00:00:04
Speaker 1: Yo, if it's me refereeing, i'd a given valleg in a red card two, but it was borderline and anyway, don't hate me, hate the ref. Raphael Klaus, You anti American, Brazilian bastard.
00:00:19
Speaker 2: Klaus.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: I bet his ancestors arrived in South America via the rat line. You suck, Klaus MESSI did worse. You bought the cell job. You're a guest in this country. What are you doing?
00:00:34
Speaker 2: So guess what? You just made the list. I think Ice detained that ref after the game.
00:00:43
Speaker 1: Penguins off season in full swing, except there ain't that much swinging. Joining me now to talk about it from sports at Pittsburgh, it's former NHL defenseman Matt Bartkowski.
00:00:54
Speaker 2: Bart before we talk hockey. Was it a red card or not?
00:00:59
Speaker 3: Mark, I've never lied to you. I didn't watch the game.
00:01:03
Speaker 1: Okay, well let's let's let's move on. Then some news just a little bit ago. Uh oh, he's going to play another season? Is that good or bad? He put up numbers last year, but I thought he looked on his last legs.
00:01:16
Speaker 2: And a little heavy.
00:01:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I think for bits for the last few seasons he's looked on his last legs. I don't. I mean, I don't see any problem with him playing. We you know, we have our Big three. They're still here playing. He's still playing in Washington. So if they could find if they're I mean with some of the guys, they've had it with Tuck and and that they're I think they're looking to still win. So if they find a way to limit his minutes and just keep them keep him out there on the power play and you know, six on five and not five on six so he can keep getting empty netters, then yeah, I don't I don't see a problem with it.
00:01:55
Speaker 2: No, no, I got no problem. But boy, guys hang on.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Then again, giving the money and give it how much fun it is, you can't blame him. And now, if you're Jason Robertson, would you want to come play in Pittsburgh with an aging team, what are the pros and cons?
00:02:12
Speaker 3: Well, the pros are you're you're gonna add a big piece. You know, he's he's proven to put up points playoffs. He still puts up points. I mean, I have heard from a few guys there's a little knock on his Maybe it's compete at certain times in playoffs, but if you look at his numbers, he's still he's still putting out in playoff time. So you're gonna bring a big piece to a team that where the Pens are at are kind of still They're they're trying to be competitive. I mean even last season making the so you know, you bring more life into an older Big three team and making a push. The cons are if you're looking to come here and be good for a little while, that might not happen because those as are getting older, and in general, the better parts of the team that we saw last season are getting older, and you know, there's still a lot of holes we got to fill. So it's a con as far as winning, but it's also it's a pro because you're probably going to be the centerpiece of that rebuild if it comes.
00:03:22
Speaker 1: The Penguins defense is now a work in progress. Is it very damaging to lose Shay and Watherspoon. I've seen a bit of overreaction thereof at least I think so.
00:03:34
Speaker 3: Uh Waterspoon, I mean he had I would say his career year last year on paper, how he played was a good, you know, steady eddy guy for Carlson for most of the year, Shay I do think that that is that's a whole I like how that guy plays. He's gotten better every year here from the day that uh, you know, Dube has brought him in, and when he came in, I really wasn't expected much, but especially last season, the way he played throughout the season consistently, I mean, he was a he was just a rock back there. He can skate, a little bit, move a puck in at uh you know, five years, four million a year. What was it was it four by five, five by four, whichever it was. That's a fair number for a player like him who can pretty much except you know, he's not going to run your if he's running your power player in trouble, he's not going to do that. But every other situation he can be on the ice and should be on the ice. I think that that's a guy that they should have looked to hold onto him. You know, I'm not I'm not really sure why they didn't, why they didn't want him here.
00:04:47
Speaker 1: What's your take on signing Van Reemsdyke in Carlisle. Van Reemsdyke's thirty four, so he's old and tell me a one year deal though, And I've barely heard of Carlisle would be perfectly honest.
00:04:57
Speaker 3: Yeah, Carlisle a little bit up and down type of player in the minors in the NHL, So, you know, not it's not like gonna make waves or anything like that. Van Reinsdyke been around for a while Chicago, Carolina, like you said, one year, just I think just stilling a slot for this year. When you lose Shay, you're hoping he can come in and eat you know, sixteen eighteen minutes a year, depending on what you do the rest of the offseason here and what you have going in. The weird thing is right now, if you look at what they have apart from that Carlisle, they have well in Graves, which he's still on the on the books, but Sam Gerard is the only lefty And just talking with you know, talking with people around the league, I think most coaches are still on the lefty righty thing. So it's going to be interesting if this is the decor that you have going into the season, how it's going to pan out, because you're gonna see mainly right he's on the left side from from what I see.
00:06:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's why I don't think that the defense is is is put together like it's gonna be by the time camp gets here. I think it's under construction that said, how hard is it to play on your off side? Because you could do it you were you were a legitimate swing guy, a guy like Trevor Daly was in the Cup years here, but not many can really do that.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's it's something that you you do have to kind of experience in game settings. You can work on it all you want and practice. There's certain situations where it really matters if you If you are a little better skater, it's definitely easier. Just breakouts. You're trying to get to the middle right, so you're taking it on your back and you got to take two big steps to the middle and open up your options. Bucks that come around the boards in the ozone and you're trying to get shots, or you got to get the puck. You got to get to the middle quick so you can open up your forehand. Those situations like that, those are the ones you really gotta focus on. But in general, if you're a better skater, it's a little easier that the kid they got from Vegas. I'm gonna butcher his last name, but I think it's Corzak. He he can skate well. I know, you know, he had his ups and downs in Vegas a little bit, but he can skate decent enough. He might be a guy you're going to see. On the left, we're.
00:07:25
Speaker 1: Talking to Matt Bartkowski, is sports at Pittsburgh here on the Mark Madden Show. Bart I think the defense is far from put together in its final form, and I feel in general like this is the calm before the storm. I feel like Dupas is gonna make a lot of moves if he can. I know he wants to.
00:07:42
Speaker 3: It's kind of you know, I kind of thought he was too, But I mean, in general, historically, what we saw is what we're gonna get as far as the NHL. We saw a lot of big moves go on, a lot of signings and a lot of trades.
00:07:56
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, a bad crop of free agents too, which probably him hinder, not just Dubius but everybody correct.
00:08:03
Speaker 3: And I was surprised at how much money was being thrown around. I think, you know, like I always say, the cap goes up a little bit, the gms think it doubles, and I know it's going to one thirteen in a year or two. But you know, I think vast over payments across the board.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: You know, it was weird.
00:08:19
Speaker 1: Forgive the interruption, but but Mason Martsman, who I who I wanted the Penguins to get. He went to San Jose, and I thought he gave them a bargain. The one guy I would ob yeah, put put put a fair number there for the Sharks.
00:08:33
Speaker 3: Fair number, what five point seventy five for six years.
00:08:37
Speaker 2: Or something like that.
00:08:37
Speaker 3: I meaned, I know, I would offer him the same thing. Brings grit, has skill, can skate. I don't know. I don't know how they they snatched him up for that number and then they give yeah, and then and then you look, my career for for the Sharks goes out and gives Trubay eight point two five year.
00:08:59
Speaker 4: Yeah here I can spend there, right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess that's what happened there.
00:09:05
Speaker 3: But as far as going forward, I mean, there might be a little wall coming up here. GM's kind of going to hibernation, so I'm not I'm not too sure what else there is to get done of guys on the market. I mean, you even saw be like like Shen going back to Vancouver for two point twenty five. I just don't know how much is out there. I wouldn't honestly, I wouldn't do a panic thing and try and round out the decor this year. Just like you said that, it's a bad crop of free agents, so you're probably gonna have to overpay on guys you're gonna want to trade for anyway. So I just I wouldn't even panic. Plus, you got Brunick who can still develop and and and you know I would be wanting to give him a big chance this year to see what we have.
00:09:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, but he's another righty and on the left side.
00:09:52
Speaker 1: I mean I would only play Ryan Graves in case of a severe emergency. And what about Pickering, I mean there are some options there. I'm just not sure there good ones.
00:10:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I I just I've never.
00:10:04
Speaker 3: Been a big proponent of a lefty righty thing.
00:10:06
Speaker 4: I know that the guys, aren't they yep, Yeah, they all stuck on it because it because generally teams that win they go lefty righty, And it started six seven years ago and before that nobody really cared.
00:10:20
Speaker 3: But I would just play some righty's on the left see if they have it. If they don't, and it's a young guy like Brunick be like, hey, we don't have room for you on the right right now. We're gonna send you back down keep playing there. But as far as going out and overspending on a lefty, I just don't. I don't. It's not out there in free agency anymore. You're gonna have to All the gms are going to be waiting around a little bit now to see what robertson what he ends up doing, which God only knows after he turned down that Seattle deal. So I would I just I think it would have to be a severe overpayment if you're gonna have to go out and get a lefty.
00:10:56
Speaker 2: Finally, Bart, did you like drafting the Rock Twins?
00:10:59
Speaker 3: Uh?
00:10:59
Speaker 1: It's so hard hard to tell what you got when you drop all of the top ten picks. I do find an intriguing because with twins, like with the Sadines, you can make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Then again, it didn't work here with the Ferraros.
00:11:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, the Ferraros, that's right, and and the Sadines at the other end of the spectrum. So we'll see what we got. But good, good skill guys. The only the only drawback is they're not great skaters, which you know, I I think to play in this game these days, you you have to be able to be a good skater or you know, unless your hockey IQ's off the charts. But the Liam Rock kid, it's supposed to be off the charts. So and from what I've heard, he goes to the dirty areas. He's got some steel, he's got good hands in tight and that's what you need when you're you're not an elite skater like that. So hopefully they pan out and we get we get the sadines.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Here part great stuff. Enjoy the rest of the World Cup. All right, that's Matt Barkowski. We got that interview with the ruck Twins later in the show. Up next, we're gonna continue to talk about the Paul Skeins.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: Debacle, and it is a debacle five to nine of the NJAM Insurance Traffic Center.
00:12:17
Speaker 5: This report is sponsored by Levin Furniture and Mattress Sleep Cooler for.
00:12:21
Speaker 6: Less this super genius, Mark Madden.
00:12:25
Speaker 2: You're talking to the super genius.
00:12:27
Speaker 7: Hey, more good about.
00:12:28
Speaker 6: Thillion ring wo dx A one.
00:12:40
Speaker 2: I am a profit of sorts.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: I told you months ago that this Skiens thing was gonna not get better.
00:12:48
Speaker 2: And it has not.
00:12:50
Speaker 3: Uh.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: Right now, it's a collapse.
00:12:53
Speaker 1: It's over the top Mondo Nutso it's life during wartime.
00:12:57
Speaker 2: Uh.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: I got a sound bite the demand himself. It's Paul Skins after last night's mess at Philadelphia.
00:13:05
Speaker 7: I'm gonna fell behind him a few counts and some foul balls. Yeah, just got to execup, keep pitches a little bit better. And I think it's a pretty different story. I'm not sure, but we'll we'll turn him over. I'll I'll figure we'll figure out what it is and just keep attacking it.
00:13:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, Junior, It's only a few counts and some foul balls and a few pitches. Keep telling yourself that it'll prevent you from fixing it. But keep telling yourself that. And I don't know, but I do wonder does a young guy who's never failed have the mental wherewithal and can he ditch his ego to fix this, because that's what it's going to take. I doubt he does. I could be wrong, but I'm not. And you're seeing video now of Skeens dipping his arm angle changing it mechanical stuff. I really feel like it is Charlie Sheen and major League two and all these extra pitches with fancy names have Skeen all fed up. That started out as a joke, but now it's not. It's life imitates art. You got the splinker, you got the sweeper, but the fastballs disappeared. The numbers don't lie, and they're currently spelling disaster for Paul Skeins.
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Check this out.
00:14:43
Speaker 1: Skeens through pitches of ninety eight miles per hour or faster an average of twenty seven times per start in his first two seasons. In his last three starts, he's thrown only four pitches total at ninety eight miles per hour or better, and none over one hundred miles per hour all year. You'd almost be relieved if you got to Tommy John because then you know what it is, and I'm not so sure that it won't turn out to be just that. Here's the number the cons most. The Pirates have lost. Each of Skeins's last nine starts. He was ozer and six as far as decisions go in that span, and his era in those nine games is five point three six, five point three six, five points three.
00:15:42
Speaker 2: Six, five point three six.
00:15:47
Speaker 1: It's a stink sandwich, and I think it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Gonna have to keep taking a bite of that stink sandwich. Up next, a great interview earlier in the week with the Ruck twins, Liam and Marcus. The peng was first two picks in this year's draft by popular demand. It's coming at you just around the corner. And then after that, we're gonna keep talking about whether or not that was a red card as committed by Balligan in the USA Soccer game last night.
00:16:21
Speaker 2: One oh five ninety X. This is Chris Bruce Ard.
00:16:25
Speaker 6: Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports.
00:16:27
Speaker 2: Network presented by Dussel Today.
00:16:29
Speaker 8: After acquiring Jalen Brown from the Celtics, the seventy six ers agreeing to a two year deal with Breage and guard Anferty Simons one more season at least for the NHL's all time goal scoring leader alex Sooevenchkin back for a twenty second season with the Capitals. A judge ruling that prosecutors can review Tiger Wood's medical records for relating to his.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: Crash in dui arrest in Florida back in March. I'm Frank Aaron from remotes to automatic Corkscrews. Duras Hell keeps you ready. They're double and triple A batteries are the only ones with power boosting built for long lasting profile.
00:17:01
Speaker 6: The super genius Mark Madden.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: He's a little guy.
00:17:07
Speaker 6: I'd love to get the ball today. Very good point The X at one five nine.
00:17:13
Speaker 2: It's Madden on the X Home of the Penguins.
00:17:16
Speaker 1: Let's listen now to that interview I did with the Rock Twins, the Penguins top two draft picks a bit earlier this week. Joining me now are the Penguins first two draft choices. It's a pleasure to welcome Twin Magic, Liam and Marcus Rock. Guys, Welcome to Pittsburgh. Did you guys have a hunch one team was going to draft both of you and and wasn't a relief when it happened.
00:17:39
Speaker 2: Liam, let's hear from you first.
00:17:41
Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah, thanks for having us first of all, and yeah, we we had a little bit of a feeling. But obviously there's a little surprises at the draft and you never know what to fully expect. But our agents did a great job and found a way to guess to the same team and with it, the in Pittsburgh super high about it.
00:18:01
Speaker 1: Marcus, what about you? You were the second of you guys picked. Were you relieved when it happened because you were the guy kind of out there?
00:18:10
Speaker 9: Yeah? Thanks for having us as well. I just want to say that I was pretty stressed in between the ticks, to be honest with you, But once I was selected with the second round pick, I was super leaeved. And you go into a great organization with tons of history and and also tons of success. With my twin brother, they couldn't have worked out any better way.
00:18:33
Speaker 1: Well, speaking of history, guys, the Penguins are a name franchise with a lot of championships, including recently and I know you heard from Sidney Crosby.
00:18:41
Speaker 2: Marcus. What was that like?
00:18:44
Speaker 9: Yeah? It was crazy, I think I mentioned right afterwards, is the most stressful, stressful thing I've ever done. It was. It was crazy that a guy that we've watched a time growing up, and he's one of the best players to ever play hockey and one of the reasons while Liam and I started hockey it was watching him and how great he is. So to get a call from him that that was crazy, and we didn't expect.
00:19:08
Speaker 2: It, but it was unbelievable. William, how about you, were you nervous talking to Sid?
00:19:13
Speaker 9: Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, It's it's pretty cool though. I think it just kind of goes to show the kind of personally is he cares about his organization and the new guys coming in, even though he's kind of the top guy. So it's, uh, it was surely a special moment here from him.
00:19:29
Speaker 2: William.
00:19:30
Speaker 1: The communication level between you two seems incredible. I've watched enough highlights to know that it seems like you used the same brain as once. Scott said, how natural and unspoken is that at this point?
00:19:44
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think we're just kind of familiar with each other's tendency out there. I think it's it's nothing too special. It's just kind of we've spent so many hours together, just whether it's in the gym, on the ice, or even just hanging out. I think we're just we just know each other so well and kind of translate to to on the ice, and we we played our strengths and I'm kind of knowing more of a score and Marcus is known more as a passer. But I think that's just us playing playing into our strengths and it's it's always fun to be out there together.
00:20:14
Speaker 2: Marcus, Here's what I've been wondering.
00:20:16
Speaker 1: What what's it take to be the third guy, the other line mate.
00:20:21
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think, uh, we're Leam and I are smart players and for us, a guy that has has good visions and uh and a strong, strong kid as well. But yeah, I think a smart player and a fast player is they can open up ice for for Leam and I. But yeah, anyone with the brains and so I think it could fit for us.
00:20:45
Speaker 1: Now, both of your stats soared this past season for medicine, Hatt and Junior Ay both over one hundred points.
00:20:51
Speaker 2: Marcus, what do you think caused that breakthrough?
00:20:55
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think that our coaching staff was the huge part of it. Willie Desards is one of the He's the best coach I've ever had. Probably I've had lots of great coaches, but he's Uh, he's unbelievable at what he does and he put a lot of trust in Layman I this year, So I can't thank him enough and the rest of our coaches too. But just had a great support system to help us family as well, Billets. Everyone was so great around us and definite wouldn't be able to do it without them.
00:21:27
Speaker 1: William, what do you think what caused that big jump statistically?
00:21:31
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think I think Marcus kind of said it was it was a lot of the people that were around us, But I think, uh, the opportunity was it was a lot more this year, which which helped as well, kind of play in more minutes, playing in more different roles, and that was that was a big thing on the ice, But it really was just the support system we have in medicine Hat.
00:21:51
Speaker 1: We're talking to the rock Twins here on one oh five nine, the next to the home of the Penguins.
00:21:55
Speaker 2: Now, guys, correct me if I'm wrong here.
00:21:56
Speaker 1: Your timetable is one more year of juniors and then college hockey at North Dakota. Is that still the plan? And Marcus, what made you guys choose North Dakota?
00:22:08
Speaker 9: Yeah, our focus right now is to go back for another year in medicine Hat. Obviously, you never know what can happen if we keep putting the work, and anything can happen at camps here. But yeah, the plans to go back for another year in medicine had and developed there, and you know, hopefully win there, but yeah, the year after if if we're not ready for the NHL and North Dakota, I think it's going to be the best fit for us. The coach is great there as well, just like Medicine Hat, it's they're kind of like a family feel of coaches, and I think it's it's a great culture there and a great place to develop.
00:22:50
Speaker 2: Uh well, Liam chime in on that a little bit.
00:22:52
Speaker 1: What's plane at Medicine Hat Like that really is a quintessential Western Canada hockey team, isn't it city.
00:22:59
Speaker 9: Yeah, it's a perfect coffee city. I think for me and Marcus going into the WHL draft, we didn't want to go to the kind of one of those big city teams, and Medicine wasn't as small as the time we grew up in, but it's kind of got that feel. It's not the big big buildings of the city, but you definitely got all the fans supporting you as well. It's kind of the biggest, biggest thing going on in the city is the hockey team, so it's it's pretty fun to play there, and the fans are electric and at the arena and it's it's a perfect setup at the rink to develop players and knows people.
00:23:31
Speaker 1: Now forgive this cliche twin question guys, but you guys have never spent more than four days apart.
00:23:37
Speaker 2: I'm told, what was the occasion when that happened? Yeah, well, I was.
00:23:43
Speaker 9: There was one time at youth seventeen camp. We were on different teams there and then now it was about three or four days, we're at different hotels, and.
00:23:53
Speaker 6: Then this is Liam, I was.
00:23:56
Speaker 2: I was concussed.
00:23:56
Speaker 9: That the Youth Olympic Games in Korea missed about a week or two after that, and there was when we go back, we get a hockey showcase in Calgary, I think it was, and so Marcus went there with our under eighteen.
00:24:10
Speaker 2: Team and I stayed home.
00:24:11
Speaker 9: So that was another four days. Fatier.
00:24:13
Speaker 2: We work together, Uh, Marcus?
00:24:16
Speaker 9: Uh?
00:24:17
Speaker 1: What if you guys progressed at a different rate and one made the NHL before the other, how would that feel?
00:24:24
Speaker 2: It would be strange, wouldn't it?
00:24:27
Speaker 9: It would It would be a little bit strange, for sure. But if that happens, that is what it is. And even if it's William, Uh'd be more than happy to cheer him on, and I'm sure he'd be the exact samething was me first, but yeah, if it happens, that would be great for whoever gets the chance, and we'd be supporting the other one.
00:24:51
Speaker 2: William.
00:24:51
Speaker 1: Do people understand the bond that twins have, because I'm not sure that that non twins do.
00:24:59
Speaker 6: Yeah, in a.
00:25:00
Speaker 9: Little bit, but I think it's it's more the off off ice stuff that they don't understand. I think we're most others kind of fight and stuff. I think twins it's a little different. You kind of support each in a lot more of you because you're kind of with each other every step of the way, so's there's no more a waste of your time arguing or whatever. So it's it is a special bomb being a twin. And yeah, that's when we when we heard that Pittsburgh was able to get both of us, and who's a relief because we wanted to continue our journey together.
00:25:29
Speaker 1: Marcus, what's different between the two of you off the ice?
00:25:32
Speaker 2: If anything? I heard that I heard something about ketchup.
00:25:37
Speaker 9: Yeah, Yeah, there isn't too many differences from like a personality standpoint, where we are pretty much the same. We we do everything the same, kinda have the same interest and stuff.
00:25:49
Speaker 6: Like that.
00:25:49
Speaker 9: But yeah, Lea was not a fan of ketchup.
00:25:52
Speaker 3: I'm not sure why.
00:25:53
Speaker 9: Ketchup's unbelievable in my opinion, but that's that's kind of the only difference is as well, Yeah, we are pretty similar.
00:26:03
Speaker 2: Finally, guys, what makes you guys good?
00:26:06
Speaker 1: Give me a little self analysis here, h and do you see yourselves necessarily as identical players?
00:26:12
Speaker 2: What are the differences on the ice. Let's go with you first.
00:26:15
Speaker 9: Marcus, Yeah, I think and I think we compliment each other.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Well.
00:26:22
Speaker 9: I think he's obviously an unbelievable goal scorers. He's great getting open and pushing off the man. He always seems to be open in the slot area, which which makes it easier for me if to see an open guy in the slot. He's agree with Tommy and stuff like that. And yeah, forty five goals in his draft year, that's pretty impressive. That kind of just just shows the type of player he is. So yeah, it's it's it's a lot of fun to play with him, and I think we really work well together.
00:26:53
Speaker 2: William. What can you add to that? What makes you guys good?
00:26:57
Speaker 1: Yeah?
00:26:58
Speaker 9: I think I think Marcus is such a good playmaker and for me to play with a guy like that, they can kind of find you in scoring areas, danger areas.
00:27:06
Speaker 6: I think it's it's what.
00:27:08
Speaker 9: It's what you want to have as the linemates. And he sure does that well. He he can find me when he's not even look at looking at me. So it's, uh, it's a special guy to play with when I'm when I'm out there as Marcus, and we're happy to kind of continue it now that that we're both going to Pittsburgh.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Guys, this was real good, your great interviews. I appreciate taking the time and we'll see you soon. I hope get here quick.
00:27:31
Speaker 9: Awesome, Thank you, yeah, thank you, really appreciate it.
00:27:34
Speaker 2: That's the Rucks. I'm Madden up.
00:27:36
Speaker 1: Next, me and Tommy Soccer are gonna talk about red card Fever.
00:27:42
Speaker 2: Red Card Fever. Now, it's The.
00:27:48
Speaker 6: Woody Show weekday mornings at six.
00:27:50
Speaker 2: Of course X Music.
00:27:51
Speaker 6: On the X.
00:27:54
Speaker 2: Okay, let's play a little game. What's better than cash? More cash? What's better than that car? Nothink?
00:28:01
Speaker 6: It's great, Pung Baby the ex at.
00:28:04
Speaker 1: One, It's Madden on the X, and it's time for the last word. America is now the land of the Free and the brave and a red card. That's the big topic from last night's two zero win over Bosnia and hers A Gavina.
00:28:18
Speaker 2: You know, I like Bossie, but I hate hers A Gavina.
00:28:21
Speaker 1: Now it's USA versus Belgium in the round of sixteen, and they'll do it without Balligan after that red card. He scored, got the red and like I said, he's out for Monday's game against Belgium. Come watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company. Just off for twenty eight in Creighton.
00:28:40
Speaker 2: That's bad. This is bad.
00:28:43
Speaker 1: Balligan is the number one threat for the US and maybe their best player period before we drilled down on the red. It's a great win for the US. Didn't flinch being down to ten men. Tim Reim in the middle of defense, thirty eight years old, the captain a rock. Western McKinney boss the midfield again like he has all tournament. If you name the all tournament team right now, Western McKinney would be on it, that's how good he's played. And Malie Tillman Barry's that free kick, what.
00:29:14
Speaker 2: A hit son.
00:29:15
Speaker 1: The US was never in danger losing despite being down to ten men, and like Eric Winaldas said last night on Sirius Exam.
00:29:24
Speaker 2: He does great soccer radio.
00:29:27
Speaker 1: Winaldas said regarding the game against Belgium that Poach will figure out a plan and he has been technically sound for the entirety of the tournament as the US coach. Belgium will be a handful, but their key guys to Bruyna and Locaku, a lot of them ain't that young no more. It's in Seattle, frantic crowd, the US seven and oh in Seattle, you got the next man up, gonna be Ricardo Peppy. You got enough to win. You're as good as Belgium, might be better, definitely younger.
00:30:04
Speaker 2: Just go win.
00:30:07
Speaker 1: Now, about the red card, I feel it was a red very close. I'm not outraged by the call. Could have gone either way. He got him hard with his studs and folded up his ankle. But when Alta made some great points, the foul player who has an unpronounceable name, oversold the call and maybe that was a factor.
00:30:29
Speaker 2: It looked much worse in slow mo.
00:30:32
Speaker 1: MESSI did way worse in Argentina's first game, more maliciously that was against Algeria. But I feel the call on Baligan was proper. I feel it was a red. I don't want it to be red, and most of the opinions of that caller based on not wanting it to be a red. The bottom line is Baligan is opt for Monday Night. There is no appeal through FIFA. I heard Trump might overturn the suspension or maybe that judge that went to Texas Tech. Like I said, Ricardo Peppy figures to deputize and that's a dongrave, but he he does some things well.
00:31:16
Speaker 2: He holds the ball up. He's a playmaker and who cares? Just go win?
00:31:22
Speaker 1: How about they sang country roads the crop and the player sang along after the US one in California they sang country Roads. I'm not hating. I'm just saying it was really cool. Okay, so let's talk to Tommy soccer. Tom was at a Red Carter.
00:31:43
Speaker 5: Not man, I'm such a casual soccer fan. I'm kind of just going off of what people that I respects opinions tell me it was.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: And you're everybody but me exactly wasn't a.
00:31:52
Speaker 5: R You're the only one whose opinion I respect in soccer is saying it wasn't a Ran.
00:31:55
Speaker 1: And again I'm not outraged it was a rat. I would not been out raged as it had not been. I don't feel it was obvious. Here's kind of a funny thing to throw out there, though you know it was the first red, straight red of the tournament.
00:32:09
Speaker 2: Just straight red. No, I like too yellows back to back.
00:32:12
Speaker 1: I think it's the first dejection really, so clearly they're letting stuff go.
00:32:16
Speaker 5: Yes, they're being a little more liberal, and that was an area where a lot of people are saying they could have been more liberal as far as their assessment of the red card. But one thing I'm seeing a lot of people say Mark and point to is there was no intent there, like no intent to injure something that doesn't matter. That's what I was thinking, Like, I don't intend to smack Sidney Crosby in the face with my stick and high stick them.
00:32:34
Speaker 2: Sometime sometimes players do, but you get my drift.
00:32:37
Speaker 1: Like, well, they they would they let that go, like you know what I'm saying, though this ain't hockey, they don't. They don't screw the stars.
00:32:43
Speaker 2: Intent doesn't matter in soccer.
00:32:45
Speaker 1: Right it, And it doesn't matter if your star, like like I said, you can high stick sid but MESSI can take an obvious red card and not even get called for a five.
00:32:53
Speaker 2: I don't think. I don't think even go yellow.
00:32:55
Speaker 1: Yeah that in that Algeria game again, I feel it's a red, but not about rade just file could have gone either way. And here's the biggest target you could have for it to not be a red. Tom var is supposed to be used to correct a clear and obvious error, and I don't think that that not giving a red initially was a clear and obvious error.
00:33:15
Speaker 5: Yes, I agree with that, and I think also VR did no favors. When you slow it down, it looks a lot more violent than it was and what it actually was playing out in real time, like when you freeze frame it and when you can really slow down like Sapruder film esque, those spikes going into his ankle and seeing it kind of turn parallel to the ground.
00:33:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, that looks really Oh yeah, like wen Alda said, yeah.
00:33:36
Speaker 1: I mean if you do the freeze frame, if you do the slow mo, it looks like he folded his ankle in half with his studs, which he did, and it was clumsy more than anything, it was clumsy, reckless. If you want to go one step further, and you saw what Messi did in that first game for Argentina Tom He stopped on dude's achilles.
00:33:53
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and it was intentional.
00:33:55
Speaker 1: But they're just not going to eject and suspend Messi in the World Cup. He could use a cattle prod out there and then let it go because he's Messy.
00:34:03
Speaker 2: And you know what, I honestly don't have a problem with that.
00:34:07
Speaker 5: I like that and to bring it back to the world of hockey, like we were talking about, it's a little refreshing to see a superstar treated that way with leeway.
00:34:14
Speaker 2: Look, you know what I would have done if I'm repping.
00:34:16
Speaker 1: When Messi stumps from the guy's achilles, I give you yellow, and then I don't give another yellow, no matter what.
00:34:23
Speaker 2: But I give you yellow.
00:34:24
Speaker 5: Yeah, he's off limits for the rest of the tournament, but at least you can not be so egregious as to not like completely look the other way on Messi because that was so that was intentional, right, There was intent to injure there from.
00:34:34
Speaker 2: Messy, no question, no question.
00:34:37
Speaker 1: The US didn't park the bus after the Red Bosney had momentum briefly, but just briefly.
00:34:44
Speaker 2: Poach held his nerve and so did the team a hundred percent.
00:34:47
Speaker 5: And I even were attacking at some points with ten men and trying to get that second goal when it was appropriate to get that second goal. I'm very impressed. As a casual soccer fan. Again, I barely watch the sport, have watched them. Morrisons do it the show. But it's clear as someone who has watched a lot of World Cups, this is a much different team USA than I've ever seen in my life.
00:35:08
Speaker 2: Much different it it.
00:35:09
Speaker 1: I hesitate to say it's the best because we'll see if they get as far as the farthest was the two team which made the quarterfinals, and by the way, that two lost in the quarters to Germany.
00:35:19
Speaker 2: It was one nil.
00:35:21
Speaker 1: The US out played Germany for large portions of the game. Germany committed handball that wasn't called. If you had VR, the US would have got a penalty, would have had one nil.
00:35:33
Speaker 2: So where is VR when you need it? As opposed to last night?
00:35:37
Speaker 6: Now?
00:35:37
Speaker 1: Now, I don't know if the US can be Belgium without Balligan. I don't know if the US could be Belgium with Balligan. I think they got a real good chance. If you made me give odds, Let's say I'd favor Belgium like fifty five to forty five, but maybe it evens up. In fact, it definitely evens up. I'd say it's fifty to fifty because it's in Seattle, where the US is seven to zero. But Belgium has so many threats. That's what worries me. Uh one off, the US has Balligan or not. You're talking de Bruyne, Jasard, Goku, lacaku Onana.
00:36:10
Speaker 2: That's a lot of Premier League right there.
00:36:13
Speaker 5: Yeah, and even courtois and net is gonna be tough to crack. He's a great goaltender, starts for Madrid. Look, could you know when courtois literally just parroting what you told me off the air yesterday. But some things that you have to be encouraged by, even though you don't have Baligan is McKenny in the midfield mentioned him just bossing around this tournament so far. That's encouraging. And Poach's tactics are probably going to be advantage. I don't know who the Belgian manager is, but I'm just gonna go out on a legend say Poach has the managerial advantage.
00:36:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of a lot of the experts want Poach to start Hodgie Wright, it's striker, but he doesn't have the experience Peppi does. Peppi's the next man up. But uh, if Pepy doesn't work out, you stick.
00:36:55
Speaker 2: Right in there. Yeah.
00:36:56
Speaker 1: In fact, I think that that position with with baling out is a two man job. I I just think one guy plays sixty minutes, one guy plays thirty and that's almost no matter what happens during the game.
00:37:08
Speaker 5: Speaking of you know, if Happy fails or right fails and you can throw the other guy in there. What do you think about Poach last night not going to subs until extremely late in the game. A bit of a gamble, but then it really paid off to make.
00:37:20
Speaker 1: Make sure and don't forget he rested all all them guys against Turkey A, so he probably said they had a little saved up there.
00:37:27
Speaker 5: And then at the end you were able to bring on some guys that could really bring it across the finish line. So I thought it was really well done. Yep, to red card or not to red card? That that is the question.
00:37:39
Speaker 1: What a soccer weekend it is in Pittsburgh, We got the Riveters first playoff game Friday at high Mark Well, pardon me, FNB Stadium. I'm gonna call it hine Field no matter what, no I I I'm gonna give that FNB any sponsor Aquasure two of their due. Then the River Hans have their annual July fourth game Saturday night with fireworks and all. And then if the Riveters win Friday, they play their second playoff game on Sunday, and that'll be unbelievable. It gets Minnesota undefeated champion from last year undefeated again this year, only one goal conceded. But I think the Riveters can can take them unless unless somebody gets a red card Friday night. Unless they're I don't know who their baligan would be.
00:38:27
Speaker 2: Off tomorrow, World.
00:38:29
Speaker 1: Cup Monday, US and Belgium. Come watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company and Creighton just off through twenty eight. Happy forth, everybody good Toxi out there, one oh five to nine, bugging the cake
Speaker 1: Yo, if it's me refereeing, i'd a given valleg in a red card two, but it was borderline and anyway, don't hate me, hate the ref. Raphael Klaus, You anti American, Brazilian bastard.
00:00:19
Speaker 2: Klaus.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: I bet his ancestors arrived in South America via the rat line. You suck, Klaus MESSI did worse. You bought the cell job. You're a guest in this country. What are you doing?
00:00:34
Speaker 2: So guess what? You just made the list. I think Ice detained that ref after the game.
00:00:43
Speaker 1: Penguins off season in full swing, except there ain't that much swinging. Joining me now to talk about it from sports at Pittsburgh, it's former NHL defenseman Matt Bartkowski.
00:00:54
Speaker 2: Bart before we talk hockey. Was it a red card or not?
00:00:59
Speaker 3: Mark, I've never lied to you. I didn't watch the game.
00:01:03
Speaker 1: Okay, well let's let's let's move on. Then some news just a little bit ago. Uh oh, he's going to play another season? Is that good or bad? He put up numbers last year, but I thought he looked on his last legs.
00:01:16
Speaker 2: And a little heavy.
00:01:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I think for bits for the last few seasons he's looked on his last legs. I don't. I mean, I don't see any problem with him playing. We you know, we have our Big three. They're still here playing. He's still playing in Washington. So if they could find if they're I mean with some of the guys, they've had it with Tuck and and that they're I think they're looking to still win. So if they find a way to limit his minutes and just keep them keep him out there on the power play and you know, six on five and not five on six so he can keep getting empty netters, then yeah, I don't I don't see a problem with it.
00:01:55
Speaker 2: No, no, I got no problem. But boy, guys hang on.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Then again, giving the money and give it how much fun it is, you can't blame him. And now, if you're Jason Robertson, would you want to come play in Pittsburgh with an aging team, what are the pros and cons?
00:02:12
Speaker 3: Well, the pros are you're you're gonna add a big piece. You know, he's he's proven to put up points playoffs. He still puts up points. I mean, I have heard from a few guys there's a little knock on his Maybe it's compete at certain times in playoffs, but if you look at his numbers, he's still he's still putting out in playoff time. So you're gonna bring a big piece to a team that where the Pens are at are kind of still They're they're trying to be competitive. I mean even last season making the so you know, you bring more life into an older Big three team and making a push. The cons are if you're looking to come here and be good for a little while, that might not happen because those as are getting older, and in general, the better parts of the team that we saw last season are getting older, and you know, there's still a lot of holes we got to fill. So it's a con as far as winning, but it's also it's a pro because you're probably going to be the centerpiece of that rebuild if it comes.
00:03:22
Speaker 1: The Penguins defense is now a work in progress. Is it very damaging to lose Shay and Watherspoon. I've seen a bit of overreaction thereof at least I think so.
00:03:34
Speaker 3: Uh Waterspoon, I mean he had I would say his career year last year on paper, how he played was a good, you know, steady eddy guy for Carlson for most of the year, Shay I do think that that is that's a whole I like how that guy plays. He's gotten better every year here from the day that uh, you know, Dube has brought him in, and when he came in, I really wasn't expected much, but especially last season, the way he played throughout the season consistently, I mean, he was a he was just a rock back there. He can skate, a little bit, move a puck in at uh you know, five years, four million a year. What was it was it four by five, five by four, whichever it was. That's a fair number for a player like him who can pretty much except you know, he's not going to run your if he's running your power player in trouble, he's not going to do that. But every other situation he can be on the ice and should be on the ice. I think that that's a guy that they should have looked to hold onto him. You know, I'm not I'm not really sure why they didn't, why they didn't want him here.
00:04:47
Speaker 1: What's your take on signing Van Reemsdyke in Carlisle. Van Reemsdyke's thirty four, so he's old and tell me a one year deal though, And I've barely heard of Carlisle would be perfectly honest.
00:04:57
Speaker 3: Yeah, Carlisle a little bit up and down type of player in the minors in the NHL, So, you know, not it's not like gonna make waves or anything like that. Van Reinsdyke been around for a while Chicago, Carolina, like you said, one year, just I think just stilling a slot for this year. When you lose Shay, you're hoping he can come in and eat you know, sixteen eighteen minutes a year, depending on what you do the rest of the offseason here and what you have going in. The weird thing is right now, if you look at what they have apart from that Carlisle, they have well in Graves, which he's still on the on the books, but Sam Gerard is the only lefty And just talking with you know, talking with people around the league, I think most coaches are still on the lefty righty thing. So it's going to be interesting if this is the decor that you have going into the season, how it's going to pan out, because you're gonna see mainly right he's on the left side from from what I see.
00:06:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's why I don't think that the defense is is is put together like it's gonna be by the time camp gets here. I think it's under construction that said, how hard is it to play on your off side? Because you could do it you were you were a legitimate swing guy, a guy like Trevor Daly was in the Cup years here, but not many can really do that.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's it's something that you you do have to kind of experience in game settings. You can work on it all you want and practice. There's certain situations where it really matters if you If you are a little better skater, it's definitely easier. Just breakouts. You're trying to get to the middle right, so you're taking it on your back and you got to take two big steps to the middle and open up your options. Bucks that come around the boards in the ozone and you're trying to get shots, or you got to get the puck. You got to get to the middle quick so you can open up your forehand. Those situations like that, those are the ones you really gotta focus on. But in general, if you're a better skater, it's a little easier that the kid they got from Vegas. I'm gonna butcher his last name, but I think it's Corzak. He he can skate well. I know, you know, he had his ups and downs in Vegas a little bit, but he can skate decent enough. He might be a guy you're going to see. On the left, we're.
00:07:25
Speaker 1: Talking to Matt Bartkowski, is sports at Pittsburgh here on the Mark Madden Show. Bart I think the defense is far from put together in its final form, and I feel in general like this is the calm before the storm. I feel like Dupas is gonna make a lot of moves if he can. I know he wants to.
00:07:42
Speaker 3: It's kind of you know, I kind of thought he was too, But I mean, in general, historically, what we saw is what we're gonna get as far as the NHL. We saw a lot of big moves go on, a lot of signings and a lot of trades.
00:07:56
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, a bad crop of free agents too, which probably him hinder, not just Dubius but everybody correct.
00:08:03
Speaker 3: And I was surprised at how much money was being thrown around. I think, you know, like I always say, the cap goes up a little bit, the gms think it doubles, and I know it's going to one thirteen in a year or two. But you know, I think vast over payments across the board.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: You know, it was weird.
00:08:19
Speaker 1: Forgive the interruption, but but Mason Martsman, who I who I wanted the Penguins to get. He went to San Jose, and I thought he gave them a bargain. The one guy I would ob yeah, put put put a fair number there for the Sharks.
00:08:33
Speaker 3: Fair number, what five point seventy five for six years.
00:08:37
Speaker 2: Or something like that.
00:08:37
Speaker 3: I meaned, I know, I would offer him the same thing. Brings grit, has skill, can skate. I don't know. I don't know how they they snatched him up for that number and then they give yeah, and then and then you look, my career for for the Sharks goes out and gives Trubay eight point two five year.
00:08:59
Speaker 4: Yeah here I can spend there, right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess that's what happened there.
00:09:05
Speaker 3: But as far as going forward, I mean, there might be a little wall coming up here. GM's kind of going to hibernation, so I'm not I'm not too sure what else there is to get done of guys on the market. I mean, you even saw be like like Shen going back to Vancouver for two point twenty five. I just don't know how much is out there. I wouldn't honestly, I wouldn't do a panic thing and try and round out the decor this year. Just like you said that, it's a bad crop of free agents, so you're probably gonna have to overpay on guys you're gonna want to trade for anyway. So I just I wouldn't even panic. Plus, you got Brunick who can still develop and and and you know I would be wanting to give him a big chance this year to see what we have.
00:09:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, but he's another righty and on the left side.
00:09:52
Speaker 1: I mean I would only play Ryan Graves in case of a severe emergency. And what about Pickering, I mean there are some options there. I'm just not sure there good ones.
00:10:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I I just I've never.
00:10:04
Speaker 3: Been a big proponent of a lefty righty thing.
00:10:06
Speaker 4: I know that the guys, aren't they yep, Yeah, they all stuck on it because it because generally teams that win they go lefty righty, And it started six seven years ago and before that nobody really cared.
00:10:20
Speaker 3: But I would just play some righty's on the left see if they have it. If they don't, and it's a young guy like Brunick be like, hey, we don't have room for you on the right right now. We're gonna send you back down keep playing there. But as far as going out and overspending on a lefty, I just don't. I don't. It's not out there in free agency anymore. You're gonna have to All the gms are going to be waiting around a little bit now to see what robertson what he ends up doing, which God only knows after he turned down that Seattle deal. So I would I just I think it would have to be a severe overpayment if you're gonna have to go out and get a lefty.
00:10:56
Speaker 2: Finally, Bart, did you like drafting the Rock Twins?
00:10:59
Speaker 3: Uh?
00:10:59
Speaker 1: It's so hard hard to tell what you got when you drop all of the top ten picks. I do find an intriguing because with twins, like with the Sadines, you can make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Then again, it didn't work here with the Ferraros.
00:11:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, the Ferraros, that's right, and and the Sadines at the other end of the spectrum. So we'll see what we got. But good, good skill guys. The only the only drawback is they're not great skaters, which you know, I I think to play in this game these days, you you have to be able to be a good skater or you know, unless your hockey IQ's off the charts. But the Liam Rock kid, it's supposed to be off the charts. So and from what I've heard, he goes to the dirty areas. He's got some steel, he's got good hands in tight and that's what you need when you're you're not an elite skater like that. So hopefully they pan out and we get we get the sadines.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Here part great stuff. Enjoy the rest of the World Cup. All right, that's Matt Barkowski. We got that interview with the ruck Twins later in the show. Up next, we're gonna continue to talk about the Paul Skeins.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: Debacle, and it is a debacle five to nine of the NJAM Insurance Traffic Center.
00:12:17
Speaker 5: This report is sponsored by Levin Furniture and Mattress Sleep Cooler for.
00:12:21
Speaker 6: Less this super genius, Mark Madden.
00:12:25
Speaker 2: You're talking to the super genius.
00:12:27
Speaker 7: Hey, more good about.
00:12:28
Speaker 6: Thillion ring wo dx A one.
00:12:40
Speaker 2: I am a profit of sorts.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: I told you months ago that this Skiens thing was gonna not get better.
00:12:48
Speaker 2: And it has not.
00:12:50
Speaker 3: Uh.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: Right now, it's a collapse.
00:12:53
Speaker 1: It's over the top Mondo Nutso it's life during wartime.
00:12:57
Speaker 2: Uh.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: I got a sound bite the demand himself. It's Paul Skins after last night's mess at Philadelphia.
00:13:05
Speaker 7: I'm gonna fell behind him a few counts and some foul balls. Yeah, just got to execup, keep pitches a little bit better. And I think it's a pretty different story. I'm not sure, but we'll we'll turn him over. I'll I'll figure we'll figure out what it is and just keep attacking it.
00:13:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, Junior, It's only a few counts and some foul balls and a few pitches. Keep telling yourself that it'll prevent you from fixing it. But keep telling yourself that. And I don't know, but I do wonder does a young guy who's never failed have the mental wherewithal and can he ditch his ego to fix this, because that's what it's going to take. I doubt he does. I could be wrong, but I'm not. And you're seeing video now of Skeens dipping his arm angle changing it mechanical stuff. I really feel like it is Charlie Sheen and major League two and all these extra pitches with fancy names have Skeen all fed up. That started out as a joke, but now it's not. It's life imitates art. You got the splinker, you got the sweeper, but the fastballs disappeared. The numbers don't lie, and they're currently spelling disaster for Paul Skeins.
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Check this out.
00:14:43
Speaker 1: Skeens through pitches of ninety eight miles per hour or faster an average of twenty seven times per start in his first two seasons. In his last three starts, he's thrown only four pitches total at ninety eight miles per hour or better, and none over one hundred miles per hour all year. You'd almost be relieved if you got to Tommy John because then you know what it is, and I'm not so sure that it won't turn out to be just that. Here's the number the cons most. The Pirates have lost. Each of Skeins's last nine starts. He was ozer and six as far as decisions go in that span, and his era in those nine games is five point three six, five point three six, five points three.
00:15:42
Speaker 2: Six, five point three six.
00:15:47
Speaker 1: It's a stink sandwich, and I think it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Gonna have to keep taking a bite of that stink sandwich. Up next, a great interview earlier in the week with the Ruck twins, Liam and Marcus. The peng was first two picks in this year's draft by popular demand. It's coming at you just around the corner. And then after that, we're gonna keep talking about whether or not that was a red card as committed by Balligan in the USA Soccer game last night.
00:16:21
Speaker 2: One oh five ninety X. This is Chris Bruce Ard.
00:16:25
Speaker 6: Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports.
00:16:27
Speaker 2: Network presented by Dussel Today.
00:16:29
Speaker 8: After acquiring Jalen Brown from the Celtics, the seventy six ers agreeing to a two year deal with Breage and guard Anferty Simons one more season at least for the NHL's all time goal scoring leader alex Sooevenchkin back for a twenty second season with the Capitals. A judge ruling that prosecutors can review Tiger Wood's medical records for relating to his.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: Crash in dui arrest in Florida back in March. I'm Frank Aaron from remotes to automatic Corkscrews. Duras Hell keeps you ready. They're double and triple A batteries are the only ones with power boosting built for long lasting profile.
00:17:01
Speaker 6: The super genius Mark Madden.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: He's a little guy.
00:17:07
Speaker 6: I'd love to get the ball today. Very good point The X at one five nine.
00:17:13
Speaker 2: It's Madden on the X Home of the Penguins.
00:17:16
Speaker 1: Let's listen now to that interview I did with the Rock Twins, the Penguins top two draft picks a bit earlier this week. Joining me now are the Penguins first two draft choices. It's a pleasure to welcome Twin Magic, Liam and Marcus Rock. Guys, Welcome to Pittsburgh. Did you guys have a hunch one team was going to draft both of you and and wasn't a relief when it happened.
00:17:39
Speaker 2: Liam, let's hear from you first.
00:17:41
Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah, thanks for having us first of all, and yeah, we we had a little bit of a feeling. But obviously there's a little surprises at the draft and you never know what to fully expect. But our agents did a great job and found a way to guess to the same team and with it, the in Pittsburgh super high about it.
00:18:01
Speaker 1: Marcus, what about you? You were the second of you guys picked. Were you relieved when it happened because you were the guy kind of out there?
00:18:10
Speaker 9: Yeah? Thanks for having us as well. I just want to say that I was pretty stressed in between the ticks, to be honest with you, But once I was selected with the second round pick, I was super leaeved. And you go into a great organization with tons of history and and also tons of success. With my twin brother, they couldn't have worked out any better way.
00:18:33
Speaker 1: Well, speaking of history, guys, the Penguins are a name franchise with a lot of championships, including recently and I know you heard from Sidney Crosby.
00:18:41
Speaker 2: Marcus. What was that like?
00:18:44
Speaker 9: Yeah? It was crazy, I think I mentioned right afterwards, is the most stressful, stressful thing I've ever done. It was. It was crazy that a guy that we've watched a time growing up, and he's one of the best players to ever play hockey and one of the reasons while Liam and I started hockey it was watching him and how great he is. So to get a call from him that that was crazy, and we didn't expect.
00:19:08
Speaker 2: It, but it was unbelievable. William, how about you, were you nervous talking to Sid?
00:19:13
Speaker 9: Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, It's it's pretty cool though. I think it just kind of goes to show the kind of personally is he cares about his organization and the new guys coming in, even though he's kind of the top guy. So it's, uh, it was surely a special moment here from him.
00:19:29
Speaker 2: William.
00:19:30
Speaker 1: The communication level between you two seems incredible. I've watched enough highlights to know that it seems like you used the same brain as once. Scott said, how natural and unspoken is that at this point?
00:19:44
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think we're just kind of familiar with each other's tendency out there. I think it's it's nothing too special. It's just kind of we've spent so many hours together, just whether it's in the gym, on the ice, or even just hanging out. I think we're just we just know each other so well and kind of translate to to on the ice, and we we played our strengths and I'm kind of knowing more of a score and Marcus is known more as a passer. But I think that's just us playing playing into our strengths and it's it's always fun to be out there together.
00:20:14
Speaker 2: Marcus, Here's what I've been wondering.
00:20:16
Speaker 1: What what's it take to be the third guy, the other line mate.
00:20:21
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think, uh, we're Leam and I are smart players and for us, a guy that has has good visions and uh and a strong, strong kid as well. But yeah, I think a smart player and a fast player is they can open up ice for for Leam and I. But yeah, anyone with the brains and so I think it could fit for us.
00:20:45
Speaker 1: Now, both of your stats soared this past season for medicine, Hatt and Junior Ay both over one hundred points.
00:20:51
Speaker 2: Marcus, what do you think caused that breakthrough?
00:20:55
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think that our coaching staff was the huge part of it. Willie Desards is one of the He's the best coach I've ever had. Probably I've had lots of great coaches, but he's Uh, he's unbelievable at what he does and he put a lot of trust in Layman I this year, So I can't thank him enough and the rest of our coaches too. But just had a great support system to help us family as well, Billets. Everyone was so great around us and definite wouldn't be able to do it without them.
00:21:27
Speaker 1: William, what do you think what caused that big jump statistically?
00:21:31
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think I think Marcus kind of said it was it was a lot of the people that were around us, But I think, uh, the opportunity was it was a lot more this year, which which helped as well, kind of play in more minutes, playing in more different roles, and that was that was a big thing on the ice, But it really was just the support system we have in medicine Hat.
00:21:51
Speaker 1: We're talking to the rock Twins here on one oh five nine, the next to the home of the Penguins.
00:21:55
Speaker 2: Now, guys, correct me if I'm wrong here.
00:21:56
Speaker 1: Your timetable is one more year of juniors and then college hockey at North Dakota. Is that still the plan? And Marcus, what made you guys choose North Dakota?
00:22:08
Speaker 9: Yeah, our focus right now is to go back for another year in medicine Hat. Obviously, you never know what can happen if we keep putting the work, and anything can happen at camps here. But yeah, the plans to go back for another year in medicine had and developed there, and you know, hopefully win there, but yeah, the year after if if we're not ready for the NHL and North Dakota, I think it's going to be the best fit for us. The coach is great there as well, just like Medicine Hat, it's they're kind of like a family feel of coaches, and I think it's it's a great culture there and a great place to develop.
00:22:50
Speaker 2: Uh well, Liam chime in on that a little bit.
00:22:52
Speaker 1: What's plane at Medicine Hat Like that really is a quintessential Western Canada hockey team, isn't it city.
00:22:59
Speaker 9: Yeah, it's a perfect coffee city. I think for me and Marcus going into the WHL draft, we didn't want to go to the kind of one of those big city teams, and Medicine wasn't as small as the time we grew up in, but it's kind of got that feel. It's not the big big buildings of the city, but you definitely got all the fans supporting you as well. It's kind of the biggest, biggest thing going on in the city is the hockey team, so it's it's pretty fun to play there, and the fans are electric and at the arena and it's it's a perfect setup at the rink to develop players and knows people.
00:23:31
Speaker 1: Now forgive this cliche twin question guys, but you guys have never spent more than four days apart.
00:23:37
Speaker 2: I'm told, what was the occasion when that happened? Yeah, well, I was.
00:23:43
Speaker 9: There was one time at youth seventeen camp. We were on different teams there and then now it was about three or four days, we're at different hotels, and.
00:23:53
Speaker 6: Then this is Liam, I was.
00:23:56
Speaker 2: I was concussed.
00:23:56
Speaker 9: That the Youth Olympic Games in Korea missed about a week or two after that, and there was when we go back, we get a hockey showcase in Calgary, I think it was, and so Marcus went there with our under eighteen.
00:24:10
Speaker 2: Team and I stayed home.
00:24:11
Speaker 9: So that was another four days. Fatier.
00:24:13
Speaker 2: We work together, Uh, Marcus?
00:24:16
Speaker 9: Uh?
00:24:17
Speaker 1: What if you guys progressed at a different rate and one made the NHL before the other, how would that feel?
00:24:24
Speaker 2: It would be strange, wouldn't it?
00:24:27
Speaker 9: It would It would be a little bit strange, for sure. But if that happens, that is what it is. And even if it's William, Uh'd be more than happy to cheer him on, and I'm sure he'd be the exact samething was me first, but yeah, if it happens, that would be great for whoever gets the chance, and we'd be supporting the other one.
00:24:51
Speaker 2: William.
00:24:51
Speaker 1: Do people understand the bond that twins have, because I'm not sure that that non twins do.
00:24:59
Speaker 6: Yeah, in a.
00:25:00
Speaker 9: Little bit, but I think it's it's more the off off ice stuff that they don't understand. I think we're most others kind of fight and stuff. I think twins it's a little different. You kind of support each in a lot more of you because you're kind of with each other every step of the way, so's there's no more a waste of your time arguing or whatever. So it's it is a special bomb being a twin. And yeah, that's when we when we heard that Pittsburgh was able to get both of us, and who's a relief because we wanted to continue our journey together.
00:25:29
Speaker 1: Marcus, what's different between the two of you off the ice?
00:25:32
Speaker 2: If anything? I heard that I heard something about ketchup.
00:25:37
Speaker 9: Yeah, Yeah, there isn't too many differences from like a personality standpoint, where we are pretty much the same. We we do everything the same, kinda have the same interest and stuff.
00:25:49
Speaker 6: Like that.
00:25:49
Speaker 9: But yeah, Lea was not a fan of ketchup.
00:25:52
Speaker 3: I'm not sure why.
00:25:53
Speaker 9: Ketchup's unbelievable in my opinion, but that's that's kind of the only difference is as well, Yeah, we are pretty similar.
00:26:03
Speaker 2: Finally, guys, what makes you guys good?
00:26:06
Speaker 1: Give me a little self analysis here, h and do you see yourselves necessarily as identical players?
00:26:12
Speaker 2: What are the differences on the ice. Let's go with you first.
00:26:15
Speaker 9: Marcus, Yeah, I think and I think we compliment each other.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Well.
00:26:22
Speaker 9: I think he's obviously an unbelievable goal scorers. He's great getting open and pushing off the man. He always seems to be open in the slot area, which which makes it easier for me if to see an open guy in the slot. He's agree with Tommy and stuff like that. And yeah, forty five goals in his draft year, that's pretty impressive. That kind of just just shows the type of player he is. So yeah, it's it's it's a lot of fun to play with him, and I think we really work well together.
00:26:53
Speaker 2: William. What can you add to that? What makes you guys good?
00:26:57
Speaker 1: Yeah?
00:26:58
Speaker 9: I think I think Marcus is such a good playmaker and for me to play with a guy like that, they can kind of find you in scoring areas, danger areas.
00:27:06
Speaker 6: I think it's it's what.
00:27:08
Speaker 9: It's what you want to have as the linemates. And he sure does that well. He he can find me when he's not even look at looking at me. So it's, uh, it's a special guy to play with when I'm when I'm out there as Marcus, and we're happy to kind of continue it now that that we're both going to Pittsburgh.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Guys, this was real good, your great interviews. I appreciate taking the time and we'll see you soon. I hope get here quick.
00:27:31
Speaker 9: Awesome, Thank you, yeah, thank you, really appreciate it.
00:27:34
Speaker 2: That's the Rucks. I'm Madden up.
00:27:36
Speaker 1: Next, me and Tommy Soccer are gonna talk about red card Fever.
00:27:42
Speaker 2: Red Card Fever. Now, it's The.
00:27:48
Speaker 6: Woody Show weekday mornings at six.
00:27:50
Speaker 2: Of course X Music.
00:27:51
Speaker 6: On the X.
00:27:54
Speaker 2: Okay, let's play a little game. What's better than cash? More cash? What's better than that car? Nothink?
00:28:01
Speaker 6: It's great, Pung Baby the ex at.
00:28:04
Speaker 1: One, It's Madden on the X, and it's time for the last word. America is now the land of the Free and the brave and a red card. That's the big topic from last night's two zero win over Bosnia and hers A Gavina.
00:28:18
Speaker 2: You know, I like Bossie, but I hate hers A Gavina.
00:28:21
Speaker 1: Now it's USA versus Belgium in the round of sixteen, and they'll do it without Balligan after that red card. He scored, got the red and like I said, he's out for Monday's game against Belgium. Come watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company. Just off for twenty eight in Creighton.
00:28:40
Speaker 2: That's bad. This is bad.
00:28:43
Speaker 1: Balligan is the number one threat for the US and maybe their best player period before we drilled down on the red. It's a great win for the US. Didn't flinch being down to ten men. Tim Reim in the middle of defense, thirty eight years old, the captain a rock. Western McKinney boss the midfield again like he has all tournament. If you name the all tournament team right now, Western McKinney would be on it, that's how good he's played. And Malie Tillman Barry's that free kick, what.
00:29:14
Speaker 2: A hit son.
00:29:15
Speaker 1: The US was never in danger losing despite being down to ten men, and like Eric Winaldas said last night on Sirius Exam.
00:29:24
Speaker 2: He does great soccer radio.
00:29:27
Speaker 1: Winaldas said regarding the game against Belgium that Poach will figure out a plan and he has been technically sound for the entirety of the tournament as the US coach. Belgium will be a handful, but their key guys to Bruyna and Locaku, a lot of them ain't that young no more. It's in Seattle, frantic crowd, the US seven and oh in Seattle, you got the next man up, gonna be Ricardo Peppy. You got enough to win. You're as good as Belgium, might be better, definitely younger.
00:30:04
Speaker 2: Just go win.
00:30:07
Speaker 1: Now, about the red card, I feel it was a red very close. I'm not outraged by the call. Could have gone either way. He got him hard with his studs and folded up his ankle. But when Alta made some great points, the foul player who has an unpronounceable name, oversold the call and maybe that was a factor.
00:30:29
Speaker 2: It looked much worse in slow mo.
00:30:32
Speaker 1: MESSI did way worse in Argentina's first game, more maliciously that was against Algeria. But I feel the call on Baligan was proper. I feel it was a red. I don't want it to be red, and most of the opinions of that caller based on not wanting it to be a red. The bottom line is Baligan is opt for Monday Night. There is no appeal through FIFA. I heard Trump might overturn the suspension or maybe that judge that went to Texas Tech. Like I said, Ricardo Peppy figures to deputize and that's a dongrave, but he he does some things well.
00:31:16
Speaker 2: He holds the ball up. He's a playmaker and who cares? Just go win?
00:31:22
Speaker 1: How about they sang country roads the crop and the player sang along after the US one in California they sang country Roads. I'm not hating. I'm just saying it was really cool. Okay, so let's talk to Tommy soccer. Tom was at a Red Carter.
00:31:43
Speaker 5: Not man, I'm such a casual soccer fan. I'm kind of just going off of what people that I respects opinions tell me it was.
00:31:49
Speaker 2: And you're everybody but me exactly wasn't a.
00:31:52
Speaker 5: R You're the only one whose opinion I respect in soccer is saying it wasn't a Ran.
00:31:55
Speaker 1: And again I'm not outraged it was a rat. I would not been out raged as it had not been. I don't feel it was obvious. Here's kind of a funny thing to throw out there, though you know it was the first red, straight red of the tournament.
00:32:09
Speaker 2: Just straight red. No, I like too yellows back to back.
00:32:12
Speaker 1: I think it's the first dejection really, so clearly they're letting stuff go.
00:32:16
Speaker 5: Yes, they're being a little more liberal, and that was an area where a lot of people are saying they could have been more liberal as far as their assessment of the red card. But one thing I'm seeing a lot of people say Mark and point to is there was no intent there, like no intent to injure something that doesn't matter. That's what I was thinking, Like, I don't intend to smack Sidney Crosby in the face with my stick and high stick them.
00:32:34
Speaker 2: Sometime sometimes players do, but you get my drift.
00:32:37
Speaker 1: Like, well, they they would they let that go, like you know what I'm saying, though this ain't hockey, they don't. They don't screw the stars.
00:32:43
Speaker 2: Intent doesn't matter in soccer.
00:32:45
Speaker 1: Right it, And it doesn't matter if your star, like like I said, you can high stick sid but MESSI can take an obvious red card and not even get called for a five.
00:32:53
Speaker 2: I don't think. I don't think even go yellow.
00:32:55
Speaker 1: Yeah that in that Algeria game again, I feel it's a red, but not about rade just file could have gone either way. And here's the biggest target you could have for it to not be a red. Tom var is supposed to be used to correct a clear and obvious error, and I don't think that that not giving a red initially was a clear and obvious error.
00:33:15
Speaker 5: Yes, I agree with that, and I think also VR did no favors. When you slow it down, it looks a lot more violent than it was and what it actually was playing out in real time, like when you freeze frame it and when you can really slow down like Sapruder film esque, those spikes going into his ankle and seeing it kind of turn parallel to the ground.
00:33:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, that looks really Oh yeah, like wen Alda said, yeah.
00:33:36
Speaker 1: I mean if you do the freeze frame, if you do the slow mo, it looks like he folded his ankle in half with his studs, which he did, and it was clumsy more than anything, it was clumsy, reckless. If you want to go one step further, and you saw what Messi did in that first game for Argentina Tom He stopped on dude's achilles.
00:33:53
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and it was intentional.
00:33:55
Speaker 1: But they're just not going to eject and suspend Messi in the World Cup. He could use a cattle prod out there and then let it go because he's Messy.
00:34:03
Speaker 2: And you know what, I honestly don't have a problem with that.
00:34:07
Speaker 5: I like that and to bring it back to the world of hockey, like we were talking about, it's a little refreshing to see a superstar treated that way with leeway.
00:34:14
Speaker 2: Look, you know what I would have done if I'm repping.
00:34:16
Speaker 1: When Messi stumps from the guy's achilles, I give you yellow, and then I don't give another yellow, no matter what.
00:34:23
Speaker 2: But I give you yellow.
00:34:24
Speaker 5: Yeah, he's off limits for the rest of the tournament, but at least you can not be so egregious as to not like completely look the other way on Messi because that was so that was intentional, right, There was intent to injure there from.
00:34:34
Speaker 2: Messy, no question, no question.
00:34:37
Speaker 1: The US didn't park the bus after the Red Bosney had momentum briefly, but just briefly.
00:34:44
Speaker 2: Poach held his nerve and so did the team a hundred percent.
00:34:47
Speaker 5: And I even were attacking at some points with ten men and trying to get that second goal when it was appropriate to get that second goal. I'm very impressed. As a casual soccer fan. Again, I barely watch the sport, have watched them. Morrisons do it the show. But it's clear as someone who has watched a lot of World Cups, this is a much different team USA than I've ever seen in my life.
00:35:08
Speaker 2: Much different it it.
00:35:09
Speaker 1: I hesitate to say it's the best because we'll see if they get as far as the farthest was the two team which made the quarterfinals, and by the way, that two lost in the quarters to Germany.
00:35:19
Speaker 2: It was one nil.
00:35:21
Speaker 1: The US out played Germany for large portions of the game. Germany committed handball that wasn't called. If you had VR, the US would have got a penalty, would have had one nil.
00:35:33
Speaker 2: So where is VR when you need it? As opposed to last night?
00:35:37
Speaker 6: Now?
00:35:37
Speaker 1: Now, I don't know if the US can be Belgium without Balligan. I don't know if the US could be Belgium with Balligan. I think they got a real good chance. If you made me give odds, Let's say I'd favor Belgium like fifty five to forty five, but maybe it evens up. In fact, it definitely evens up. I'd say it's fifty to fifty because it's in Seattle, where the US is seven to zero. But Belgium has so many threats. That's what worries me. Uh one off, the US has Balligan or not. You're talking de Bruyne, Jasard, Goku, lacaku Onana.
00:36:10
Speaker 2: That's a lot of Premier League right there.
00:36:13
Speaker 5: Yeah, and even courtois and net is gonna be tough to crack. He's a great goaltender, starts for Madrid. Look, could you know when courtois literally just parroting what you told me off the air yesterday. But some things that you have to be encouraged by, even though you don't have Baligan is McKenny in the midfield mentioned him just bossing around this tournament so far. That's encouraging. And Poach's tactics are probably going to be advantage. I don't know who the Belgian manager is, but I'm just gonna go out on a legend say Poach has the managerial advantage.
00:36:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of a lot of the experts want Poach to start Hodgie Wright, it's striker, but he doesn't have the experience Peppi does. Peppi's the next man up. But uh, if Pepy doesn't work out, you stick.
00:36:55
Speaker 2: Right in there. Yeah.
00:36:56
Speaker 1: In fact, I think that that position with with baling out is a two man job. I I just think one guy plays sixty minutes, one guy plays thirty and that's almost no matter what happens during the game.
00:37:08
Speaker 5: Speaking of you know, if Happy fails or right fails and you can throw the other guy in there. What do you think about Poach last night not going to subs until extremely late in the game. A bit of a gamble, but then it really paid off to make.
00:37:20
Speaker 1: Make sure and don't forget he rested all all them guys against Turkey A, so he probably said they had a little saved up there.
00:37:27
Speaker 5: And then at the end you were able to bring on some guys that could really bring it across the finish line. So I thought it was really well done. Yep, to red card or not to red card? That that is the question.
00:37:39
Speaker 1: What a soccer weekend it is in Pittsburgh, We got the Riveters first playoff game Friday at high Mark Well, pardon me, FNB Stadium. I'm gonna call it hine Field no matter what, no I I I'm gonna give that FNB any sponsor Aquasure two of their due. Then the River Hans have their annual July fourth game Saturday night with fireworks and all. And then if the Riveters win Friday, they play their second playoff game on Sunday, and that'll be unbelievable. It gets Minnesota undefeated champion from last year undefeated again this year, only one goal conceded. But I think the Riveters can can take them unless unless somebody gets a red card Friday night. Unless they're I don't know who their baligan would be.
00:38:27
Speaker 2: Off tomorrow, World.
00:38:29
Speaker 1: Cup Monday, US and Belgium. Come watch the game with me at Pittsburgh Brewing Company and Creighton just off through twenty eight. Happy forth, everybody good Toxi out there, one oh five to nine, bugging the cake
