JUNE 23, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Playoff hockey is tense but needs more excitement to draw casual fans Forgive the melodrama, but the ongoing Stanley Cup semifinals are a battle for hockey’s soul. Two of the teams have major talent. They play...
Mark Madden Hot Take: There's an obvious choice to replace Tunch Ilkin in Steelers booth Tunch Ilkin became a Steeler in 1980 and will never stop being one. His playing days ended in 1993, and he just retired from broadcasting, b...
JUNE 5, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Behavior of select NBA fans is deplorable Fans are trickling back into the stands at American sporting events, and it’s not all good. That applies particularly at NBA games. Ja Moran...
JUNE 1, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: After another early playoff exit, changes are needed within Penguins organization It’s time for refreshing Penguins notes, playoff edition: One-and-done for a third straight year, just like the Penguins. • The Penguins’ ch...
MAY 27, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: When healthy, the Penguins could actually roll 4 good lines Here’s a popular talk-show question: When the Penguins are 100% healthy, what would their lines be? Here’s a popular Penguins fan fantasy: T...
APRIL 23, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden's Hot Take: Most of baseball's flaws involve wasted time The Pirates season started well Thursday. Prize rookie Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in the first inning. As Hayes rounded the bases, he was...
APRIL 3, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Here's what has to happen for the Penguins to be legit contenders The Penguins are 16-9-1 and have won four in a row. Can they yet be more than a borderline playoff team? Can they win a playoff series? Can...
MARCH 12, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden's Hot Take: Penguins GM Ron Hextall faces tough decisions with personnel moves Since becoming GM, Ron Hextall has paid what is likely mere lip service to the concept of the Penguins’ window being open: One more Stanley...
MARCH 6, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: On 30th anniversary of trade, Ulf Samuelsson remembered as Penguins X factor Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Jack Ham is arguably the greatest outside linebacker of all time, right there with Lawrence Taylor. Ham once told...
MARCH 5, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Signing J.J. Watt wouldn’t make sense for Steelers Besides selling “Wattsburgh” T-shirts and seeing all three Watt brothers pose for really cool photos together in black and gold, there isn’t...
FEBRUARY 17, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Penguins, Steelers, J.J. Watt Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the Penguins win on Sunday...
FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: It’s been a bumpy path, but there’s been more good than bad for Penguins The numbers don’t lie. But some of the Penguins’ stats suggest a bit of fibbing by way of dark humor. The Penguins got a two-goal lead for t...
FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: They have shortcomings, but the Penguins certainly don’t lack effort The Penguins might cheat you when it comes to certain things. They might cheat you on structure. They might cheat you on goaltending. Evgeni...
JANUARY 31, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Situations with Brett Farve, Jared Porter show cancel culture is applied unevenly Jared Porter got dismissed from his job as the New York Mets’ general manager because he sent a torrent of inappropriate texts to a female j...
JANUARY 20, 2021 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Penguins need to play different kind of hockey to succeed in new East division The NHL allegedly starts Jan. 13 after a training camp of approximately 15 minutes. That’s right in the middle of the NFL playoffs. Will mad...
DECEMBER 21, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: 20 years later, Mario Lemieux’s comeback still unmatched Somebody could break Wayne Gretzky’s scoring records. Somebody could again score five goals, five ways. Somebody could score three goals in...
DECEMBER 12, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Steelers need more from running game to be legit contender The Steelers have to run the ball more and better. They’re not forced to be one-dimensional. They do so voluntarily. It makes them predictab...
DECEMBER 9, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Unfiltered: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss delayed Steelers-Ravens matchup Tim Benz and Mark Madden return for this week’s edition of “Unfiltered” on TribLive’s Facebook page to talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers ga...
NOVEMBER 30, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Diego Maradona had his flaws, but will be remembered as greatest soccer player ever One game summed up Diego Maradona: Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England in a 1986 World Cup quarterfinal. Maradona scored both his side’s go...
NOVEMBER 27, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Mark Madden: Too early to anoint Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes the G.O.A.T. Patrick Mahomes put 21 fourth-quarter points on the board to rally Kansas City from a 20-10 deficit and win the Super Bowl. He was a worthy...
FEBRUARY 5, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
