Karlsson’s a Penguin: Now What?
After pulling off the NHL heist of the century in acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks, Kyle Dubas spoke to the media on Monday about just how and why he pulled it off.
On Tuesday, after an Erik Karlsson media availability was postponed, Dan Kingerski and I sat down on Fifth Avenue Faceoff to discuss the tangible impact of Karlsson on the Penguins lineup, fan expectations, and their style of play.
One of the most interesting aspects of the way Dubas has revamped the Penguins roster this summer is not just the ability to continue to possess the puck, now that Karlsson is in the fold, but their increased ability to retrieve the puck due to their increased team speed.
Will Penguins fans’ expectations for Karlsson be unrealistic, though? And have they become a bit jaded since the organization’s last Stanley Cup victory?
All that and more in the latest episode of Fifth Avenue Faceoff.
Blame Canada
After taking Monday off, the Steelers had another physical, padded practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. And despite all the possible storylines worth watching, the one that continues to somehow jump to the top of the list is…
…a backup offensive lineman taking fullback reps?
Yes, the wildly creative Matt Canada offense (sarcasm intended) – which Kenny Pickett supposedly has much more input on this year – has a secret weapon, and it is Kendrick Greene.
I’m going to try hard to finish writing this column despite my eyes being rolled so far back in to my head that it feels like I can read the inside of my eyelids.
One of the most electric young receivers in the game. Multiple weapons at the tight end spot. A now healthy, second year ‘gadget’ guy. A crafty veteran receiver dripping in red zone success throughout his career. A running back who was a top five rusher in his rookie year and also, appears to be totally healthy again, unlike last season.
All led by a second year quarterback with plenty of room for growth.
And Canada’s secret weapon is a guy who was handed a starting center job as a rookie, couldn’t hold on to it, was relegated to backup duty last year, and who probably isn’t even deserving of being active on gamedays if we’re only talking blocking ability.
No wonder the organizational philosophy is totally based on defense first.
They don’t think they can score enough to win.
Did Cherington Miss an Opportunity?
Leading up to the MLB Trade Deadline last week, there was a slew of conjecture regarding the possibility of a Mitch Keller and/or David Bednar trade.
A lot of people, myself included, insisted that if the Pirates were going to come of age in 2024 and do more than have one good month, they would need Keller and Bednar to do so.
Maybe we should’ve stopped and thought about that some more.
Maybe Keller and Bednar were at the peak of their value(s).
Since the All Star Break, both have struggled.
Last night, while he didn’t officially register a quality start, it wasn’t necessarily Keller who had a rough time. He exited after five innings with a three-run lead.
His post-break ERA still sits at 9.11, though. And he hasn’t won a game since before the All Star break.
No, last night, as it was for the second time in four games, it was Bednar blowing a save and costing the Pirates an opportunity to win a series against the best team in baseball.
And his post-break ERA is now 4.38. Most alarming of all, in just eight appearances, Bednar has walked more batters in the second half than he did the entire first half.
So maybe everyone who thought it would’ve been a good idea to trade high on the Bucs’ two All Star arms was on to something?
Lev Challenges Logan Paul
I’m not a huge fan of Logan Paul. Or his brother Jake. They’re classic examples of what’s wrong with the sports/media/entertainment industries today. They’re adjudged as “successful” based on a number of “followers” amassed on social media, and not the quality of their work.
These days, you don’t have to actually be good at anything, as long as you can turn whatever you’re doing into a “viral” clip that generates “engagement.”
I will say this, though: Logan Paul has done quality work in WWE. His ability to shoot a promo is decent, his athleticism is evident, and he probably deserves to be right where is, in the middle of the card at an event like SummerSlam, as he was last weekend.
Which brings us to former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.
Bell continues to persist with the idea that he should be a fighter of some sort. His knockout of Adrian Peterson allows this dream to live on inside Bell’s head, to the point that he’s decided to begin calling out new targets.
Here’s an idea though, Lev: Why box when, if you’d just head to the ol’ Dusty Rhodes Memorial school of promos at the WWE Performance Center?
After all, the move to WWE has worked in the past for other professional athletes.