North Shore Drive podcast - Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Pirates' latest win against the Los Angeles Dodgers, led by a strong start from Paul Skenes. Are he and fellow rookie pitcher Jared Jones bringing a new winning swagger to this team? How legit is the recent tear by Nick Gonzales that has given the offense a boost? And should Edward Olivares see more playing time as he's continued to produce?

Jason tackles those topics, then reacts to the Steelers' signing of Cam Sutton and recaps his feature on the Perfect Pitch camp.
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Zeise joins host Adam Bittner to ponder pressure facing the Steelers in 2024. Is Arthur Smith's new-look defense the unit under the most? Or will the star-laden defense with T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cam Heyward face the most scrutiny? Why are names like Russell Wilson, Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones under the most individual pressure? And who needs to perform best if this team is going to take down the big names on its tough schedule, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles?

Our duo tackles those questions, then gets into the Pirates. Can they contend for the playoffs with their potent rotation of Mitch Keller, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, especially considering the San Diego Padres currently hold the final berth with a sub-.500 record? Is it time to believe in Nick Gonzales yet? And will Jack Suwinski and Henry Davis really be better after short stints in the minors? The finally, Paul gives his picks for the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics, plus the Stanley Cup final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Mike's Beer Bar, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to react to the latest from Steelers OTAs. What should we make of Cam Heyward's return for the final week amid his contract dispute with the team? Will he get a news deal by training camp? Or is it possible he could end his career with another team?

Our duo tackles those questions, then reacts to the mid-show return of Cam Sutton to the team's secondary. How does he bolster a unit that currently includes Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson and reserves like Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr.? What kind of impact could his 2023 arrest in Florida have on his return? And does this move rule out the return of Patrick Peterson?

Then later, Noah Hiles joins Christopher to react to Jared Jones' strong start in a 1-0 Pirates win against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday at PNC Park.
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On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Pirates' 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday at PNC Park. How did Jared Jones silence doubts coming off a rough start against Detroit with dominance against the likes of Dodgers starts Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman? How dangerous could a rotation of Jones, Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller be if it can reach the MLB postseason? Is the bullpen turning a corner after Colin Holderman, Aroldis Chapman and David Bednar slammed the door to preserve a shutout? And how did the clubhouse react to the lifetime ban of former teammate Tucupita Marcano for betting on baseball?

Jason tackles those topics, plus Cam Heyward's return to Steelers OTAs.
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Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward speaks to reporters during OTAs on the South Side on Tuesday. He explains why he stayed away for the first couple of weeks amid his contract negotiations; where those negotiations stand now; how much he was communicating with coach Mike Tomlin and his teammates; how he's feeling after being limited by a groin injury last season; and his thoughts on QB Russell Wilson joining the team to lead the offense. 
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On his weekly Chipped Ham and Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes Shelby Cassesse of WPXI-TV sports to react to the latest from Steelers OTAs. Why does Shelby feel excitement building around the offense, specifically running back Najee Harris in new OC Arthur Smith's run-heavy approach? How much has changed for the unit now that Smith has brought more accountability to it? And how would our duo compare Steelers players including Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward to Kennywood rides following their trip to the theme park during OTAs this week? They tackle those topics and more.
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