The Cook & Joe Show

Two Penguins stars talk playoffs, Pirates hero A.J. Burnett on returning to Pittsburgh as Bucs begin big series against Rays.

Joe thinks the first-round schedule benefits the Penguins. Florence and the Machine is scheduled to play in Philly the same night as game four at the same venue. Jordyn Tyson is holding a workout today for 18 NFL teams. Sidney Crosby said Pittsburgh has been the perfect place for him. We hear from Don Kelly on yesterday's loss. 

If you were hitting against Mullsy, how would you do?

The Steelers have a track record of bringing in potential first-round targets and picking one of those players. That means the Steelers will pick one of: Ioane, Lemon, Boston, Fano, McNeil-Warren, Johnson. Ray has the Steelers picking Carson Beck in the fourth round. Ray thinks there is an 80-85% chance Aaron Rodgers comes back. 

Joe thinks this season will be a disappointment if the Penguins don't beat the Flyers. The standard for the Steelers is that making the playoffs isn't good enough. Joe thinks getting to the playoffs would be good enough for the Pirates. 

We are getting back to being a great sports town again. What is the bar for the Pirates? Even though they're 11-8, Joe thinks the Pirates need to be criticized. Losing to the Flyers isn't good enough for Joe.The Penguins need to win this series because it's the last run for the core.

The full Pomp and Joe Show, with Bob Pompeani and Austin Bechtold (behind the glass), from Friday, April 16th, 2026

10AM - Tyler Kennedy helps to preview Penguins-Flyers! Stuart Skinner is the most important Penguins player in Pens-Flyers full 2863 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:14:03 +0000 4SPavGdLBRDaAB065gpc2XS1vxXAk29W sports The Pomp And Joe Show sports 10AM - Tyler Kennedy helps to preview Penguins-Flyers! Stuart Skinner is the most important Penguins player in Pens-Flyers with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey. © 2024 Audacy, Inc. Sports False

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani: Drew Allar visited the Steelers Wednesday. One caller that is a Flyers fan thinks Rick Tocchet isn't a traitor because of the number of years he played in Philadelphia. The Flyers have won seven of their last 10. We hear from Penguins fans. Who has been the Pirates best starting pitcher this season?

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani: The Pirates lineup is out. All four bench players are playing. If Jared Jones comes back, it helps their rotation more. Mel Kiper has the Steelers taking Penn State left guard Vega Ioane in the first round. BREAKING: The Penguins will host the Flyers on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani: 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Dan Muse did not confirm who will start in goal. The Penguins don't know when game two will be. Braxton Ashcraft has been the Pirates best starter this year. Jeff shares his thoughts on the pitching staff. Erik Karlsson said both the Penguins and Flyers fan bases are... dedicated.

Braxton Ashcraft has been the Pirates best starter this year. Jeff shares his thoughts on the pitching staff. The Pirates are big on off days for players and the Pirates believe the numbers they receive are the right way to go. Konnor Griffin is starting to find it at the plate and has a lot of attention on him. Jared Jones will be ready to join the team in late May. Erik Karlsson said both the Penguins and Flyers fan bases are... dedicated.

We now have the schedule for the first games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Dan Muse did not confirm who will start in goal. The Penguins don't know when game two will be.

Mel Kiper has the Steelers taking Penn State left guard Vega Ioane in the first round. We think the Steelers should take a wide receiver, but would be good with Ioane if there is no receiver. Bob thinks tackle should be in play. BREAKING: The Penguins will host the Flyers on Saturday at 8 p.m.

The Pirates lineup is out. All four bench players are playing. If Jared Jones comes back, it helps their rotation more. Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O'Hearn are not in the lineup. Bob is ok with it and thinks the days off are important. We both would have played Konnor Griffin yesterday after he had two hits.

Who has been the Pirates best starting pitcher this season? Braxton Ashcraft, Carmen Mlodzinski, Bubba Chandler, Paul Skenes, or Mitch Keller?

Drew Allar visited the Steelers Wednesday. One caller that is a Flyers fan thinks Rick Tocchet isn't a traitor because of the number of years he played in Philadelphia. The Flyers have won seven of their last 10. We hear from Penguins fans. 

Tyler Kennedy said Columbus head coach Rick Bowness should have called out his team 10 games ago instead of after the last game of the year. TK thinks he was putting his own interests at the top. TK thinks Bowness must not talk to players in the locker room with that authority. Stuart Skinner is the most important player in this series. PLAYOFF PREVIEW.

This is the highest-scoring Penguins team in the Sidney Crosby era. TK said that Philly wants to make this a hard game because Philadelphia is not as talented. They need to slow the Penguins down. The Penguins are second in the NHL in allowing short-handed goals. TK thinks the Penguins need to keep it simple. Playing Rick Tocchet or when Talbot and Jagr played for the Flyers is like playing your brother. TK thinks it brings out the competitor in the Penguins to beat Tocchet.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani: This is the highest-scoring Penguins team in the Sidney Crosby era. TK said that Philly wants to make this a hard game because Philadelphia is not as talented. They need to slow the Penguins down. TK thinks the Penguins need to keep it simple. What does Tyler think the Penguins are going to do in the first round against Philly?

The full Pomp and Joe Show, with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Austin Bechtold (behind the glass), from Wednesday, April 15th, 2026

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Brandon Lowe has 11 RBIs in his last three games and homered off a lefty last night, but Don Kelly pinch-hit Nick Yorke. We all disagreed with the decision and thought that Lowe would potentially bat again in the game. Drew Allar is visiting the Steelers today. Is Drew Allar a realistic proposition? Poni took a major shot at Bob! Should the Steelers draft Drew Allar?

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Mark Kaboly: Should the Steelers take Drew Allar? Mark thinks it should be around the late third or the fourth round. Mark would rather have Will Howard over Drew Allar. When will Aaron Rodgers decide? Gerry Dulac thinks Nick Herbig may go into free agency and try to find his value. Starkey would keep Herbig and trade one of the other edge rushers.

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Matt Clement: Matt said he would not have pinch hit for Brandon Lowe, but he understands why the Pirates did. Yorke hit the ball 103 mph but was a ground ball DP. Matt thinks the situation could change moving forward because of how Yorke didn't hit. The Pirates are using an opener for the first time this season with Mason Montgomery starting.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Poni came at Bob but said that his words were taken out of context. Michael McKenry said Seth Hernandez's stuff would play right now in the big leagues. Jason Mackey thought Kelly was trying too hard with pinch-hitting for Brandon Lowe and didn't like the decision.

Jason Mackey thought Kelly was trying to hard with pinch hitting for Brandon Lowe and didn't like the decision. Lowe has been the best hitter. Jason said this is the best clubhouse vibe he's seen covering the Pirates. Konnor Griffin had two hits yesterday and the at-bats looked better.

Poni came at Bob but said that his words were taken out of context. Konnor Griffin's contract is backloaded and is similar to how the Ke'Bryan Hayes deal was. Michael McKenry said Seth Hernandez's stuff would play right now in the big leagues. Michael thinks Hernandez is the best high school pitcher he has ever seen.

The Pirates are using an opener for the first time this season. Mason Montgomery starts as the opener and Carmen Mlodzinski will be entering after. Matt Clement thinks this is to throw a left-hander against James Woods and CJ Abrams. 

Matt said he would not have pinch hit for Brandon Lowe, but he understands why the Pirates did. Yorke hit the ball 103 mph but was a ground ball DP. Brandon Lowe said he thought it was the right decision, so should they always pinch-hit for Brandon Lowe against lefty pitchers? Lowe is red hot and should have been the batter trusted to hit in the situation to help the Pirates.

Gerry Dulac thinks Nick Herbig may go into free agency and try to find his value. Joe doesn't want the Steelers to get there and to sign Herbig. Joe would keep Herbig and trade one of the other edge rushers. Joe is sold on Nick Herbig. Mark Kaboly thinks Alex Highsmith is the Steelers best player on defense. 

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show joined the show. Should the Steelers take Drew Allar? Mark thinks it should be around the late third or the fourth round. Mark would rather have Will Howard over Drew Allar. When will Aaron Rodgers decide??

Should the Steelers draft Drew Allar? Jeff Patton of Baseball Card Castle joined the show. The General has a Brandon Lowe card and is adding a Jackie Robinson card on Jackie Robinson Day!

Brandon Lowe has 11 RBIs in his last three games and homered off a lefty last night, but Don Kelly pinch-hit Nick Yorke. We all disagreed with the decision and thought that Lowe would potentially bat again in the game. Drew Allar is visiting the Steelers today. Is Drew Allar a realistic proposition? Poni took a major shot at Bob about the Penguins.

The full Pomp and Joe Show, with Joe Starkey and Austin Bechtold, from Tuesday, April 14th, 2026

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey: Adam Schefter thinks it would be cool if Aaron Rodgers announced he is re-signing with the Steelers during the draft. It's Penguins-Flyers as the Penguins return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs! Joe details the history of Penguins-Flyers. Will the Penguins beat the Flyers and in how many games?

Hour 4 with Joe Starkey: Pirates analyst Michael McKenry of SportsNet Pittsburgh joined the show. Teams are only slugging .147 against Paul Skenes' changeup. Oneil Cruz has taken a huge step forward. "He's the best high school pitcher I've ever seen," Michael said about Seth Hernandez. How many days will the Pirates play at below .500?

Hour 3 with Joe Starkey: Pittsburgh basketball star Megan McConnell joined the show. Megan knows she has to do the little things right to stick in the WNBA. BREAKING: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has been sold and will stay in Pittsburgh! Nick Farabaugh thinks the Bengals are under the most pressure in the AFC North to win the draft. Nick thinks it is basically a foregone conclusion that Aaron Rodgers will be back. Nick thinks the value at wide receiver is better than guard and doesn't think Vega Ioane will be there.

Hour 3 with Joe Starkey: CBS Sports staff writer Garrett Podell joined the show. Ty Simpson's last seven games were not good and Garrett thinks should have went back to college. Garrett doesn't view him as a first-round pick. Garrett doesn't think Caleb Downs will fall past the Cowboys (12). The Pirates dominated the Washington Nationals 16-5.

How many days will the Pirates finish below .500? Joe thinks NONE!

Pirates analyst Michael McKenry of SportsNet Pittsburgh joined the show. Teams are only slugging .147 against Paul Skenes' changeup. Oneil Cruz has taken a huge step forward. "He's the best high school pitcher I've ever seen," Michael said about Seth Hernandez. Michael thinks Hernandez will end up in Double-A this year. He thinks Hernandez has big league ready stuff.

The Limitless Express - The Pirates dominated the Washington Nationals 16-5. Paul Skenes allowed one run over six innings, the offense is finding its footing with a lengthened lineup, and Brandon Lowe hit his sixth home run. It's time to move on from Jose Urquidy. The Pirates have an opportunity to grow the lead in the Central.

Ty Simpson's last seven games were not good and Garrett thinks should have went back to college. Garrett doesn't view him as a first-round pick. He thinks Simpson will be a second-round pick. Alabama was very talented still. Garrett doesn't think Caleb Downs will fall past the Cowboys (12).