Is Steelers fan frustration at all-time high? Art Rooney II's philosophy stale? Guy Junker weighs in
On his new Saturday podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey welcomes longtime Pittsburgh sports broadcast and current Pirates public address announcer Guy Junker to tackle a range of topics.
Post-Gazette Sports Network: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more
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Show Notes
On his new Saturday podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey welcomes longtime Pittsburgh sports broadcast and current Pirates public address announcer Guy Junker to tackle a range of topics.
They start with fan frustration surrounding the Steelers. Is it at an all-time high after eight years without an NFL playoffs win? Has owner Art Rooney II's philosophy worn thin with his hardcore customers, particularly with regard to coach Mike Tomlin and the stability he represents? What can be done to fix the defense that faltered down the stretch, despite the presence of highly paid stars like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Patrick Queen and Alexi Highsmith? And what should happen at the QB position? Should GM Omar Khan pick the veteran presence of Russell Wilson? The mobility of Justin Fields? Or someone else entirely via the NFL draft or free agency?
Our duo tackles those questions, then reflects on Guy's long career; his work with colleagues including Stan Savran and Bob Pompeani; and his many years on the popular Sportsbeat show.
Later, Jason and Guy reflect on the latest with the Pirates and Penguins. Who's most to blame for the Penguins' recent struggles? Is it the Fenway Sports ownership group that has failed to live up to the success Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle had here? Is it past GMs including Jim Rutherford and Ron Hextall, whose moves are still hurting the roster today? Is it current GM Kyle Dubas and his disastrous deal with goalie Tristan Jarry? Or is it coach Mike Sullivan's inflexible game plans? And how will the franchise handle star Sidney Crosby moving forward.
On the Pirates side, what we can expect from them in 2025? Can Ke'Bryan Hayes stay healthy at 3B? Does Oneil Cruz still have more upside, particularly as a power threat at the plate? How good can the young pitching staff led by Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller be? And how can manager Derek Shelton fix this team's problems with fundamentals?
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