Mike Drop: Recent Episodes
Mike Asti
Mike Asti speaks the truth and drops the mic. Join Mike as he opines on a variety of Pittsburgh and national sports topics, covering the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, Pitt, WVU, and more.
Buying at the trade deadline earns the Pirates a rare spot as the headline topic on the latest "Mike Drop" with Mike Asti. And on this episode, Asti is joined by Will Graves of the Associated Press to put the Pirates' moves in proper perspective, explain why there's there's no reason to not like the strategy and then pivot into the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers' comments at training camp and what's going on at Steelers camp that will actually impact the team.
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With the Steelers now in Latrobe, Mike Asti drops the mic on why he doesn't like Mike McCarthy's change to eliminate live tackling during training camp.
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With WVU football season on the horizon, Mike Asti joined Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ to discuss the reasonable expectations for the Mountaineers in year two of Rich Rodriguez's return tenure.
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To expand on his initial show about the current state of the MLB CBA talks, Mike Asti welcomed Dominic Campbell of PiratesOnSi on "Mike Drop" to unpack the topic further and try to predict where things are going based on what was said at the All-Star Game.
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Mike Asti responds to some recent comments by the MLBPA executive director and explains why MLB needs a salary cap, but getting one will likely mean losing the 2027 season.
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There are several reasons why Pittsburgh could turn on Paul Skenes. Mike Asti goes over each one on this segment of the his "Mike Drop" show.
Featured image credit: Jul 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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In is the Hoffmann Family, out is Fenway Sports Group, Mike Asti welcomes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer King Jemison on "Mike Drop" to answer some key questions surrounding the Penguins' ownership change.
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In a different type of episode, Mike Asti is joined by journalist turned viral sensation Crissy Froyd to discuss the backlash she's received since speaking out about Dianna Russini and offer her thoughts on the Brendan Sorsby resolution.
Froyd even drops a few new nuggets of information during this conversation.
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Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh jumps on Mike Drop with Mike Asti to unpack everything he's witnessed at OTAs, hitting on how Aaron Rodgers looks, the plan behind him at quarterback and what's already noticeably different about Mike McCarthy compared to Mike Tomlin.
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As the Steelers, and then in turn the rest of us, continue to wait for Aaron Rodgers, Mike Asti welcomes Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on this episode of "Mike Drop" to talk where things stand with Rodgers and what's actually accurate reporting wise.
They also get into how Drew Allar looked at rookie mini-camp, where Will Howard stands and what's going on with the rest of the roster.
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On the heels of covering the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Mike Asti appeared on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel to discuss WVU players' prospects in the NFL before getting into WVU baseball's recent struggles, JJ Wetherholt's rookie season and much more.
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In the midst of a great day for Pittsburgh as a city, the Steelers get embarrassed in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. On this first round recap edition of Mike Drop, Mike Asti details the Eagles stealing the Steelers' guy away from them.
Asti then brings up a few other highlights from around the league and explains why Fernando Mendoza will be a draft bust.
Featured image credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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With the 2026 NFL Draft taking place in Pittsburgh and marking a new era for the franchise, Mike Asti chats with colleague Alan Saunders about what to expect, what the Steelers need to accomplish and which prospects make the most sense.
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With a lot going on around WVU sports and even the national scene, Mike Asti joined Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ to discuss the experience covering the WVU women's basketball team hosting NCAA Tournament games, the expectations for next season now on the men's team, WVU baseball, JJ Wetherholt and so much more.
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Ahead of the most hyped Pirates season in recent memory, Mike Asti welcomes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles to "Mike Drop" to discuss what the validity of the expectations surrounding the team and their star rookie Konnor Griffin. Hiles offers his insight about what he feels is reasonable to expect from several key players, including Griffin, and the difference within the franchise this year.
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As the dust settles on another runner-up finish for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Mike Asti explains what's been going wrong and what USA Baseball needs to change in order to win a championship again.
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Mike Asti welcomed longtime journalist and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Paul Zeise on "Mike Drop" to bring the intensity when discussing the future of the Steelers, the ceiling for this Penguins team, the reasonable expectations for the Pirates and why the Jeff Capel era has been a disaster for Pitt.
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Is a failing report card a big deal for the Steelers? What does it mean for the present and future of the franchise?
Mike Asti hits every angle on this episode of Mike Drop, dropping the mic on Art Rooney II while explaining why things will be different when Dan Rooney Jr. takes over.
Featured image credit: Ed Thompson
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The Athletic's Josh Yohe joins Mike Asti for an all Penguins edition of Mike Drop. Yohe explains why he thinks the Penguins are exceeding expectations, what their chances actually are in the Eastern Conference and what this season has done to Kyle Dubas' plan.
He even gives his thoughts on if Sidney Crosby is now the greatest player in franchise history over Mario Lemieux.
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Mike Asti offers his unfiltered reaction to the Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy as their new head coach.
Asti goes over why it's off script from the norm, why he doesn't like the hire, what it means about Art Rooney II and the Steelers as a franchise and why many fans aren't excited at all.
Featured image: Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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Now that the 2026 class is official, Mike Asti welcomed longtime baseball writer and Baseball Hall of Famer voter John Perrotto on Mike Drop to debate his ballot, including some controversial selections. They, of course, discussed how the legendary players connected to performance enhancing drugs should be handled.
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Going live minutes after the news of Mike Tomlin stepping down broke, Mike Asti drops the mic on a special live reaction edition of Mike Drop. Asti talks Tomlin's polarizing legacy, why it was time, why he's destined for Canton and whee both sides go from here.
Featured image credit: Ed Thompson/Steelers Now
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On this edition of Mike Drop, Mike Asti unleashes on Mike Tomlin blowing a chance to wrap up the division with a horrible loss in Cleveland and then tackles multiple false narratives surrounding the Steelers and their polarizing head coach.
Featured image credit: Ed Thompson
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As voters begin to release their Baseball Hall of Fame vote, the Associated Press' Will Graves joins Mike Asti to discuss (and defend) his ballot. They get into who he voted for and why, his thoughts on voters who have 10 players on their ballot every year no matter what and how he handles those clouded by performance enhancing drugs.
After the Cooperstown talk, they then pivot into the state of the Steelers and the current conversation around Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers.
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For a special conversation at a very appropriate time, Mike Asti welcomed Jay Paterno on his "Mike Drop" show. Paterno offered his honest thoughts about Matt Campbell, the Penn State coaching search, the expectations on the program, the state of college football as a whole and so much more. And yes, Paterno responded to LaVar Arrington's recent comments.
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With the Penn State coaching search now over and Matt Campbell in State College, Mike Asti welcomed Nittany Sports Now's Joe Smeltzer on his "Mike Drop" show to discuss the good, bad and the ugly of the search and what the future may look like moving forward for the Nittany Lions.
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On the heels of a big day for WVU football, Mike Asti jumped on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel. They talked what adding a nationally respected recruit does for the expectations of next season and then pivot into discussing WVU basketball winning despite the struggles of a top player.
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Mike Asti talks with Pitt color analyst Pat Bostick about his recent take that Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback to ever play for the Steelers. The two discuss (and debate some) the legacies of Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw.
Can Mike offer any counter points argue for Big Ben or even Bradshaw? Find out on this edition of Mike Drop.
After ranking the all-time great quarterbacks, Mike also asks Pat his thoughts on if college players should be able to bet on pro sports and the current College Football Playoff format.
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Former Steelers OC and NFL coach Todd Haley joins Mike Asti to evaluate Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco and discuss the Steelers' true chances this season. Haley also defends his former boss when responding to the fans who want Mike Tomlin fired and also explains why the Browns shouldn't have drafted Shedeur Sanders at all.
Image credit to Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)
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With so much Russell Wilson slander out there, Mike Asti decided to drop the mic on a couple national analyst for their recent asinine comments about the quarterback. Asti then pivoted to explain why Wilson would have to get into the Hall of Fame if Eli Manning is ever inducted.
And then in closing, he argues why Paul Skenes' 2025 season is the greatest season for a pitcher in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise.
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Leading up to West Virginia's Big 12 opener at Kansas, WV Sports Now's Mike Asti jumped on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel to discuss the top storylines of the game.
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Mike Asti reacts to the shocking Micah Parsons trade on this solo "Mike Drop" edition of the Howitzer and Buzz-Saw Show.
Asti rants on Jerry Jones being way different now than in his younger days, letting a negotiation get personal, caring more about business than winning and why this deal is nothing like when the Dallas Cowboys traded Hershel Walker before their 1990s dynasty years.
Asti even touches on why this move makes the Green Bay Packers instant title contenders.
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Since the 2025 season marks the beginning of another new era for college football, Mike Asti welcomed Bill Bender of the Sporting News back on Mike Drop to discuss health of the sport and what the future may look like. They also talked Rich Rodriguez's return to West Virginia in the back half of the show.
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Cam Heyward demanding the Steelers award him a new contract again triggered Mike Asti, promoting a rant edition of Mike Drop. Asti explains why Heyward didn't really bet on himself like he thinks he did and why the Steelers shouldn't cave to his demands.
Image credit: Ed Thompson
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Longtime college football insider Phil Steele joined Mike Asti to discuss the release of his 2025 preview. Asti asked Steele about his thoughts on playoff expansion and which format works best and if he believes contracts and a salary cap and contracts are coming.
Steele then broke down his expectations for WVU, Pitt and Penn State with fall camp just weeks away.
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For bonus content only a couple weeks away from the start of fall camp, WV Sports Now's Mike was asked to preview the upcoming WVU football season on KMA Radio.
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Prompted by the blockbuster trade that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick back to Miami and brought Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh, Mike Asti held an emergency pod edition of "Mike Drop" to offer his instant reaction to the surprising news.
(Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)
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In his first show back after a personal hiatus, Mike Asti drops the mic on several of the most talked about Pittsburgh sports topics today.
First, Asti explains why he can be classified as an Aaron Rodgers believer but it his Steelers tenure does have a ceiling.
Next, he touches on why the new head coach of the Penguins is only a bridge guy and won't around whenever the franchise wins again.
And to close the show, Asti goes over why Andrew McCutchen has no shot at making the Baseball Hall of Fame and the debate is insulting to players with better resumes who aren't getting in either.
Image credit: Ed Thompson
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To discuss two topics with one guest, Mike Asti welcomes Baseball Hall of Fame voter and Associated Press writer Will Graves on this episode of Mike Drop. They talk why this bad Pirates season is different from the previous ones and then why Pete Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson are completely different cases when it comes to the Hall of Fame now that they are both eligible.
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Mike Asti was right! After being right about the Steelers trading George Pickens, Asti offers his thoughts about the Pickens trade and what it means for Aaron Rodgers, the 2025 season and the future of the franchise on the latest edition of his "Mike Drop" show.
Image credit: Ed Thompson
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Saying Pirates fans are fed up is an understatement. And on this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti talks with Gabe Mazefsky, a fan gaining some local for fame for being part of an initiative to try to force Bob Nutting to sell the team, about what led to the billboards, why Paul Skenes is the tipping point, the vibe of the fanbase and what's planned if things don't change soon.
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What are the Steelers doing? Well, Mike Asti tries to answer that question while also providing his (sometimes hot) takes about Pittsburgh waiting for Aaron Rodgers and showing interest in Shedeur Sanders. He even explains why the Steelers should NOT break the bank for T.J. Watt.
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What does the DK Metcalf trade mean for the rest of the Steelers offseason? On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti gives two clear responses to that question and reacts to the Steelers big swing for a big time wide receiver.
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Should the Steeles trade for Matthew Stafford? That's the focus on this episode of Mike Drop.
Mike Asti explains why he's torn about the idea of Stafford and even goes into why it's crazy for the Rams to move him.
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Mid February always marks the period on the NFL calendar that requires fans to use their BS meter more than any other. And with rumors swirling, Mike Asti welcomed a familiar voice back to Mike Drop to cut through all of the BS and be honest about the Steelers in 2025.
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In an effort to fully celebrate the Mountaineer legend, Mike Asti welcomed College Football Hall of Famer Steve Slaton on this special edition of Mountaineer Report.
Slaton shared a funny story about how he found out about being elected to the Hall of Fame and explained what fans don’t know about his career at West Virginia and his exit after his junior year. He even offered his thoughts on transfer portal, NIL and what he would say to James Franklin if he got the chance to finally talk to the coach who pulled his Maryland scholarship.
Did Slaton ever consider transferring out of WVU? His answer might surprise you….
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On the first episode of Mike Drop in 2025, Mike Asti welcomes Pittsburgh media colleague Tim Benz of the Tribune-Review to offer the Steelers a reality check at the start of the new year.
Just when fans thought this season might be different, the Steelers end up losing to contending teams and dealing with drama. What's been going wrong? How much is the drama impacting the team on the field? Are the Steelers contenders or just pretenders again?
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Enjoy the glory of Thanksgiving and listen to an all new episode of Mike Drop!
Mike Asti welcomes former Pittsburgh sports radio host David Todd to the show to get to the bottom of what to make of the loss to the Browns, how Arthur Smith is performing as offensive coordinator, the present and future of the quarterback position and if the defense is what is actually holding the team back from being a true contender.
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How well did Russell Wilson really play in his Steelers debut? What can hold the Steelers back from ending their drought without a playoff win? Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live joins Mike Asti on this edition of Mike Drop to answers those questions and break everything Steelers down.
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As he does every week, Mike Asti appeared on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel. They talked the WVU-Oklahoma State matchup and how it will impact the Big 12 standings.
It's an all football edition of Mike Drop! Mike Asti welcomes Chris Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Locked On Steelers Podcast to the show to evaluate the Steelers through two games and discuss what Justin Fields has to do to keep the starting quarterback job when Russell Wilson is healthy. They also talk the outlook for Pitt after winning the Backyard Brawl, a game both Mike and Chris covered.
Penguins fans, meet Joe Brand. On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti talks with the new radio play-by-play voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, introducing him to his new audience. Brand tells Asti about his journey, his "welcome to the show, kid" moment and why he's ready for the assignment that is calling games for Sidney Crosby and one of the NHL's top franchises.
During an appearance on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel, Mike Asti designates each game on the WVU schedule as either one the Mountaineers will be the favorite, the underdog or one that could swing either way.
As the summer nears its end, Mike Asti talks with Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ about the storylines to look out for during WVU football fall camp. After discussing Mountaineer football, Asti then covers five WVU baseball players being drafted and how this will impact the start of the Steve Sabins era in West Virginia.
They even appreciate College Football 25 and all its glory during this show as well.
Pardon this interruption of any summer fun, but the 2024 college football season is fast approaching. And to preview what to expect from WVU, Pitt and Penn State, Mike Asti welcomed Bill Bender of the Sporting News back on Mike Drop.
Bender discussed what he likes and what he doesn't like about each team this year and then offered what it could mean for the future of each program.
With the atmosphere around Neal Brown and his WVU football team completely different from last offseason, Mike Asti discussed how the Mountaineers proved their doubters wrong in 2023 and why the expectations are sky high for the upcoming 2024 season as part of KMA Radio’s college football preview series.
This episode of Mike Drop offers wall-to-wall Pittsburgh sports talk with Mike Asti and longtime TV writer and current host of the Minus Three Podcast Dave Dameshek.
They try to make sense of why Mike Tomlin is so polarizing, discuss if there's a new sense of urgency around the Steelers, which NHL franchise owns the best all-time Stanley Cup roster and the increased national interest in the Pirates because of Paul Skenes.
Mike Asti, of WV Sports Now and Yardbarker, talked with Alex Wiederspiel on his radio show to put the end of the Randy Mazey tenure into perspective for the WVU baseball program, to discuss Joe Mazzulla in the NBA Finals and so much more.
After making news with a major career shift, Doug Gottlieb joined Mike Asti to discuss the journey that's led him to his latest challenge as head coach of University Wisconsin-Green Bay. Gottlieb detailed the timeline that landed him the Green Bay job, why the new landscape of college sports provides him an advantage over longer tenured coaches and where he plans to be in five years.
Bryant McFadden, who won two Super Bowls with the Steelers and now serves as an NFL analyst with CBS Sports, joined Mike Asti on the latest edition of Mike Drop.
McFadden gave his honest thoughts about the Steelers offseason, in particular the new quarterback room and his concerns about the wide receiver depth and slot corner spot. McFadden also responded to fans who recently attacked him about teasing a potential move.
In the midst of a slower news day (outside recruiting), Mike Asti decided to conduct a Mountaineer live chat for WVU fans. Asti offered his thoughts on the debate if Garrett Greene is being overlooked or is overrated and also talked the state of the WVU basketball program now one year after the first domino of drama in the end of Bob Huggins' tenure dropped. He even briefly touched on West Virginia baseball.
On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti is joined by media colleague Will Graves of the Associated Press to discuss the new line of thinking for the Steelers ahead of the NFL Draft, if West Virginia product Zach Frazier is destined to play for Mike Tomlin and so much more.
They also talk the future of the Penguins and if Kyle Dubas can avoid a long rebuild and what's a realistic goal for the Pirates this season.
As the news around both the WVU football and basketball programs heats up, Mike Asti joined Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ to discuss the truth behind Neal Brown's new contract, the talk around Zach Frazier's NFL Draft stock and if fans wanting Bob Huggins back will really impact West Virginia's coaching search.
On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti is joined by former quarterback and coach and current member of Denver media Mike Sanford to dissect what was Russell Wilson with the Broncos and what can be Russell Wilson with the Steelers.
What does Russell Wilson have left? How did he actually perform in Denver? How much of an upgrade is Wilson for the Steelers? Is there any chance Kenny Pickett beats Wilson out for the Steelers starting job? What reports and narratives about Wilson's personality are really true? Why did Sean Payton hate him so much?
Sanford evaluates Russell Wilson the players and also attempts to answer all of those questions on this wall-to-wall Russell Wilson show.
With the NFL Combine now behind us, the NFL Draft talk is heating up. On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti has a conversation with the Philadelphia Inquirer's Devin Jackson to talk the quarterbacks at the top of everyone's board, the best non quarterback prospect, sleeper picks and how what certain teams do could screw everything up.
With the madness of March looming, Mike Asti and Ethan Bock talked about the state of WVU basketball for both the men's and women's programs. They discussed why things seemingly got worse after the upset win over Kansas and if there's anything that Josh Eilert can do to keep his job. Some possible options were brought up and Mike and Ethan ranked the WVU basketball brand in comparison to other jobs that will likely also be open this spring.
After detailing the struggles of the men, they then looked at where the women stand compared to the rest of the country and how Mark Kellogg has been able to get the women's program ahead of schedule.
Mike Asti talks to his Pittsburgh media colleague Nick Farabaugh about what Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator will mean for the Steelers. Is Smith the right guy to help save Kenny Pickett's career? Can Najee Harris, George Pickens, Dionate Johnson and other key offensive players thrive in Smith's offense?
After covering the new OC, Mike and Nick discuss which positions the Steelers need to focus on in the NFL Draft and some players Pittsburgh is targeting like WVU product Zach Frazier. Is the West Virginia Mountaineer destined to move up north and play for Mike Tomlin?
Even though the news around the WVU football program has calmed in recent weeks, Mike Asti checked in with WKMZ earlier in the week. Asti appeared on the "Morning Spiel" with Alex Wiederspiel to talk Michigan winning the National Championship, Jim Harbaugh to the NFL and how the expanded playoff and new Big 12 will impact West Virginia's chances at becoming a national contender again.
Note: This episode was recorded prior to Harbaugh being officially hired by the Chargers.
As the Steelers prepare for their AFC Wild Card matchup with the Bills, Mike Asti was able to talk with one of longest tenured reporters on the Steelers beat. Asti spoke with Jim Wexell of 247's Steel City Insiders.
They talked about the decision to keep rolling with Mason Rudolph, what that says about the future of the quarterback position, getting in the playoffs after being counted out, Mike Tomlin's future, what Pittsburgh has to do to beat Buffalo and so much more.
On this special show for our WVSN 'Holler' members, Mike Asti talks with key member of the WVU football 2024 class Kyle Altuner.
Asti chats with the offensive lineman about why he picked West Virginia over other major programs, why he took it upon himself to be a leader for the class and help recruit other top players and what he needs to work on before getting to campus and starting off his career as a Mountaineer.
Mike Asti defends his recent column about what the 2023 WVU football season really means for the West Virginia program during an appearance on WKMZ. He also talks the Duke's Mayo Bowl and gives his thoughts about the bowl season in general.
Click here to read Asti's full column on the 2023 WVU football season.
It's time. Mike Asti explains why it's finally time for the Steelers to move on from Mike Tomlin, even if that means firing their long tenured head coach.
Asti offers this take while still respecting Tomlin's career and legacy, but realizing that legendary coaches have been fired and no one deserves a lifetime appointment no matter what.
The vibes are good during this holiday week for the Mountaineers.
After giving his take on the Steelers firing Matt Canada, Mike Asti details the change in mood around the WVU program after responding from the Oklahoma loss with a convincing win over Cincinnati while talking to Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ.
Asti also puts the overall season in perspective as West Virginia looks to pick up their eight win of the year to wrap up the regular season before the bowl game.
Now that it appears the dust has settled, it's time to full unpack everything concerning the Michigan scandal. Mike Asti talks with Gregg Henson, a radio host in Michigan, to discuss what actually went on, what advantage the Wolverines may have had, how it was all handled by the Big Ten and Jim Harbaugh's future.
Mike also gets Gregg to offer his take on James Franklin, and he gives a take Penn State fans might be surprised to hear.
With only two games left in the regular season, Neal Brown is facing pressure to finish 2023 strong. Mike Asti talked to Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ about what the loss to Oklahoma says about the West Virginia program and what the Mountaineers need to do to generate hope for the future.
They also get into West Virginia native Jimbo Fisher being fired by Texas A&M and the speculation about if he would ever coach WVU.
On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti covered the most polarizing topics in Pittsburgh sports toady. To do this, he welcomed media colleague KDAKA's Josh Taylor.
Mike and Josh discussed how Kenny Pickett should be viewed and evaluated at this point in his career, if Matt Canada has improved and should stay with Pickett long term and what's going on with George Pickens.
Towards the end of the show, they also give their thoughts on if the Penguins still have an open window to win another Stanley Cup with this core and explain how Erik Karlsson should be used.
Did the Mountaineers play their most complete game of the season against UCF? Mike Asti thinks so and discussed what that win did for the spirits of this WVU team as they head into another important matchup this week.
Asti appeared on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel to talk how did it in Florida and what they need to keep doing to beat BYU. The conversation also moved to what finishing strong this season could mean for Neal Brown and the future of the West Virginia program.
Can WVU rebound from such a devastating loss? As he does every week, Mike Asti joined Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ to talk about what coaches and players are saying happened in Houston and what to expect out of the matchup with Oklahoma State.
0:00 to 8:52 - Difference in Oklahoma State now compared to earlier in the season.
8:52 to 13:40 - Why this is a must-win game for West Virginia.
13:40 to - 19:10 What happened to WVU defense against Houston?
19:10 to - 20:50 - Health status check in for the Mountaineers.
20:50 to - 20:12 WVU's running game needs to get back on track.
WVU is on a bye week, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about. As he does every week, Mike Asti joined Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ to discuss several topics that followed the big win over TCU.
Does West Virginia deserve to be ranked? What will they need to do to get in the top 25? Will the bye week be able to serve as a chance for the Mountaineers to get healthy? Why is Neal Brown upset about the timing of the bye week?
Mike and Alex go over all of that and more with a matchup with Houston on deck for WVU next Thursday.
College football fans will never stop debating rankings, but how legitimate are the rankings people argue over?
Well, on this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti was joined by someone who has been putting a lot of energy into trying to crowing a true 2023 champion without worrying about the past or any preconceived notions. Kelley Ford of KFordRatings.com explained what goes into his ratings that become his rankings.
How much does his current top 25 different from the Coaches Poll or Associated Press? Why is a quality win different from a ranked win? Agree or disagree, Ford has put in the work.
This conversation with Kelley Ford was made possible thanks to TheLines.com.
Fresh off another win for WVU, Mike Asti was back on WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel to talk how the Mountaineers are doing this and what a victory over TCU could mean for the program.
What's triggered this effort from the defense? Can West Virginia keep winning this gritty way? Will another big win prove the Mountaineers are actually legit contenders in the Big 12?
After conquering adversity and winning the Backyard Brawl over Pitt, the plan for WVU football has to be to keep winning as much as possible the rest of the season.
WV Sports Now's Mike Asti talked to Alex Wiederspiel on WKMZ about if West Virginia can avoid a let down against Texas Tech and why the Red Raiders have owned the Mountaineers throughout Neal Brown's tenure.
A rivalry as big as the Backyard Brawl extends beyond just the region. This meant Mike Asti appeared on Sirius XM’s Big 12 Today show to preview the game.
Asti put the matchup into perspective, emphasized how much WVU and Neal Brown need the win and talked some key players to watch out for on Saturday night.
To continue the complete Sports Now coverage of the 106th edition of the Backyard Brawl, Mike Asti and Karl Ludwig got together to preview the game and discuss the storylines entering this particular matchup.
Asti and Ludwig talked about what this year's game means to both Pitt and West Virginia, argued about when this rivalry game should be played and then broke down the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
This was a fun conversation from start to finish. Lindsay Rhodes, who many may know from NFL Network and now a host on Sirius XM Fantasy, joined Mike Drop to cover several key NFL topics as the season gets underway.
Rhodes and host Mike Asti talked Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris, Saquon Barkley, the reality of the value of running backs and they even tried to do the unthinkable - dive into the mind of Aaron Rodgers.
There's plenty more on this show that also offers tips for fantasy owners everywhere.
West Virginia and Penn State might be two programs in different current situations, but they are also two programs with long histories meeting for the first time in three decades to ignite the 2023 season.
Mike Asti and Joe Smeltzer break down the Mountaineers and Nittany Lions and how they see the game playing out. What will have to happen for WVU to do the unthinkable? How much pressure is on Penn State to make a statement in week 1?
Does WVU really stand a chance against Penn State? That was the theme of the conversation when WVSN's Mike Asti joined Cory Giger on his Sports Central show.
Giger asked Mike about the markup of the West Virginia defense, what Neal Brown's strategy will be on offense and what the vibes have been like from the West Virginia perspective heading into this big season opening game and a very important season for the future of the program.
As part of a preview of the Big 12 on the “Big 12 This Morning” show for Sirius XM’s college football programming, WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti talked the WVU football season, the pressure on Neal Brown and what needs to happen for West Virginia to have a successful year.
Expect to hear about which players will make an impact, who are the possible unsung heroes and if WVU actually has a new rival coming to the conference.
Can the Mountaineers exceed the low expectations for this year’s WVU football team from around the country? What style of offense will Neal Brown run in 2023? Who will be some of the impact players on both offense and defense?
WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti answers all of those questions and so much more while appearing on WKMZ to preview the upcoming West Virginia season with Alex Wiederspiel.
There's no current topic in sports as polarizing as conference realignment. To fully dissect every angle of the ever-changing landscape in college football and beyond, Mike Asti welcomed Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports on this episode of Mike Drop.
They gave their opinions, talked how we got here, possibilities for the future and if this is all good or bad for the game.
Since everyone is debating the value of running backs in the NFL, Mike Asti talked to a former star in an honest discussion about the perception of the position.
On this episode of Mike Drop, Asti was joined by former NFL Pro Bowl running back Ahman Green. The Green Bay Packers great offered his thoughts on Saquon Barkley agreeing to a one-year deal, why NFL owners are hesitant to give big deals to running backs when that was not the case in the past, what's changed from when he played to now and so much more.
Green even revealed what was said to him by a Packers staff member after he watched his old teammates win a Super Bowl without him and how different he thinks his career would've been if he stayed in Green Bay.
Devin Carter is West Virginia's new number one wide receiver, but will he be a good one?
Mike Asti talks with Ethan McDowell of the Wolfpacker and On3.com to learn more about Carter's time at North Carolina State. Ethan explained why Carter was never able to put up big numbers, what was expected of him at N.C. State, what happened last season and what he feels Carter needs to work on to get to the NFL.
They also briefly touch on the bizarre nature of Carter's exit from the Wolfpack.
The ongoing battle between Bob Huggins and WVU is being discussed all over the country and it garnered another appearance for Mike Asti on Sirius XM's college sports channel.
Asti offered his insight about where things stand, how they got so bad and what a resolution may look like.
As the WVU football season inches closer to kickoff, WV Sports Now's Mike Asti was asked to appear on a radio station looking to preview 70 of the top brands in the country.
Asti joined host Trevor Maeder of KMA (99.1 FM, 960 AM) in Shenandoah, Iowa to talk West Virginia and provide his thoughts and insight about what he realistically expects from the Mountaineers in 2023.
The conversation also then moved to the prediction for the Bi 12 champion and the future of the WVU program if it does move on from head coach Neal Brown.
It's no secret 2023 is a make or break year for Neal Brown at WVU. With that being the case, Mike Asti was joined by Brown to discuss the past, present and future of the West Virginia program.
Does Brown have any regrets? What would he have done differently? How does he view his current team? Why should fans trust the climb? The Backyard Brawl, the QB battle, his relationship with AD Wren Baker, recruiting and so much more as Asti talks with Brown in this one-on-one interview.
In the wake of Bob Huggins resigning after being arrested for another DUI, Mike Asti appeared on WKMZ 103.3 in Clarksburg with Alex Wiederspiel. The conversation focused on Huggin's legacy and where the WVU basketball program goes from here.
There's a lot to like about Pitt's 2024 recruiting class. Mike Asti, Mike Vukovcan and Karl Ludwig are here to talk about it all.
What's allowed Pitt to improve gain so many commitments already, currently standing as more than any other program? Who are some of the key players locked in? What work still needs to be done and which members of the Pitt staff should receive the most credit?
After a period of uncertainty, the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise has a new direction.
On this episode of Mike Drop, host Mike Asti talks with long time Penguins reporter Rob Rossi of the Athletic about the end of the Brian Burke-Ron Hextall era, why the Penguins love Kyle Dubas so much and what led Pittsburgh to their new President of Hockey Operations.
The college football season is months away, but the anticipation and hype around it is already here.
To that end, Mike Asti was joined by Eric Froton of NBC Sports on the latest episode of Mike Drop to discuss some recent talking points like Pat Narduzzi calling out Deion Sanders for how he's using the Transfer Portal and play an over/under game with the win total projections for West Virginia, Pitt and Penn State.
To follow up his coverage, Mike Asti appeared on 103.3 WKMZ with Alex Wiederspiel to discuss how a WVU donor is reacting to Bob Huggins staying on as head coach of the Mountaineers and share his views about how the situation was handled.
The decision has been made and Bob Huggins will remain West Virginia's head coach. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the case.
Mike Asti and Ethan Bock discuss what Huggins said, how they truly feel about it and how this situation was handled by WVU.
Every episode of Mike Drop can be heard on the Bleav Network and on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn and anywhere you can hear podcasts.
Why does everyone love the Steelers 2023 draft so much? Mike Asti brings on his colleague Nick Farabaugh on this NFL Draft recap edition of Mike Drop on the Bleav Network.
Nick explains why there will be some growing pains with Broderick Jones, why the Steelers couldn't resist Joey Porter Jr. once he slid to the second round and the value of the rest of the draft picks. Why was Omar Kahn so aggressive? What player has the greatest bust potential?
Would Nick buy on Porter's Defensive Rookie of the Year odds? They get into everything that unfolded for the Steelers.
You can find every episode of Mike Drop on the Bleav Network and through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn and everywhere else you can get podcasts.
The WVU women's basketball program has moved on from all the drama to find its new head coach, but that doesn't mean there aren't still questions stemming from everything that happened.
Mike Asti is joined by Mitchell Northam to discuss the bizarre nature of Dawn Plitzuweit's departure and what they believe really happened. They then transition to talking about Mark Kellogg and why he's the right fit for the Mountaineers.
The NFL Draft is now weeks away and that means Mike Asti is here to deliver draft talk on his show Mike Drop show what's relevant to the Pittsburgh sports region.
Asti is joined by Shane Hallam, the managing partner and NFL Draft analyst with Draft Countdown, to discuss what the Steelers may do with their first round pick and what they must accomplish in this important draft for the franchise.
Beyond the Steelers, Mike and Shane project where the top prospects out Pitt, West Virginia and Penn State where will be drafted and what type of NFL potential they may have.
After a back and forth season, West Virginia managed to make the NCAA Tournament with now a first round matchup with Maryland ahead on Thursday afternoon.
Mike Asti is joined by friend and colleague George Gerbo, who covers the Terps for the Washington Times, to preview this game and learn about this Maryland team. Mike and George discuss the difference in paths for each of these teams to get to this point and what they expect the keys to the game to be.
With Pitt, West Virginia and Penn State all making it in the 2023 NCAA Men's Tournament, that means every major college site throughout the Sports Now family of networks is represented.
Mike Asti guides George Michalowski, Ethan Bock and Joe Smeltzer through a live reaction show to discuss the seed lines for both WVU and PSU and Pitt having to advance beyond the First Four to reach the true field.
You never can feel too secure on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but Mike Asti and Ethan Bock discuss why West Virginia is now sitting pretty comfortable and all but assured to be part of the madness of March.
They also get into how far the Mountaineers can truly go and which player needs to step up for a deep run to be possible.
Since the Mountaineers are firmly on the bubble, WVSN's Mike Asti appeared on "Big 12 Today" on the college sports side of Sirius XM to discuss what West Virginia needs to do to get into the NCAA Tournament and if they also even deserve to be there.
Asti was also asked to touch on the current outlook for WVU football in the offseason.
On this episode of Mike Drop, host Mike Asti gets the scoop of just how much impact former Mountaineer Joe Mazzulla has really had on the Celtics.
Asti talks with Josue Pavon, who covers the Celtics for CLNS Media, about why the Celtics decided to remove the interim tag from Mazzulla and name him the full-time head coach before the end of the regular season. Why did they not want to wait and evaluate after the playoffs? They also talk how much pressure is now on Mazzulla, how he's changed as a coach throughout the season and what he still can improve upon.
After spending a week and a half in Las Vegas covering the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Pro Bowl, Mike Asti took to his "Mike Drop" show to offer his thoughts about the two WVU players in the Shrine Bowl and Geno Smith's weekend as a Pro Bowler.
Asti touched on why Dante Stills stood out among so many great NFL Draft hopefuls, explained what Bryce Ford-Wheaton encountered that he had never seen before and then talked Smith soaking up the love to cap off a remarkable season as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback.
In the midst of the NFL about to send two teams to the Super Bowl, Mike Asti is back with another edition of Mike Drop to discuss a team that's been home for awhile now - the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Asti welcomes two-time Super Bowl champion and current football analyst with CBS Sports Bryant McFadden to the show to get his evacuation of the 2022 Steelers season and discuss where the franchise should go from here.
Does McFadden believe Kenny Pickett is the real deal? What position does he think the Steelers need to prioritize in the upcoming NFL Draft? Does Brock Purdy's success add any pressure on Pickett? They also talk George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Najee Harris, if his old coach Mike Tomlin got snubbed by not being named a finalist for Coach of the Year and so much more.
Mike Asti took this edition of his Mike Drop podcasts to the fans. Asti conducted a live chat to discuss the latest news around the Pittsburgh sports region.
He offered his thoughts on the Steelers keeping Matt Canada as OC, West Virginia basketball dismissing longtime assistant coach Larry Harrison and then bringing in DerMarr Johnson, the surprising success of Pitt hoops and even if the Penguins can get any better than they've been showing this season.
Download and subscribe to Mike Drop, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn and everywhere you can find podcasts.
Longtime sports agent and author Leigh Steinberg joined Mike Asti to give his thoughts about the Damar Hamlin situation.
Asti and Steinberg compared the scene around what happened to Hamlin to when other players suffered serious injuries during games in the past. Steinberg discussed how he's explained the risk of the game to his clients and the two speculated on how the NFL will handle the schedule now.
Hearing from someone who covers the team is one thing, but on this show Mike Asti is offering Mountaineer Nation a chance to hear from two of WVU's top recruits in the 2023 class.
Asti spoke with Rodney Gallagher and Jahiem White about why they decided to sign with West Virginia, the bond they have with the rest of the class, their view of the program, why they love head coach Neal Brown so much and even their thoughts about the upcoming quarterback battle between Garrett Greene and Nicco Marchiol.
Mike Asti and Mike Vukovcan guide the College Sports Now Network's live Nation Signing Day show, talking with contributors Karl Ludwig of Pittsburgh Sports Now, Ethan Bock of WV Sports Now and Joe Smeltzer of Nittany Sports Now about how each program performed recruiting wise and how it will impact the futures of Pitt, WVU and Penn State.
Are the Steelers actually back in the hunt?
As winning hasn't meant less drama, Mike Asti welcomes colleague Alan Saunders, who covers the Steelers for Steelers Now, on this episode of Mike Drop on the Bleav Network. Alan answers "big deal" or "no deal" about George Picken screaming for the ball, they talk Kenny Pickett's progress, what's been wrong with Diontae Johnson, if Najee Harris can ever legitimize his draft position and if any betters should jump at the new odds for if Pittsburgh will make the playoffs.
West Virginia's new athletic director Wren Baker joined Mike Asti for a chat about what's surprised him about WVU so far, what he feels should be the expectations for the football program each season, how he plans to evaluate Neal Brown, his thoughts on dealing with the transfer portal, NIL, the student section placement at games and so much more.
With so much talk about the state of relationships between the West Virginia athletic department and former notable athletes, this final episode of All Three Phases for the 2022 season gives Mountaineer Nation a chance to hear from a legend about where he feels he stands with the football program and his thoughts on why others might be upset at their school.
Mike Asti asks Rasheed Marshall his opinion of new athletic director Wren Baker so far, the decision to keep Neal Brown as head coach, who should start for WVU at quarterback next season and so much more.
Who is Wren Baker? He's West Virginia's new athletic director, but why is WVU sold him as the right guy to take over the athletic department guide it, in particular the football program, into the future?
Mike Asti spoke with Brett Vito, who serves as the North Texas beat writer for the Denton Record-Chronicle, about Baker's time at North Texas, his career story and how he was able to have so much success and become a rising star in college administration.
In fitting fashion, West Virginia capped off a disappointing season with a rare win over Oklahoma State.
Mike Asti chatted with fans on this final football postgame show. Asti talked what went wrong during the miserable 2022 season and then went into the many questions looming over the future of the program.
Our Mike Asti talked with fans about the latest news in West Virginia football and basketball. Asti touched on the search for a new athletic director, Neal Brown's future, responded to some Bob Huggins criticism from someone in the chat and discussed what's to come the rest of the football season and the basketball season ahead.
What does losing Kenny Minchey mean for the future of the Pitt football program? Mike Asti and Mike Vukovcan tackle that lingering question and talk if Kedon Slovis coming back for next season would be good or bad for the team on the latest episode of the Pitt Stop.
It may not rise to the level of the football rivalry, but the Backyard Brawl also exists on the basketball court.
Mike Asti talks with George Michalowski of Pittsburgh Sports Now and Ethan Bock of WV Sports Now to preview the upcoming game between Pitt and West Virginia and discuss how different both of these teams look this year.
What are the keys to the game from both sides? Why is this rivalry being downplayed basketball wise? All that and more...
Why has West Virginia been so inconsistent? How do you prevent a team from playing down to opponents? These are a couple of the questions Mike Asti asks Rasheed Marshall on the latest edition of the All Three Phases podcast.
Another subject they discuss are the rumors of Rich Rodriguez returning to coach WVU. What are Rasheed's feelings about his former head coach? Does he think Rich Rod back withe Mountaineers would work?
The meat of this particular show is a hypothetical, but an interesting conversation nonetheless.
While football owns the headlines, it's also hockey season in the Pittsburgh area. Mike Asti is joined by Jesse Marshall of The Athletic and McKeens Hockey to dissect the Penguins early season confusion.
Are the real Penguins more the team that was red hot and winning the first week of the season or the team now in the midst of a losing streak? What can be done to fix their issues? Is it insulting that Sidney Crosby is so far down most oddsmakers lists for MVP or does it just signify the end of his era in the NHL? They even talk the polarizing perception of Evgeni Malkin.
With the West Virginia football being talked about nationally, for better or worse, WVSN's Mike Asti was asked to appear on a national show to discuss the future of the program.
Asti joined "Big 12 Today" on the College Sport side of Sirius XM on Wednesday morning. He offered his thoughts on the current vibes among WVU fans, what's gone wrong this season, the status and tenure of head coach Neal Brown and where the program goes from here.
Big 12 talk can be heard on Sirius XM's channel 375.
Mike Asti talked some WVU football, basketball and whatever else was on the mind of Mountaineer Nation on this live edition of Mike Drop.
Why is Bob Huggins so excited about this year's team? Are they getting disrespected nationally based on preseason predictions? How much better do you reasonably expect them to be than last season?
Will the defense keep it up and can they repeat the Baylor game in terms of forcing turnovers? How much of an impact can Charles Woods now have?
The perpetual soap opera that is the Pittsburgh Steelers is the focus of this episode of Mike Drop on the Bleav Network. Host Mike Asti is joined by Neal Coolong, who serves as the managing editor of the USA Today's NFL Wire sites, to discuss and debate the quarterback controversy between Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, if the reported outburst by Diontae Johnson is a big deal and what to make of the spread of the Steelers upcoming matchup with the Dolphins.
As a former Pitt Panther gets ready for one of the biggest games of his life, the current Pitt teams looks to rebound after one of their worst.
On this episode of the Pitt Stop, Mike Asti and Mike Vukovcan talk what happened to Pitt against Georgia Tech and what it now means for the rest of the season. They also welcome in former Pitt linebacker Johnny Petrishen to the show to compare the adversity his team dealt with early last season to what the current group has to endure now. Petrishen also touches on training in Florida during a hurricane and his own NFL future.
Before closing the show, Mike and Mike offer their expectations for the beginning of the Pickett era with the Steelers.
Since West Virginia is in the midst of a bye week and coming off another loss, Mike Asti went live to offer a vent session for fans and discuss the future of the program.
Mike responds to the news of Wisconsin firing Paul Chryst despite a solid resume and a big buyout and asks if that changes anything in regards to Neal Brown's status at WVU. Viewers also throw Graham Harrell's name into the mix, debating if he fits the right mold to be the next head coach in Morgantown.
Since we now have enough data to be able to evaluate the college football season, Mike Asti welcomed Bill Bender of the Sporting News to his Mike Drop show to discuss the current rankings and the outlook for Pitt, WVU and Penn State the rest of the season. Bill also gives his current top 4 and which teams have surprised and disappointed based on what he thought before the season got underway.
This episode of The Pitt Stop is jam packed with Pitt, Steelers, Pirates and even West Virginia talk and includes a guest appearance by Chris Mueller of 93.7 The Fan and Audacy Pittsburgh.
Mike Asti starts out by asking Mike Vukovcan to address his report about the status of Pitt defensive lineman Dayon Hayes, which was then later disputed by head coach Pat Narduzzi. Will Mike retract his report and has his stance shifted?
Once Chris joins Mike and Mike, they all discuss who is most to blame for the Steelers offensive struggles, how much rope should Matt Canada have and then preview Thursday Night Football against the Browns. Chris is even asked about the state of the Pirates.
The show then wraps up with predictions for West Virginia-Virginia Tech and an evaluation of WVU quarterback JT Daniels to this point.
This show was initially offered on WV Sports Now and is now available here on Bleav too.
Curious how a distinguished alum feels about the state of the West Virginia football program? Well, you're in luck because Mike Asti has Rasheed Marshall back for another episode of their "All Three Phases" podcast.
Mike asks Rasheed his advice to the team, how he would handle this type of adversity, his thoughts on the Neal Brown era and if a change is needed and what type of qualities he would want in a head coach at WVU.
Neal Brown said it wasn't good enough, and he was surely right as the Mountaineers lost to Kansas. Mike Asti recaps the miserable night in Morgantown and talks where the programs goes from here.
Do you believe (pun intended) in the Steelers? That may depend on who you ask and what are the answers to some lingering questions this season? Mike Asti talks some Steelers odds and all things quarterback drama on this episode of Mike Drop on the Bleav Network with Noah Strackbein of All Steelers with SI Fan Nation.
It had rowdy fans. It had big plays. It had big mistakes. It had controversy. The 105th edition of the Backyard Brawl had everything. Mike Asti chatted with fans after Pitt's 38-31 win. He discussed the controversy of the no catch at the end, evaluated both Kedon Slovis and JT Daniels, talked who won the battle of the trenches and where both of these teams go from here.
It's a new era for media personality Mike Asti's show Mike Drop, making its debut as part of the Bleav Network. Yahoo Sports NFL analyst and former player Tank Williams joins Mike to talk Steelers and discuss the current odds set for team MVP, if Mike Tomlin's team will make the playoffs and an over/under win total.
They bring up some sleeper players and Tank warns Mike about slurping too much of the Kool-Aid on enticing odds about the AFC North division.
Pitt and WVU fans are jawing back and forth with the rebirth of the Backyard Brawl fast approaching, and that's not only great for both programs, but it's great for college football as a whole.
On this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti talks to every fan and explains why the Backyard Brawl needs to happen every year, especially in the midst of a conference chaos landscape that's all about money.
Mike Asti discusses what messages Neal Brown is sending with his initial preseason depth chart and what position battles actually exist before the Mountaineers kickoff a new season against Pitt.
Since there's so much debate about where West Virginia stands as a program, Mike Asti welcomed national recruiting analyst Mike Ferrell on to offer his insight on how attractive WVU is in the overall landscape of college football and what the Mountaineers need to do to make sure the program is taken care of in the midst of conference realignment.
With West Virginia fans busy debating the future of the program, it's been common for conversations to wonder to the hypothetical. One hypothetical scenario some are discussing has Mike Asti very confused. There are fans who seem to want WVU to eventually end up in the SEC.
Asti offers one big "Mike Drop" in response to that opinion, explaining why the Mountaineers in the SEC would NOT be in the best interest of the program.
Since calling this off-season for Neal Brown and West Virginia football a roller coaster would be an understatement, Mike Asti wanted to evaluate and analyze where the program currently stands.
Asti was joined by WVSN's Logan Carney to give their letter overall letter grades to this point, discuss what the expectations should be for this coming season and what the future of the team may look like.
Who better to react to what Mike Tomlin recently said to Ryan Clark on The Pivot than one of Clark's former Steelers teammates who also played under Tomlin? Host Mike Asti welcomed two-time Super Bowl champion, football analyst with CBS Sports and co-host of the "All Things Covered" podcast Bryant McFadden on this episode of Mike Drop.
Bryant told Mike what surprised him the most about what Tomlin said on the show and also gave his thoughts on Antonio Brown, the Brian Flores hiring and if there's any validity to his claims, what type of punishment Deshaun Watson deserves, how he feels about the outlook of this Steelers team and if Dionate Johnson deserves big money.
It's no surprise Neal Brown is under pressure to turn things around at West Virginia, but on this episode of Mike Drop, Mike Asti goes one step further and details why Brown must be fired if signs of improvement are not evident.
It's pretty clear where Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool best fit for the Steelers offense, says Mike Asti on this edition of Mike Drop. Asti details why Johnson belongs on the outside and Claypool makes sense in the slot.
The NFL needs to have seen enough and heard enough when it comes to Deshaun Watson, says Mike Asti in an epic rant about how the NFL should handle the accused Cleveland Browns quarterback, especially after Rusty Hardin's recent comments in an attempt to defend his client.
To no surprise, the news of Stephon Tuitt deciding to retire sparked a strong reaction from Steelers Nation and beyond. Mike Asti responds to that reaction and then chats with fans about how the Steelers should now move on.
Diontae Johnson skipping OTAs is not a big deal, but he will be under tons of pressure this season, says Mike Asti on this episode of Mike Drop.
Why is Johnson under pressure besides just needing to perform to warrant a bigger contract?
Now that the new era of the Steelers front office is clear, Mike Asti gives his initial reaction to the combination of Omar Khan and Andy Weidl.
It is possible to criticize the Steelers taking a running back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and have that not be an indictment of Najee Harris as a player, says Mike Asti.
Mike defends Harris against Pro Football Focus and then explains why Nick Saban is right, but the wrong guy to be mad at the state of college football.
There's only one logical thing to do right after an NFL schedule is unveiled - offer an extremely early reaction and season preview.
Steelers Now's Mike Asti and Nick Farabauh break down the Steelers schedule, debate if the tough stretch to open the season will impact the quarterback battle, analyze the biggest games of the year and give some bold predictions for what they believe will happen.
To fully complete his coverage of the 2022 NFL Draft, Mike Asti dissects the Steelers draft class and offers his evaluation and grade of Pittsburgh's picks, even though he admits it always takes time to truly know if a draft pick was worth it.
Since the move could completely change the immediate future of the West Virginia football program, Mike Asti tackled every aspect of the impact of Neal Brown adding quarterback JT Daniels. Mike even responded to those WVU fans who don't seem to be appreciating the move.
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, Steelers Now's Mike Asti was asked to give the Steelers pick in a media mock draft. Mike appeared on The Fan Upstate, which is an Audacy station in Greenville, South Carolina.
Based on the board in front of him and feeling as if the Steelers could not pass up the opportunity, Mike selected Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett with the 20th pick of the first round. Mike detailed his reasoning and also discussed the current state of affairs of a franchise still grieving the loss of Dwayne Haskins.
The NFL gave into the backlash and complaining from fans, but Mike Asti drops this edition of Mike Drop to explain why the league did not need to, and should not have, changed the overtime rules for the playoffs.
Spring may be in the air and the madness may be upon us, but that hasn't sopped the NFL news from slowing down by any means.
Mike Asti engages with fans and subscribers to evaluate the Steelers offseason to this point, most notably signing Mitch Trubisy and the departure of fan favorite Juju Smith-Schuster. Mike even touches on the controversy surrounding the rival Browns addition of Deshaun Watson.
Due to some the breaking news of Mike Tomlin adding Brian Flores to his staff, Mike Asti fired up an impromptu live chat to offer his instant reaction and chat along with fans about the news and other NFL related topics.
Mike Asti argues why a ring would make Aaron Donald the greatest Pitt product player in NFL history. Asti goes over why Donald is building a legacy that surpasses Ditka, Marino, Fitzgerald and Dorsett’s.
Since two of the most controversial and polarizing players in baseball history are in their final year on the ballot, Mike Asti and Cody Potanko just had to offer a show previewing this year's Baseball Hall of Fame results.
They discuss the final ballot fates of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens while also debating what should happen with the rest of the ballot. Mike and Cody offer their opinions, try to make sense of the hypocrisy of the voters and dissect which players deserve to be enshrined, including some not getting nearly enough support.
Pitt is not the only program capping off a special season in the Peach Bowl, Michigan State is too.
Mike Asti was joined by Detroit sports personality (and former Pittsburgh sports reporter) Justin Rose to get the Michigan State perspective heading into the January first showdown between the Panthers and Spartans.
Will Kenny Pickett or Kenneth Walker be a bigger loss for their respective team? Can Michigan State's defense handle Pitt's offensive attack, even without Pickett? Which program needs this win more?
James Franklin's team may not have had the season they hoped for, but they do have a chance to show they can be better one final time with this group.
With Penn State set to face Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, Mike Asti welcomes Jourdan Black of 40/29 News in Northwest Arkansas to give Nittany Lions fans some background about Arkansas, preview the matchup and discuss where both programs are headed next year and beyond.
West Virginia has one game left before officially capping off their roller coaster 2021 season - the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Minnesota.
Mike Asti is joined by Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press to preview the game, get the opposing perspective, compare the state of both programs and talk the keys to the Mountaineers winning back-to-back bowl games.
Much like Pitt, not many expected Wake Forest to be playing for the ACC championship before the season.
Mike Asti talks with Les Johns, who covers Wake Forest as publisher of the Demon Deacon Digest as part of 24/7 Sports, to preview the ACC Championship Game and discuss the contrasting paths that led both Pitt and Wake Forest to this point. They touch on the keys to the game and Les answers if he feels the Deacons defense can handle Kenny Pickett and the Panthers offense.
Saying Kenny Pickett has been great for Pitt this season is an understatement at this point. Pickett has developed into an elite college quarterback with a legendary Pitt legacy.
With all that said, Mike Asti focuses on Pickett's true NFL potential since college success doesn't guarantee success at the next level. To have that discussion on this edition of Mic Drop, Mike was joined by Draft Countdown's Shane Hallam. Shane offers his evaluation of Pickett and what he believes is the Pitt all-time great's ceiling in the National Football League.
Mike Asti electrifies this edition of Mic Drop with guest former NFL All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman.
The Chargers great tells Mike when he knew Justin Herbert would be a star, his experiences playing against Ben Roethlisberger, the impact a linebacker like LA's Joey Bosa or Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt can have on a game and if he has any regrets from his playing days.
Did losing trust in West Virginia's climb cause a 4-star recruit to de-commit? That's the main question host Mike Asti asked WVSN's Karl Ludwig about shocking news of Kevin "KJ" Thomas announcing he is no longer committing to WVU.
What kind of hit is this for Neal Brown and the future of the program? Could this lead to other recruits also deciding to offer their services to another school? How much of an impact has WVU's poor season had on keeping the upcoming recruiting class intact? How much pressure does this now put on Brown? Mike and Karl attempts to answer those questions and more.
With a Backyard Brawl taking place on the court, it's only fitting Mike Asti delivered a broadcast version.
Mike was joined by Pittsburgh Sports Now's George Michalowski and WV Sports Now's Ethan Bock to talk about what the importance of the rivalry to both programs and why it may not mean as much as in the past. They both offer their realistic expectations for both Pitt and West Virginia, two teams many feel are headed in two completely different directions.
Can geography be enough to make a rivalry? Mike Asti says no when he explains why the West Virginia and Maryland matchup is not a true rivalry. Asti covers the lack of a big game, big moment and any bad blood between the two schools on this edition of Mic Drop.
Mike Asti welcomes former Pitt All-American, former NFL player and media colleague Dorin Dickerson on the show to have a serious discussion about racism and the NFL. Dorin tells Mike his thoughts on how he would've handled being a teammate of someone he believed to be racist, if Colin Kaepernick should be back in the NFL and what the league can do to truly make an impact.
Despite some wanting to use the excuse of the Steelers offensive line as why quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was struggling to start the season, Mike Asti explains why it’s time to just face some harsh facts about the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Mike gives his thoughts on if it's even possible for this version of Roethlisberger to overcome this offensive line.