Joe Starkey

But that ain't what we came here to talk about today as Bob's cardboard mannequin stares over at me.

Bob off today.

We came here to talk about the Penguins, and I'm not sure, and I was racking my brain on this, that I can remember a more unlikely playoff team in Pittsburgh sports.

Can you out there at 412-928-9370?

I mean, the Mason Rudolph Steelers?

That was unlikely, but that team was underachieving.

And we always know the Steelers are going to be right around .500.

Were they a game below when Rudolph came in?

Were they right at .500?

That was surprising what they did late in the year, but it's not like they beat a bunch of juggernauts.

They beat the Bengals, the Seahawks, and I think the JV Ravens or maybe Cleveland.

I don't remember.

Yeah, it was the Ravens in the final game.

That wasn't nearly like this.

Not nearly as surprising a run to the playoffs.

How about the 2006-07 Penguins?

They went from 58 points to 105, but we all knew that team was on the rise.

Anybody could see that.

The roster up and down was loaded with first-round studs.

It was just a matter of time.