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Chapter 1: What is discussed at the start of this section?
Take notice. You didn't hear a sound bite from the footballing podcast with Big Ben from last night. Notice that. Because, folks, somebody took the high road, and we can finally, hopefully, put this drama to bed. Because Ben Roethlisberger, the one that was dragged through the mud all last week, he took the high road. And I'm glad he did. It's Donnie Football with you on 93.7 The Fan until 2.
Austin Beck told the man we call City Limits is behind the glass. Austin and I are here because Pomp and Joe. They get their show off for a lunch that is taking place about 90 seconds away from this studio. So something that us producers don't get to take part in. Maybe one day, Austin.
Maybe one day. I don't even know if we're going to get some leftovers, Donnie. Some second helpings that might have fallen onto the floor. To potentially partake him. But no, I'm happy for the guys. It's well-deserved and well-earned.
Yeah, I'm not going to hold my breath on leftovers. But believe it or not, I saw Joe in the gym that is just down the road here in our plaza.
Chapter 2: Why is Ben Roethlisberger's response significant?
Really? I saw him in there this morning. And even though he rubbed it in your face yesterday about missing this lunch, which I thought was a very low blow. I would agree with that. He... He told me that he thought it was a little bit outrageous that the producers don't get invited. Oh, outrageous.
So it went from ripping his own producer for not getting an invitation to now it's outrageous. A big 180 from Joe. So we have you covered until two.
Off the top is presented by J.P. Roofing and Siding. A few places we are going today. Mark Caballi will be here. He will be sitting across from me. from 11 until noon. Jason Mackey joins us from Pirate City in Bradenton at 105. A big one for the U.S. men's hockey team this afternoon. Canada gets underway in just a little bit. Both teams looking to punch a ticket to the Olympic semifinals.
The United States takes on Sweden, and Canada will take on Czechia, a team that they beat 5-0 today. in the round-robin portion of the Olympics. We have the Limitless Express today at 12.30. I will give my top five realistic Steelers free agent targets later on.
Chapter 3: What does Joey Porter’s past reveal about his comments?
A need that the Pirates should fill by opening day is also on my mind with the first spring training game just a few days away from us. Your calls, too, at 412-928-9370. However you may be consuming us, radio, the Odyssey app, our live video function on YouTube or on X at 93.7 The Fan. We start with what is hopefully the end of this drama surrounding former Steelers. Steelers legends.
And before you say to yourself or text in or chime in on the YouTube chat and say, is this all you guys are going to talk about? Blame the players, not us. Blame the guys that claim they don't want to take up headlines for their words. Blame the guys that claim they are only focused on ball, even in retirement.
And look closely, because you will find that they are more like us, the evil sports media, than you or they would want to admit. But two guys that went into the Steelers Hall of Honor together just two months ago at halftime of the Monday night game against the Dolphins. One guy has matured. One guy has stayed the same. Big Ben was the first guy to admit that.
that he wasn't mature in his younger years, he wasn't a good teammate, he wasn't a nice guy off the field, and he certainly had some off-the-field headlines that even made the Steelers, reportedly at times, question if he was their guy. But people rode that wave forever, and they decided that you take that, you mix it with the stuff off the field, that was all they needed.
to never change their view of No. 7. Maybe a few of you have good reason. I'm sure there is more than one person out there that is listening that had a negative personal encounter with Big Ben. And yes, that can be enough to form an opinion on somebody. That's why it's always important, Austin, that anytime we meet folks out in the wild, out in public, You give them your time of day.
You have a nice encounter with them. Not that I doubt you do that. First impressions are lasting impressions, Donnie. Because people may have met Big Ben when he was 23 years old, and now as the dude is in his mid-40s, they still hate him, and they still think he's the same guy. I have never met him. I only know him as the greatest quarterback I've ever seen wear the black and gold.
So maybe I'm biased here. But the guy who ran his mouth and started all of this is someone that ran his mouth consistently during his playing days. Joey Porter was the spiritual leader of the Super Bowl 40 team. I've said that before, and I mean it. He was. The players say that they were playing so much for Jerome Bettis. Porter was doing it more than anybody.
It felt like he wanted to win that Lombardi for Jerome Bettis more than anybody. He usually backed up his words, which is good.
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Chapter 4: How do the hosts feel about the ongoing drama with Steelers legends?
He was a fun player to watch. He's a Steelers legend. His son is turning into a good NFL player in his own right for the same team in the same city. But Peasy never held back his words to start a fire. He called out the Indianapolis Colts for being soft three days ahead of the iconic 2005 playoff game. The Steelers won. Porter had a huge game.
But he knew that his words would be what started that battle going into that game. And that was just weeks after the Colts beat them by three touchdowns in a primetime game that same season. Porter and Jeremy Stevens, the former Seahawks tight end, they had a war of words ahead of Super Bowl 40. Again, calling the opponent soft. Porter once fought Browns running back William Green.
This would have been in your infancy, Austin. 2004, it led to both players being kicked out of the game before it even started. James Harrison would fill in. And according to William Green, it all began because Porter was running his mouth and then spit in his face. So when you think of Joey Porter Sr., you think of a dude that wore his heart on his sleeve.
He was filled with passion on the football field. He was often found at the 50-yard line or on the other side of it before games, jawing with someone in the opposing uniform. And it wasn't just one time. And half the time that chirping took place before the game even started because he made headlines going into whatever game it was. And it was fun as a fan, without question.
Add a little heat to the matchup, put another log on that fire. He was great at that. As good of a player as he was, he was great at making those midweek headlines to get you set for a game on Sunday afternoon or Sunday night or Monday night. But I think it's a low blow to do it now, to do this now. to take a shot at the quarterback that helped win you a Super Bowl.
And even though he wasn't a star in that game itself, you go back to that 05 playoff run, they ain't getting to know Super Bowl without Big Ben. He was great in the three games that led up to it. And I feel like people often push back at his performance that entire time because he was bad in the Super Bowl.
But this felt like a weird need for Porter to stay relevant, stay in the Steelers limelight. And I'm not sure why he felt that need. He's in the Steelers Hall of Honor. His son is on the current team. He goes to a lot of the games. He does at least one of the terrible towel twirls per season because he's so easily accessible. They will show him on the Jumbotron all the time.
I don't think people will forget about Peasy anytime soon. I know I won't. I love the guy as a player. Ran his mouth a ton. Usually backed it up. I loved that as a kid growing up and watching this team play. But a pot shot taken at Big Ben was something he knew would make headlines. And man, as a quick aside, Cam Hayward's getting good at this stuff.
We know that he's had interest in working in the media for quite some time now, but if you are looking for ways to get clicks, he and his not-just-football team, they nailed it here. Waiting until the Super Bowl was wrapped up to post that clip, blast it all over the internet. They could have found ways to sweep that under the rug. That clearly wasn't an interview that was happening live.
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Chapter 5: What potential surprises are discussed regarding player trades?
Nobody would be surprised about that. That's something people are rooting for, and I think it's anticipating.
Are we talking about Mason Rudolph? I don't know how you could possibly say that. He's a backup quarterback. It still would surprise you if they're like, okay, you're gone.
Yeah.
I don't know. I haven't heard anything. This is the pony source, so he might be. I'm sure he will expand on it at 2 o'clock.
What about Ramsey?
I don't think that would be surprising, though. It would be like, oh, okay, maybe I didn't see it coming. I guess that considers a surprise. But I would want to bring Ramsey back. I mean, if you play him in the slot.
Because it feels like Queen and Ramsey, if they actually to, I guess, follow along with, would be a surprise. But at the same time, those are the two guys that I think have been speculated about to be cut or traded.
I mean, Queen to me, I mean, he had 120 tackles last year. I know he wasn't the best at coverage, but. He plays 100% of the snaps. He had really, really good games. He had some really iffy games, so he wasn't quite as consistent as you would like him to be. But I always say this, who do you put in front? You get rid of him, what do you do?
Malik Harrison in there who's getting paid $7 million this year? That's his cap hit?
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of Sidney Crosby's injury?
And, man, there's some thought that that price tag could be pretty high.
Not the Arch's wings. You're talking about the Malik Willis.
No, no, no. The price tag on Malik Willis. I told you that. The price at Archie's is never high. That's why Archie is the man.
Archie's is great. I can go for some of those. But, um... Yeah, Malik Willis, people were saying, hey, we were talking, what, January. Are you like Malik Willis, like two for 15, two for 20? I'm like, man, that seems kind of cheap for that guy, especially in a very weak free agency class of quarterbacks. And you've got about seven, eight, nine teams are interested.
He's going to get go to the highest bidder. I still think it's going to be Miami, and it's probably going to be in excess of $40 million a year, which is crazy to me, especially a guy with, was he 27? A guy that's played two games, three games, 150 career attempts. You're taking a risk, but I guess as the great Bruce Arians would say, no risk it, no biscuit.
I got two more for you that are trade candidates that I certainly have no interest in. Anthony Richardson and Tua.
Oh, not Tua.
No. How would you rank those two? The way you reacted tells me you would actually give Richardson some consideration.
I wouldn't give either one of them. I would just stay with Mason Rudolph. I think he's your best option. If Aaron Rodgers does not come back, and you're looking at a guy like Malik Willis getting 40-some million bucks and looking at that free agency class of Jacoby Percocet, Richardson, Anthony, Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, and who else am I missing? Tyrod Taylor's of the world.
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Chapter 7: How is the United States hockey team's performance analyzed?
Like he had the video game clause written into his contract. I don't know if I'd go that far. I would take Mason over a handful of those names that you listed.
I mean, you look at him, Gardner Minshew. I mean, most of them are still injured. That's the problem, too. I mean, I guess the one you could look at, it would have to be a trade opportunity, be Mac Jones. I guess he would be the one guy that you say could be a Sam Darnold-like. It would take a lot to get there.
He gets the Kyle Shanahan rub. People think he's figured out how to play quarterback now.
But then you'd have to trade for him. I'm sure it wouldn't cost a ton. But if they're not going to make the trade, what do you do?
I mean, it's quite a year for the 49ers to be able to hold that down. You know, the fact that they have Mack Jones and it's not a strong rookie class or free agent class.
And let's not mistake that Brock Purdy is a guy that is not always healthy. He's missed a lot of games with injuries too, so they need to find some people. I mean, people tend to forget 2-2 now.
Get some play-by-play going, Mark. We're not allowed to do that.
You're not allowed to do that.
You can't do, like, actual play-by-play. No, there's some sort of rule against that. But Canada has tied it up with Czechia.
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Chapter 8: What insights are shared about Connor Griffin's batting practice performance?
Uh, Mark, any look into the Aaron Rodgers timeline before we let you go?
I still think it's going to be before free agency. I think that he has enough respect for the process and respect for Mike McCarthy and the Steelers organization as a whole to know that they just can't leave him hanging. Like last year, Mike Tomlin apparently knew when not long after the visit in March that he was going to come here. But I think you have to make it more official.
before you move on. Because even if you don't make it, even if you got that handshake deal like they had almost wink, wink, nod, nod last year, your whole organization is based on him coming back and moving forward. So you would like to have at least something more concrete.
Yeah, it's riding on a guy that's well into his 40s. And if... If he doesn't officially sign, but they don't sign any quarterback in free agency and they don't draft, let's say, Ty Simpson in the first round and it gets dragged into the summer again, I'm just going to assume that he does come back. Or else they would really look like fools.
Yeah, I mean, as for drafting a quarterback in the first round, I see the only way that happens if Rodgers does not come back. Because if you draft one, you have to keep Howard, you have to keep your first-round quarterback if it's Ty Simpson. And your boy's getting cut. I'm not even talking about that.
I'm talking about if the 43-year-old quarterback gets hurt, you've got to choose from the rookie or the guy that has zero snaps in his career and has been on the team for half a year under a new offense. So you can't do that.
Mark Cabaly, Steelers correspondent from the Pat McAfee Show. Mark, thanks for taking the time. This is a fun hour. You'll be with the guys on Friday afternoon.
Oh, yeah. You double dipping today, huh? I am. You know what they say about double dip? One chip per dip. That Seinfeld reference is too old for you.
I do a lot of double headers. I'm like Ernie Banks.
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