You ask. I answer. It’s time for a weekly Q&A mailbag that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. We had a banner first two weeks. Let’s go for a three-peat. Most of the questions come via “X,” but you can also hit me up jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s go …
David Reese, @davidreese36: Good evening, Do you think either O’Donnell or Kordell gets into the Steelers Hall of Honor?
Starkey: Interesting question, Dr. Reese. I do not think Neil O’Donnell will. I’m not sure if Kordell Stewart will, but he should.
O’Donnell made a Pro Bowl here (back when it kind of meant something) and led the team to a Super Bowl, even if it didn’t end well. He was a pretty good quarterback.
Kordell was a truly memorable player. He was “Slash,” for goodness sake! He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in that role — with rushing, receiving and passing touchdowns — and in 2001 finished fourth in the MVP vote, behind Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Brett Favre.
How many players in NFL history have a catch, run and throw of at least 70 yards? That was Kordell. He went 48-29 as the starting QB. (O’Donnell also had an impressive record: 39-22).
Willie Parker’s in the Hall of Honor (deservedly). Kordell had more rushing touchdowns (35-24). In fact, the only two Steelers with more rushing TDs were Jerome Bettis and Franco Harris. Kordell also has the third-most passing TDs, behind Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger.
If you ask a long-time Steelers fan to name the most exciting players they have ever seen, I’m guessing Kordell’s name would be mentioned quickly.
Put him in.
Burke O’Toole, @BurkeMan513: Dr. Starkey I enjoyed your story on 1137 Greenfield Ave. What is your favorite column/story you ever wrote?
Starkey: Thank you, Dr. 513. That one’s up there. Others include a piece on the Steelers’ first-ever draft pick, William Shakespeare (yes, that was his name) and one on the late Maggie Dixon’s influence on her basketball players from West Point as they went on with their lives.
J P, @JoeyPicksIt: Good evening Dr. Starkey. If you could interview one piece of sports memorabilia what would it be? For example, have an exclusive sit down with the ball that Mazeroski hit or the ball that Wilt scored 100 with?
Starkey: I love that question, Dr. It. I’d probably do a sit-down with Pistol Pete Maravich’s floppy socks from his time at LSU. I just saw where former LSU coach Dale Brown (who did not coach Pistol Pete) once charted all of Pete’s shots from his college career and said that with a 3-point line he would have averaged 57 ppg (instead of 44.2).
Is that good?
Geoffrey Lewis Music, @glewismusic: Morning Joe. Just learned of my dad’s passing. Many sports memories flooding back. Going to 90’s Bucco games as a kid @ 3Rivers are my faves. It’s not just the game. It’s about family time. What special memory do you have of sports with your late dad? RIP Phil Griffin.
Starkey: I’m so sorry to hear of this, Geoffrey. My condolences.
My dad just passed in September, and some of my best memories of him are also sports-related and also Three Rivers Stadium-related. He took me to Three Rivers, from Buffalo, right after the Bill Madlock trade in ’79 for some games against the Giants. Incredible.
Also, I used to love just playing catch with the baseball or shooting baskets with him.
Ed Helinski, @MrEd315: How you feeling about the Pens chances of making the playoffs?
Starkey: I feel good about that, Mr. Ed, although the East remains bunched, to the point where a cold streak could put you out of playoff position real fast.
Right now, the Penguins are four points clear of the ninth-place Capitals with three games in-hand and three teams between them. They’re also six points clear of the 10th-place Columbus Blue Jackets having played the same amount of games.
They’re in a good spot.
Taylor, @Taylor72815844: Joe, which QB would you trust to lead your team to a SB game winning drive? 2 min left and down by 4. Brady was great, but I think there’s something to be said for going undefeated in SBs. I’m taking Joe “Cool” Montana.
Starkey: I’m taking John Elway. I like having the run factor mixed in there, along with the howitzer arm.
J, @Crossland895: Excellent article on Monday, Dr. News Hound: With Mike McCarthy seemingly prepared to expand the coaching staff more than Mike Tomlin ever did, who do we blame for the small Tomlin staffs? I was always under the impression that Mr. Rooney didn’t want to pay everyone, but now it appears to be Tomlin consolidating power. Could it be both? What prompted the change? Thank you Joe.
Starkey: Thank you, Dr. 895. Are we sure it will be an expanded coaching staff? I’ve seen some speculation. Maybe you have seen something more than that.
Either way, I don’t think this is a big deal. I’m on record as saying NFL coaching staffs are incredibly bloated. What do they need that they don’t have, an assistant tight ends coach? A backup special teams coach?
There are already too many coaches!
Chris Barron, @ChrisRBarron: Dr. Starkey, it’s getting to be that time of year — I am about to get a case of Bradenton fever. I get it every year in Florida during March. For once, however, I feel like there may be a real reason to be optimistic about the Buccos and not just delusional. What are the odds you would put on the Pirates being buyers at this years trade deadline — meaning they are still in the playoff race at that point?
Starkey: It’s hard not to be in the playoff race at that point, Dr. Barron, but the Pirates always seem to avoid it. Tell me if Konnor Griffin will be on the team out of spring training, and I’ll give you a better idea.
Odds? I’ll say 60-40 they’re buyers.
Sam_Wiatrak, @wiatraksamuel: Joe if you had to pick one of the 32 nfl starting qbs to fit in and start for the current Steelers who would it be and why?
Starkey: Josh Allen, because he’s the best quarterback in the NFL. As for the younger quarterbacks, it’ll be interesting to see where Caleb Williams is in a few years. He’s a phenomenal talent.
Travis, @Travis_J011: Greetings Dr Starkey. Would you entertain the idea for just a second of Justin Fields coming back to QB the Steelers under the New Mike? We know the Jets are miserable organization so let’s give him a pass there, would you take a gamble of running it back with him in a new offense.
Starkey: No thank you, Dr. J011. Fields is not an accurate enough passer. He played one of the games of his NFL life against the Steelers in last year’s opener and then it all went flat (again). I think he’s a low-end starter, backup.
Ron Edward, @RonaldEdwardCap: Could you get five guys at LA Fitness to beat Pitt? What happened to that program?
Starkey: It feels like the city’s basketball fans have long since passed the anger stage and gone to apathy — and that is never good.
Chris Recker, @crecker: Joe, Pittsburgh fans have seemingly embraced the “Fire” chants over the years to what seems like a kiss of death … Hextall, Canada and now Tomlin walking away. Who do you think is next on the “Fire” chant radar? “Fire Cherington” doesn’t seem to be as easy to shout.
Starkey: “Fire Ben” has more of a ring to it, Dr. Recker, but Ben Cherington probably saved himself with the Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin picks and now has added to the team.
It all better turn out, and turn out fast, for his sake.
Gooseheimer2023, @gooseheime83054: Bonjour Dr Starkey. Do you think the Olympic break will help or hurt the Penguins?
Starkey: I would have said hurt until last night’s game. It’s probably a good thing for Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin to get the recovery/rest time.
John Perrotto, @JPerrotto: How do you know when you run out of invisible ink?
Starkey: Good morning, Dr. P. This is what AI claims, and I always trust AI:
“Knowing when you have run out of physical invisible ink (pens or markers) is challenging because the product is designed to be undetectable (Really? Thanks for the insight). The primary indicator is that the pen stops leaving a wet, shiny, or slightly reflective trail, or it completely fails to react under a UV light.”
Precisely what I would have said.