: And then on the touchdown later in that drive, like that should have been a no-game play.
18:47
SPEAKER_01: Like the guy from Cincinnati just like they can't tackle.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: Like, I don't know how you have a defense that can't tackle, but I guess that's why they're the worst of the NFL.
18:56
SPEAKER_01: And uh they end up being so the really the play that turned the game was uh Kyle Duggar, the interception return for a touchdown.
19:04
SPEAKER_01: Because it was 9-13 at that, hey, 13-9 at that point.
19:08
SPEAKER_01: Um so the Bengals were driving, but it was a nice play by Kyle Duggar in the defense.
19:14
SPEAKER_01: Um, Jalen Ramsey got stupidly ejected on a fourth and one.
19:18
SPEAKER_01: He said Jamar Chase spit on him.
19:20
SPEAKER_01: There's some video of that.
19:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, like Mike Toddman said, hey, it's just water.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: You don't have to punch the guy.
19:26
SPEAKER_01: If he just would have stood there and not punched him and got spit on, maybe the refs don't see it.
19:30
SPEAKER_01: Maybe Jamar Chase gets suspended and you get to play the rest of the game.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: Because, like you said, Tim, I think the Steelers have finally figured out their secondary.
19:39
SPEAKER_01: They have what's his name?
19:41
SPEAKER_01: Um geez.
19:42
SPEAKER_01: Ramsey at one safety.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: They got this Duggar guy at the strong spot, and then who they got?
19:49
SPEAKER_01: They got Darius Slay and Joey Porti Jr.
19:52
SPEAKER_01: And that seems to be a respectable secondary because they really did hold the Bengals in check much better this week than last time.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and even James Pierre, because Slay was didn't play James Pierre played really, really well.
20:09
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
20:10
SPEAKER_02: So you know, it that got me thinking, Steve, because you're right.
20:14
SPEAKER_02: They they seem like they have figured out a lot, especially if you look at the last Bengals game to this Bengals game, the trajectory is just astounding.
20:23
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
20:24
SPEAKER_02: Um and it got me thinking, you know, why is it that we always blame Mike Tomlin whenever the Steelers lose, but we never give them credit when they win.
20:35
SPEAKER_02: Because it's like you you go back to the first Cincinnati game, the defense was an absolute sieve.
20:41
SPEAKER_01: And but it's that Thursday, it's that Thursday game.
20:44
SPEAKER_01: I don't know what it is with this.
20:46
SPEAKER_02: Well, yeah, but I mean, even before that, like I mean, or even after that, the Packers game, it was the same thing.
20:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
20:52
SPEAKER_02: You know, gave up 35 points or whatever to the Packers, and the games before that, we were giving up tons of yards and points.
20:58
SPEAKER_02: And so they changed schemes, they they cut their starting free safety.
21:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, created for this Duggar guy, moved Jalen Ramsey.
21:07
SPEAKER_01: Well, I think it works out because Duggars more of a seem to be more of a run stopper, and Ramsey can play the pass, so it seems to be working out.
21:15
SPEAKER_02: Right, it does.
21:16
SPEAKER_02: But it's like, who made those changes?
21:18
SPEAKER_02: It's it's all coaching and personnel changes.
21:21
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, so shouldn't the head coach get at least a little bit of credit for that?
21:27
SPEAKER_02: And I I'm I'm no Tomlin apologist.
21:29
SPEAKER_02: You know, Tomlin has flaws, but I just I hate that we have such little capacity to be objective about anything in our culture, and that's true about you know, politics and news and everything.
21:42
SPEAKER_02: But it's like we have this narrative that we just that we formed, and by God, we're gonna stick to it no matter what evidence comes.
21:51
SPEAKER_02: And so it's just and if they lose to the Bears next week and the defense gives up, you know, 28 points to Caleb Williams, uh, Tomlin's defense.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: Tomlin doesn't know anything.
22:01
SPEAKER_02: Tomlin should be fired.
22:02
SPEAKER_01: The Bears have been good this year, though.
22:04
SPEAKER_02: But I'm just saying that's what we do every time we lose.
22:06
SPEAKER_02: And it's like, you know, when we win and we make all this improvement and we shake things up and we say, hey, the defense is a real problem, and we change a bunch of things to make it not a big problem these last three weeks.
22:18
SPEAKER_02: No one ever says, Oh, great coaching by Tomlin.
22:21
SPEAKER_02: Everybody just wants to blame him when he loses.
22:23
SPEAKER_02: I just like I said, I'm not trying to be a Tomlin apologist, but I just you have to be objective.
22:29
SPEAKER_02: You can't just say we lost because of this guy, but we didn't win because of him.
22:33
SPEAKER_02: You have to be objective.
22:34
SPEAKER_02: You can criticize him, but he deserves criticism a lot for sure.
22:37
SPEAKER_02: And he'd be the first person, I'm sure, to admit that.
22:40
SPEAKER_02: But then you gotta give him some credit when they when they make the right choices.
22:44
SPEAKER_02: Sorry, I'll step off my soapbox, but that just bothers me.
22:47
SPEAKER_01: Well, I will say this the defense is kind of the same defense it has been.
22:51
SPEAKER_01: When they're not getting turnovers, they tend to give up a lot of points.
22:56
SPEAKER_01: And when they do get turnovers, they seem to win games.
22:59
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, maybe that's a little simplistic, but it just seems like they have to get turnovers to really they're not like a defense that isn't going to give up a lot of yards or maybe some points here or there.
23:11
SPEAKER_02: Maybe it was it was 13 and you said it was 13 and 9.
23:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was whenever heard that was.
23:16
SPEAKER_01: And that was in the third quarter, yeah.
23:18
SPEAKER_01: So they really they really did play a lot better.
23:21
SPEAKER_01: And it I mean it was windy, but it wasn't that windy.
23:25
SPEAKER_01: I mean I don't know.
23:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, they they played well.
23:28
SPEAKER_02: They played okay last week against the Chargers.
23:30
SPEAKER_02: That that we talked about that game that really wasn't on the defense, and they played great against the Colts, who was the who were the best offense in football up to that point.
23:39
SPEAKER_02: So I again I'm not saying they're the 76, you know, defense all of a sudden.
23:45
SPEAKER_02: They're not, but uh they took what they had and they improved it, I think, greatly in the span of a month by making moves.
23:55
SPEAKER_02: And that's not the first time we've seen that.
23:57
SPEAKER_02: Remember, remember the um year they went to Super Bowl 30 when Cower was the coach?
24:01
SPEAKER_02: Remember how awful that defense was when they were three and four, and they moved Carnell Lake to safety and they put Willie Williams.
24:08
SPEAKER_02: Remember all those changes, and it was the same thing.
24:10
SPEAKER_02: It was like all of a sudden it stabilized everything that had been a huge problem before that.
24:16
SPEAKER_02: So it is possible to adjust midseason without you know having to do a whole lot.
24:23
SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
24:24
SPEAKER_02: I just I just think Tomlin and the coaching staff uh deserve some credit for that.
24:30
SPEAKER_01: Well, before I trash Mike Tomlin, I not really trash him, I'm just gonna make fun of him.
24:34
SPEAKER_01: Do you want me to complain about the refs first or make fun of Mike Tomlin first?
24:40
SPEAKER_02: I I mean complain about the refs, but I mean I will say to in fairness, they they they host both sides.
24:46
SPEAKER_01: Well, yes, they did.
24:48
SPEAKER_01: On Mike Tomlin, since we're on the subject of Mike Tomlin, we have the Mike Tomlin late season checklist now.
24:54
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
24:55
SPEAKER_01: Do we have a bunch of starters injured?
24:57
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
24:58
SPEAKER_01: Have we had our Thursday night inexplicable loss?
25:01
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
25:03
SPEAKER_01: Do we have a backup quarterback playing?
25:06
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
25:07
SPEAKER_01: Will we lose in the first round of the playoffs?
25:10
SPEAKER_01: Maybe.
25:13
SPEAKER_01: So we we have our Mike Tomlin checklist almost filled out for the season.
25:17
SPEAKER_01: The only finish will finish above 500.
25:20
SPEAKER_01: That's the other thing on the little Mike Tomlin checklist.
25:23
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we also do we also haven't had him lose like a challenge yet.
25:27
SPEAKER_02: I don't remember him losing a challenge a season.
25:30
SPEAKER_02: So we still need that on the bingo card.
25:33
SPEAKER_01: But uh the refs, uh, I uh uh you know, I came when I sat down to watch the game.
25:39
SPEAKER_01: Did you go to the game this week, Tim?
25:41
SPEAKER_01: I did not.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: Well, whoever went to the game in place of you, they went there and they were like, you know, I don't want to see Aaron Rodgers, I don't want to see Jamar Chase or T.
25:52
SPEAKER_01: Higgins, I want to see Joe Flacco, I don't want to see uh Chase Brown, I want to see, I don't want to see any of those guys.
25:58
SPEAKER_01: None of the players.
25:59
SPEAKER_01: I do not come to see the players.
26:01
SPEAKER_01: I come to see Bill Vinovich throw flags because that's what I pay to see.
26:08
SPEAKER_01: I want to see this guy and how he officiates a game that fascinates me to no end.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: And I wish he could throw more flags.
26:18
SPEAKER_01: Yay, Bill, you are the best.
26:21
SPEAKER_01: What a horrible job of officiating where to begin with this idiot.
26:28
SPEAKER_01: And I'm going to complain about this guy for the next five minutes because I don't care because he just he's terrible.
26:34
SPEAKER_01: He ruined the game.
26:35
SPEAKER_01: There was a play where uh TJ Watt literally hit the ball as he was sacking Joe Flacco.
26:42
SPEAKER_01: That's a tipped ball.
26:44
SPEAKER_01: You cannot rough the passer on a tipped ball.
26:46
SPEAKER_01: Nope, roughing the passer.
26:48
SPEAKER_01: There was a play for the Bengals, like you said, they were they were god-awful on both sides.
26:52
SPEAKER_01: The guy hit Aaron Rodgers, it was like a legit hit.
26:55
SPEAKER_01: Like I think it was JJ Watt was calling the game.
26:58
SPEAKER_01: It was like, I don't know why that's a penalty.
27:00
SPEAKER_01: He missed the Jamar, uh, whatever, Jamar Chase bulled spinning on Jalen Ramsey.
27:07
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it was just terrible all the way around.
27:11
SPEAKER_01: It was called way too tight, too many flags, too much stupidity.
27:16
SPEAKER_01: Please retire.
27:18
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you forgot about the ticky tack.
27:21
SPEAKER_02: There was so much interference calling DJ Metcalf.
27:24
SPEAKER_02: That negated like a 30-yard bomb from Rudolph.
27:28
SPEAKER_01: That was a perfect pass, yeah.
27:30
SPEAKER_02: Or or when the Steelers had like fourth and one and it looked like Cincinnati totally stopped them.
27:34
SPEAKER_01: Stopped them, yeah.
27:35
SPEAKER_02: And they're just like first down.
27:37
SPEAKER_02: It's like, okay, I didn't see that, but we'll take it.
27:40
SPEAKER_01: It wasn't you can't even blame they were calling every because they screwed both teams up.
27:44
SPEAKER_02: Oh yeah.
27:45
SPEAKER_02: It was not one.
27:46
SPEAKER_02: I mean, yeah, it was totally both sides.
27:48
SPEAKER_02: At least they're equal opportunity offenders.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, the officiating's been bad this year.
27:53
SPEAKER_02: I I don't you know, I it all and obviously that's a subjective opinion.
27:58
SPEAKER_02: I just um argued about everybody being objective, but but you know, uh there's been a couple of games where it's just been like flag after flag after flag.
28:08
SPEAKER_02: It's been insane.
28:10
SPEAKER_01: Uh well that's enough talk about I mean I'm sure he appreciates that, but hey, speaking of injustices, I totally disagree with this Jamar's case suspension.
28:20
SPEAKER_02: I mean, do we even know what Ramsey said?
28:22
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I I really think he should appeal.
28:25
SPEAKER_02: I don't think this is right.
28:27
SPEAKER_02: It has nothing to do with the fact that he's on my fantasy team and I'm battling for a playoff spot.
28:32
SPEAKER_02: I'm being totally objective now.
28:34
SPEAKER_01: So so you're taking the Miles Garrett defense.
28:38
SPEAKER_02: Right, yes.
28:39
SPEAKER_02: He was in he was provoked into it somehow.
28:41
SPEAKER_02: I don't know how.
28:43
SPEAKER_02: But uh they should totally not suspend him until you know after the fantasy football season is over.
28:49
SPEAKER_01: So, like we've mentioned a couple times, they're playing the Bears.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: The Bears are 7-3 leading their division against the Steelers who are six and four leading their division.
28:59
SPEAKER_01: And I really, really hope Aaron Rodgers gets to play this game because before the season, like I don't know what Aaron Rodgers' record against the Bears is, but it's like ungodly.
29:09
SPEAKER_01: He owns the freaking Bears.
29:12
SPEAKER_01: So uh hopefully he's healthy for the game.
29:15
SPEAKER_01: If not, hopefully Mason can score enough points to where I mean the Bears defense isn't all that great, is it?
29:22
SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
29:23
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I this is this is the most fraudulent like this late in the season battle of first place teams ever.
29:30
SPEAKER_02: I mean no funny.
29:32
SPEAKER_02: The Steelers are having a nice, decent little season.
29:34
SPEAKER_02: The Bears, good for them.
29:35
SPEAKER_02: They have really good coach now, I think.
29:38
SPEAKER_02: But come on, like these are not real contenders, I don't think.
29:42
SPEAKER_02: I I'd love to be wrong about that for the Steelers.
29:45
SPEAKER_02: And maybe even for the Bears.
29:46
SPEAKER_02: I mean, good for them.
29:48
SPEAKER_02: But uh this is this is just a totally fraudulent first place battle.
29:52
SPEAKER_02: I do think that um we're recording this early in the week, so we you know, uh for what we know now, Rogers uh reportedly has like a fracture in his hand.
30:03
SPEAKER_02: I don't think he's gonna play.
30:04
SPEAKER_02: Rudolph, that's gonna be interesting, Steve, because what if Rudolph plays again, well again?
30:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
30:10
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and Rogers has not looked great the last two weeks.
30:13
SPEAKER_02: He's he's got super happy feet now in the pocket.
30:16
SPEAKER_01: Maybe they give him some rest.
30:18
SPEAKER_01: If like Rudolph plays well, maybe they can give him like another week or two off.
30:22
SPEAKER_01: I said that how many weeks ago?
30:23
SPEAKER_01: I said I thought Rudolph.
30:26
SPEAKER_02: He needs to play like three or four games.
30:28
SPEAKER_02: And and and Rogers just like it was interesting watching Rudolph in the second half of that game because he just stood still in the pocket and he never got touched once.
30:38
SPEAKER_02: And I just thought that was interesting because when Rogers dances around like that, makes it really hard to block for him, and then he was getting pressured and hit.
30:48
SPEAKER_02: That play got hurt, he got slammed by two guys.
30:50
SPEAKER_02: I'm surprised there was no flag because you know they threw a flag for everything else.
30:54
SPEAKER_01: I thought they did throw a flag on that one.
30:57
SPEAKER_01: Maybe they did, but they threw a flag on everything.
30:59
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they threw a flag on everything.
31:01
SPEAKER_02: But but yeah, Rogers is getting real happy feet, and Rudolph stands Rudolph's always been really good at that.
31:06
SPEAKER_02: He just stands on the pocket.
31:08
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then he was really crisp on some of those passes.
31:11
SPEAKER_02: He was only in for two drives.
31:13
SPEAKER_02: The Steelers only had the ball twice in the second half, and they scored both times, and they were moving the ball well, and they probably would have got a touchdown on both drives if not for the aforementioned tikky-tack pass interference call where they only got a field goal.
31:27
SPEAKER_02: So I again that was the Bengals defense.
31:31
SPEAKER_02: That was at home.
31:32
SPEAKER_02: You know, Soldier Field, Steve.
31:34
SPEAKER_02: Fun fact.
31:36
SPEAKER_01: The Steelers haven't probably won there since 95.
31:39
SPEAKER_02: So they've been playing there at Soldier Field since 1936.
31:43
SPEAKER_02: That game in 1995, that's the only time they've ever won out there.
31:48
SPEAKER_01: I knew it.
31:48
SPEAKER_01: I knew it.
31:49
SPEAKER_01: See, it's like when they play like when the Steelers play like those old school NFL teams like the Lions, the Packers, the Giants, the Bears.
31:59
SPEAKER_01: It's like they flash back to like all those years they stunk.
32:03
SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh my gosh, we can't beat these teams.
32:05
SPEAKER_01: Oh no.
32:07
SPEAKER_02: Old man Hallis has a good game plan.
32:11
SPEAKER_01: Oh no, Walt Keisling will never be able to.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: It's like God.
32:16
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
32:16
SPEAKER_02: So they yeah, they literally have not won out there in 30 years.
32:21
SPEAKER_01: Since that game in 95 with against against Eric Kramer, who holds the passing yards record for the Bears, and they're thinking Caleb Willems has a shot at breaking Eric Kramer's record.
32:33
SPEAKER_02: So and that was that was Dave Wants that was their coach.
32:36
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
32:37
SPEAKER_02: That's how long ago that was.
32:38
SPEAKER_02: And before that, they had never won out there.
32:40
SPEAKER_02: And they've been playing out there again since 1936, was the first time they played in Soldier Bridge.
32:45
SPEAKER_01: I mean, not regularly since 1970, so maybe that stat's a little skewed.
32:49
SPEAKER_02: It is.
32:50
SPEAKER_02: I think they've I think they've literally only played in Chicago twice since the turn of the century.
32:56
SPEAKER_02: I could have that wrong, but it's it's not a lot.
32:58
SPEAKER_01: Well, hopefully the uh you know the Bears don't bear down in Chicago.
33:04
SPEAKER_01: We can you know continue the ownership as the Bears, as Rogers said.
33:08
SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, it's been fun doing these.
33:11
SPEAKER_01: Uh keep following us.
33:13
SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, tell us what you think of all our comments.
33:16
SPEAKER_01: If you really like officiating and you like all the flags being thrown, you know, please like and comment us on Facebook.
33:23
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33:25
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33:27
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33:29
SPEAKER_01: And uh thank you for tuning in and uh we'll check you out next time.
33:33
SPEAKER_02: And visit my new website, justice for jamar.org.