Big (or Little) Ben

Summer Vacation...

2009-07-27T11:20:00.006-04:00

Obviously we've been a little lackadaisical around here lately. That's because it's summer, and there's plenty of exciting things to do, other than post on a blog. I know there's plenty of things to talk about, such as Pirates baseball and the arrival of the Steelers in town later this week, not to mention a huge bombshell of a story about a certain Pittsburgh sports figure with a blog named after him who's made some scandalous headlines over the past week. But like I said, it's summer, and we're all way too preoccupied. I'm busy finishing up my baseball coaching duties, 6th Ward is pouting because he can't drink for another two months, BGK is too wrapped up in micromanaging his fantasy baseball team, ACornedUp is working hard at being unemployed and PWHallstrom is drinking and crying alone on his back porch every night. But don't worry, with the weather soon to turn and nothing better to do, we'll return triumphantly and better than ever. So stay tuned and be patient, and thanks again.

Cry Me A River(s), Bitch.

2009-07-15T14:33:00.004-04:00

If this blog was in existence last fall, I guarantee I would have written at least 25 posts dedicated to the waste of space that is San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. I absolutely LOATHE that guy. He's an overrated no-talent self-righteous fuckface who thinks his shit doesn't stink. When checking my Yahoo! email account at lunch today, it brought me great joy that the main news piece was a video showing Rivers getting schooled by a high school quarterback at one of his camps. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than to see the talking heads on the local news show having a laugh at Rivers' expense. If Rivers had any swag at all, he would have pulled a LeBron and had the tape destroyed, but since we all know that he's worthless, the video has thankfully seen the light of day.

Dumbest Show Ever

2009-07-13T18:51:00.003-04:00

Its been quite some time since I have blogged and kudos to Tom for continuing the fight. Just got done watching a segment on ESPN and they ended it with Colin Cowherd and a super hot Michelle Beadle, which is about all she has going for her. These two have the single most dumb ass show I have ever seen in my entire life, its called SportsNation. If you haven't seen it don't waste the time to check it out because you will want to kill yourself by the time its over. Anyway on Sportscenter the question was asked do you think you could hit a home run in the MLB Hr derby with an aluminum bat? These two ass clowns acted like it was the most preposterous question ever asked. Colin said he thought everyone who answered yes to this question are the same people who were a tweaked hammy, bum shoulder, or a coach didn't like me away from making it big. Listen I am by no stretch of the means even close to being a professional athlete however, to hit a baseball 315-330 feet is not a Herculean task. I have seen 13-15 year olds do it and I myself have done it in my younger days. He suggested that the only ones who could possibly do this would be college baseball players from the SEC or along those lines of athlete. I'd be willing to bet that I know 5 people who could right now hit a baseball out of PNC park with an aluminum bat that never played in Division I baseball or minor leagues. This is what pisses me off about sports radio personality's, most of these guys think that they know everything there is to know about everything. If you ever listened to THE HERD on ESPN 1250 you would understand what I mean. Colin Cowherd is the most condescending arrogant prick you could ever listen to. After about ten minutes you want to put your fist though the radio. This guy is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me and it completely blows my mind that ESPN would give this schmuck another show when the one he is on already blows. Fifty one percent of the viewers of this dumb ass show said yes they could do it, and I'd be willing to bet that 25% of that 51% could hit a ball out of a major league stadium with an aluminum bat. One more thing before I go, I am going to set the over/under on how long SportsNation lasts at 6 weeks. Any takers? Comment please.....I want to here from the people.

RIP Air McNair

2009-07-06T13:21:00.004-04:00

Another famous figure died way too soon this weekend, as former All-Pro NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found dead this weekend, a victim of what looks to be a murder-suicide. McNair was found in his Nashville condo, shot four times and laying next to his alleged girlfriend, who was also found dead with a single gunshot would to her head.

It's another tragic story in the world of sports. Many have spoken out over the past few days about McNair's immense contributions, not just on the football field but in society as well. McNair funded many youth football camps and was extremely active in the community. Many young football players such as Vince Young looked to him as a father figure, and McNair happily obliged to help them in any way he could. Yet with all his accomplishments, McNair is coming under fire for his extramarital affair which unfortunately looks to have caused his untimely demise. While I don't agree with McNair's choice to (allegedly) cheat on his wife, that still does not take away from the fact that his four young boys are now without a father. It goes back to my earlier post on why we, as a society, should not use athletes as role models. These people are human, just like any of us, and make mistakes, just like any of us. The same people who judge him as an adulterer probably have done the same things in their own lives, or even worse. Athletes are under intense media scrutiny, and most of them are surrounded by large amounts of money and outside pressure, a situation many of them never experienced growing up. Sometimes being exposed to this can cause a person to do things that a normal, moral person would never think to do. So before anyone can judge McNair or any other public figure for their discretions, think about what you might do if you were in their position. Once again, I do not condone what McNair has done, and I was never a McNair fan when he played (playing for two of the Steelers' main rivals didn't help his cause) but I do think that Steve McNair and his family deserve better than to be raked over the coals in their time of grief.

Burning a Hole in My Pocket...

2009-07-06T12:44:00.005-04:00

A look into what the Pittsburgh Penguins organization accomplished through the first weekend of NHL free agency...

Losses: D Rob Scuderi, D Hal Gill, F Jeff Taffe, F Chris Minard, G Mathieu Garon

Additions: D Chris Lee, D Nate Guenin, F Chris Connor, F Mike Rupp

The Pens went into free agency knowing that they had little money to spend, and a number of key components to resign. They succeeded in keeping Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko and Craig Adams, signing the trio to less-than-market value. Unfortunately they couldn't compete with the outside offers extended to Gill and Scuderi, losing them to Montreal and Los Angeles, respectively. While losing two of their top-six defensemen is a substantial hit to the structure of the team, GM Ray Shero still has plenty of options. Alex Goligoski is ready to contribute this season, proving himself in his extended stint in the 'Burgh earlier this season. Shero also has around $3 million left under the cap to throw at a veteran stay-at-home D-man. Losing Garon is no big deal, he barely sniffed the ice and John Curry is more than ready to hold down the relief goaltender role behind MAF. Connor, Guenin and Lee are journeyman AHLers, signed to add depth especially after the losses of minor-league all stars Taffe and Minard.

There's no hiding the fact that the start of the free agency signing period is an exciting time. Every fan likes to see his team being proactive in the market, but a flurry of activity is not always a good sign. Teams like Montreal, New York and Calgary continue to offer headline-worthy deals (as they do every year) but that doesn't always constitute success on the ice. Year after year the same teams "win" in free agency but lose when it counts the most. It's good to build a solid team through the draft and smart signings, play the first half of the season, then fix your holes through trades at the deadline. Teams like Detroit and Pittsburgh seem to adhere to this model, and their recent success proves this. These teams rarely make a big-name addition through free agency and instead sign depth players to build a solid nucleus, then adding that big-ticket name at a substantially lower cap hit at the deadline. In the past two years, the Pens have signed depth guys like Satan, Sykora, Fedotenko, and Cooke, and traded for big-ticket stars like Hossa, Guerin and Kunitz. Detroit, while the Hossa signing was big (but for only a one year, salary cap-friendly offer) they've only signed guys like Ville Leino from Finland and instead used the trade market for quality guys like Brad Stuart.

You would think teams like the Rangers would look at this model and try to emulate it in some way. Instead, they resort to their old freewheeling spending ways, make a "splash" in free agency and thus continue to spin their wheels in terms of success on the ice. I know it's exciting to sign guys like Drury, Gomez and Gaborik, but when guys like these are making comparably the same amount of money per year as Crosby and Malkin, it's doesn't add up.

Being Ian

2009-07-02T11:18:00.005-04:00

You think Jack Wilson has it hard seeing all his buddies being traded away? Well, he isn't the only Pirates player who's been on an emotional roller coaster this season. Just ask Ian Snell...

Every Pirate fan knows his story. Million dollar arm, ten cent head. He has the tools needed to be a productive Major League pitcher and has shown flashes of it in the past. What he lacks is the mental capacity to handle the ups-and-downs Major Leaguers encounter on a daily basis. He volunteered to demote himself to AAA Indianapolis a week ago, hoping a change of scenery would let him clear his head and start over. He did just that in his first start, fanning 17 Toledo Mud Hens in a 2-1 victory.

When interviewed by the local media, Snell opened up and painted a picture of his recent struggles. Nobody expected this bombshell...

"Sometimes people do stupid stuff and I had to fight it, not to do something stupid and take my life for myself and from my family and my parents..."

That doesn't sound good. That sounds like someone struggling with a severe bout of depression. Many people, including the author of the story, took this as being a thinly-veiled admission of suicidal thoughts. The P-G's Dejan Kovacevic does his best to put out the fire...

"As someone who knows Snell a lot better than any Indianapolis TV person, I can tell you he talks in dramatic terms quite a bit, including saying things like that. Not that anyone should ever lightly dismiss such a topic, but this looks out of context to me. I have spoken with Snell a couple times this week. He sounds fine."

Ian Snell is a very emotional guy. He's definitely upset with himself and as he's shown in the past, he lets his emotions get to him. For his sake, I hope he learns how to cope with these emotions, as that seems to be the #1 hindrance to a productive Major League career. As for the "suicide admission" it's nothing more than a candid guy making a comment for effect, or at least for his sake I hope that's what it is.

The American Dream

2009-07-02T09:45:00.009-04:00

In honor of the upcoming birthday of our fine nation, let's take a look at the possible roster for the 2010 Winter Olympic USA Hockey team...

Among those invited to the US Hockey training camp:

Forwards: David Backes, David Booth, Dustin Brown, Dustin Byfuglien, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, Jamie Langenbrunner, Ryan Malone, Mike Modano, Kyle Okposo, T.J. Oshie, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Bobby Ryan, Paul Stastny

It's out with the old, in with the new for the U.S. squad. Old staples such as Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight, Jason Blake, Brian Gionta and Brian Rolston have been shown the door, opening up opportunities for young up-and-comers like Okposo, Pavelski, Ryan and Byfuglien. Leadership won't be a problem with guys like Modano, Langenbrunner and Drury around, they've been through the grind and while they won't bring the production of guys like Kessel, Kane and Parise, they'll be counted on to guide the youngsters. Also nice to see local product Ryan Malone getting a shot to represent his country. Notable ommissions: Jason Pominville, Drew Stafford, Blake Wheeler, David Legwand, Patrick O'Sullivan, R.J. Umberger, Peter Mueller, Lee Stempniak, Erik Cole, Matt Cullen, Tim Connolly

Defensemen: Tom Gilbert, Tim Gleason, Ron Hainsey, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Mike Komisarek, Paul Martin, Brooks Orpik, Brian Rafalski, Rob Scuderi, Ryan Suter, Ryan Whitney

The U.S. has a glut of young, physical d-men. Guys like the Johnson's, Orpik and Komisarek aren't afraid to throw their body around. Rafalski, Whitney and Hainsey are solid puck-movers who will run the power play. Suter brings the pedigree (his dad Bob was on the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, and his uncle Gary was a long-time NHL standout.) Notable ommissions: Keith Ballard, John-Michael Liles, Joe Corvo, Matt Niskanen, Matt Carle

Goaltenders: Tim Thomas, Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick

Hard to argue with these choices. Thomas was one of the best, if not the best, goaltender in the NHL this past season. Miller is another standout with international experience. Quick is young and will benefit from the higher level of competition. Rick DiPietro, a past staple on the U.S. squad, is still recovering from his latest injuries and will not take part. Notable ommission: Ty Conklin

It's refreshing to see the U.S. "retire" some of the graybeards and usher in the fresher American-born talent. It's gonna make for a flashier version of U.S. Hockey, and give Americans a more exciting team to root for in Turin.

The Most Hated Man in Hockey...

2009-07-01T13:54:00.006-04:00

Nobody pisses off more people that this guy.

Word on the street is that Marian Hossa will sign a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks today, a deal supposedly worth $62 million over 12 years (not coincidentally, the Hawks also signed former Wing Tomas Kopecky, Hossa's butt buddy from Slovakia and the main guy behind bringing Hossa to Detroit.) I guess he didn't enjoy playing with the Red Wings enough to take their last offer of $4 million a year for ten years, which is a far cry from the $7 million plus a year he was offered last year by the Oilers and Penguins.

If I could have a "Being John Malkovich" moment here and crawl inside Hossa's brain, I would probably see a guy taking a long term contract with an up-and-coming young team. Sound familiar? It's the same type of offer Hossa balked at last summer with the Pens, instead bolting for the one year deal given to him by the Red Wings. Did he learn his lesson? Definitely, and the hard way at that. If Hossa had just taken the Pens' deal last year, he would have made more money, had a legitimate chance to lift the Cup for years to come, and spare himself the humiliation of this past playoff choke job.

It seems that Hossa has a penchant for pissing off people. In Ottawa, he earned the nickname "Maid Marian" for his repeated playoff failures. In Atlanta, he could only lead the Thrashers to one playoff appearance, a four game first round exit. In Pittsburgh, his arrival brought the departure of fan favorite Colby Armstrong, and then he stuck a knife in the back of the Pittsburgh hockey community by burning the Pens and signing with the team that just defeated them a month earlier. In Detroit, he virtually disappeared in the playoffs after a 40+ goal regular season, and earned the ire of Wings fans for his no-show performance against his former team in the Finals. Now, he signs a contract with the Wings' main rival, guaranteeing at least six games a year for the next 12 years against Detroit and their unforgiving fanbase.

So what's next? It's clear that Hossa is a world-class talent, and added to a team already loaded with young stars can only make the Blackhawks better. But in the salary-cap era, Hossa's deal takes a large chunk of money that will need to go to Chicago's other soon-to-be free agent stars such as Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, etc. I can all but guarantee that Chicago fans will turn on Hossa soon enough, especially if the Hawks can't resign a key young star because of his contract.

Let's Make A Deal...

2009-07-01T10:20:00.009-04:00

Did someone play a practical joke on Buccos' GM Neal Huntington and set his personal calendar a month ahead? Did someone tell him MLB moved the trade deadline back a month? Huntington treated the last day of June as if it was the last day of July, making two trades and once again altering the Bucs' major league roster in order to acquire more depth in the minors. His first deal of the day...

Pirates trade UTIL Eric Hinske to the Yankees for RHP Casey Erickson and OF/C Eric Fryer

What is there to say about this trade? It's really just a minor deal for both squads, the Pirates unload a bench player, freeing up more AB's for young guys like Delwyn Young and Brandon Moss, and pick up two "bodies" for their system. Neither Erickson or Fryer are top prospects, just a few more guys to add to the rebuilding process. And Hinske gets a chance to not only play for every team in the AL East (four down, Baltimore to go) but if the Evil Empire somehow returns to the World Series this year, he will have the distinction of playing in the Fall Classic three years in a row for three different teams. Good luck with that one.

Pirates trade OF Nyjer Morgan and LHP Sean Burnett for OF Lastings Milledge and RHP Joel Hanrahan

The Pirates have traded four, count 'em, FOUR starting outfielders in less than a year. Now that's impressive. But once again, I agree with what Neal is trying to do. He traded a 28 (29 tomorrow) year old outfielder who is barely three months into his first season as a starter. While Nyjer has been productive as a speed/defensive minded guy, the Bucs already have a guy like that (McCutchen) who's seven years younger and hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential. Now you can't replace Nyjer's fun-loving clubhouse presence, he was a team and fan favorite, but when you're on pace for a seventeenth-straight losing season, you need to add talent, even if it's at the cost of character. Speaking of character, Lastings Milledge has had questions about his over the past few years. What you can't question is his talent and potential. Milledge is a five-tool player, some have compared his skill set to that of Buccos prospect Jose Tabata, and if Milledge can stay on the straight and narrow, the sky's the limit for him. Joel Hanrahan is another interesting piece added in this deal, he's got a live arm, and pitched in the WBC this past spring (which probably explains his 7+ ERA so far this season, just ask Chien Ming Wang, Dice-K, Ian Snell, etc.) The Bucs also parted ways with Burnett, one of the only recent first round picks to actually contribute in the majors. I'm a fan of Burnett's, but you gotta give up quality to receive it in return.

Once again, I'm on board with what the Buccos brass are trying to do. It's a commitment to rebuilding that Pirate fans can actually believe. And it's only the beginning. While it might be hard to say goodbye to guys like Morgan, McLouth, and soon possibly Wilson and Sanchez, it's the right thing to do. If the Pirates are committed to youth, then the old guard has to go. It's time to turn the page and see what these kids can do.

Welcome Back...

2009-06-22T10:30:00.004-04:00

Wow...it's been a week since the last update...the longest dry spell of this blog's short life...it's summer, I'm busy coaching baseball and planning a wedding, 6th Ward is busy trying to convince us he's straight, and BGK is struggling with pulling the trigger on numerous fantasy baseball trades (I don't blame him, he's beating the pants off everyone, why mess with success?) A few quick hits...

-The Pens won the Stanley Cup.

-The Steelers will be in Latrobe in just over a month.

-The Pirates just got swept by the guy they swept out of town two years ago, and are at a season-worst eight games under the elusive .500 mark.

Good enough for now. It's a slow time for sports, unless you enjoy Pirates' trade rumors (which I do) or following the NBA Draft (which I don't.) The creative juices are flowing...

All You Need to Know...

2009-06-15T11:26:00.009-04:00

No words are necessary...

Thank you Pittsburgh Penguins.
2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

The Final Chapter...

2009-06-12T13:13:00.002-04:00

Seventeen years and eleven days is a long time to wait. Bring it home boys.

LET'S GO PENS

Guilty By Association??

2009-06-10T22:43:00.004-04:00

After several hours of thinking today I finally have had enough of this story. Raul Ibanez felt the need to come out and blast a blogger for "suggesting" he used PED's. Now listen Ibanez has averaged 22 home runs the last several seasons and is off to a career start at age 37 with 20 home runs before the All-Star break. Ibanez went on to say that if he tested positive for performance enhancers that he would give back every dime he ever earned. He wasn't done there folks, he continued his rant by saying that he would go after anyone who questioned his word or defamed/slander him and that these people should be held accountable...really Raul?? . How about myself as a baseball fan being cheated out of my hard earned money? How you ask? By going out and paying inflated ticket prices to make you a millionaire and watch grown men who think they need steroids to hit a baseball, run faster, or throw harder. Where is my refund for being lied to about what I was watching? If you are such a stand up guy, why didn't you rat out someone you thought was using? No one should go unquestioned in this day and age, look at Manny Ramirez this was "the purest right handed hitter to ever play the game" until he tested positive for a banned substance to cover up steroid use. I am taking you at your word Raul, I'm taking your word that you can rest your head at night knowing that you played the game the right way, but you cant be angry with us when so many of your peers caused this age of leeriness.

Chuck Morton...Come on Down!

2009-06-10T11:11:00.011-04:00

At the beginning of the season, it was a given that Charlie Morton would start a game at Turner Field at some point this year...but in a simple twist of fate, in his first major league appearance this season he'll be pitching against the team that groomed him. Morton will make his debut in a Pirates' uniform today, facing off against Jair Jurrjens and the Braves. It's the first opportunity (other than the Andrew McCutchen show) for Bucco fans to witness what the Pirates received in the trade of their beloved blonde Red Wing fan. While Nate McLouth has been relatively productive in his first few games as a Brave, a quality start by Morton tonight and continued exciting play by McCutch should bring some more Bucco fans back off the ledge. A win tonight could also salvage a series that's seen the Bucs drop two games they very well could have (and should have) won.

In other Bucco news, Bloggin' Bob Smizik is spewing garbage again...

He raised the ghost of Dave Littlefield, saying that the Pirates' drafting of BC catcher Tony Sanchez was clearly a cost-effective move, a draft pick taken because of signability instead of baseball ability. Somebody PLEASE kill him. This team does not need to save money. Instead of wasting big money on a big-name, unproven, injury-risk pitcher, the Pirates draft a guy who's excels defensively at a position where his strengths are hard to find. Bob...your honest opinion please...

"That's commendable, but for a team in desperate need of pleasing its fans, once again the Pirates have struck out."

So teams should draft to please fans and not to build a team according to a plan? Remember when the Bucs were committed to rebuilding at the turn of this century, only to turn around and dump millions on washed-up names like Bell, Meares, Young, Mondesi, etc. just to get people excited? How did that work out for you, Mr. Smizik? The draft is not a PR move, nobody knows who 95% of these kids are outside of their hometowns. Just because the Pirates drafted a kid last year with signability issues doesn't mean they have to do it every year. The Pirates did the right thing, they realized that other than Strasburg and Ackley, there was no other can't-miss elite prospects, just a bunch of similar pitchers, none who stood out from the rest. They took a position player, knowing that when they drafted in the sandwich and second rounds there would be plenty of quality young arms available without much of a dropoff in talent or potential. It's another savvy move by GM Neal Huntington and his staff. Once again, I'm loving the direction this team is going in, fuck all the naysayers and ignoramous talking heads who live in the "What can you do for me now?" world. I've waited sixteen years, and now that I can start to see a legitimate light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, I'm willing to wait a few more.

What's It Gonna Be, Bob?

2009-06-05T10:54:00.013-04:00

Does anybody else remember when Bob Smizik retired? Did I dream that it happened? If so, why is he still allowed to write a blog on the Post-Gazette's website? Bloggin' Bob is up to his tricks again, flip-flopping his way through another journalistic masterpiece. Smizik was one of the first "writers" to comment on the Nate McLouth trade, announcing that your Pittsburgh Pirates have officially given up on the present, criticizing the move and in turn accusing the Buccos brass of alienating the remaining 37 fans that still care. Thirteen hours later...Bloggin' Bob had an epiphany, deeming the McLouth move a "bold gamble worth taking." Who pays this clown to write? Why would anyone in their right mind read anything that this guy publishes?

Continuing my thoughts on the trade of "Nate the Brave"...to all the fools who think that this is a terrible move (including the retard who called Stan and Guy's "love the" radio show and announced to the free world that this was the darkest day in Pirates' history) please take the time to understand what GM Neal Huntington's actions have just landed your ball club. He traded a guy...

who has started just over one full season in the majors. Until last year, Nate was just a bench player, and went into last season competing with Nyjer Morgan for the starting CF job. While he had a great year last year, it could be an abberation. He is a career .261 hitter...
that made an All-Star appearance because the Pirates have to send one player to the Midsummer Classic every year, and no one else on that team was even remotely deserving to be there last year...
who benefitted greatly from batting in a lineup last year that featured Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. After they were sent packing in July, McLouth's numbers took a hit...

In return for the good-but-not-great McLouth, the Bucs received two of the top eight ranked prospects in the Braves' system (and if you know baseball, you know the Braves consistenly have one of the best systems in professional ball) and another guy with big-league experience who could step in today and help the team. Like Bay, McLouth is a solid Major League outfielder. He's not a guy you can build your team around, he's more of a complimentary piece of the puzzle, he's not gonna lead your team to the promised land by himself. Because he played in a market that is devoid of superstars, he was awarded the mantle of "face of the franchise" by default. Huntington did the right thing by trading him while his value was at his highest. Don't get me wrong, I like Nate McLouth, and I wish him well. But this trade shows that the Pirates' brass is finally committed to building for the future the right way (are you listening, Dave Littlefield?) And I know it's only one day post-trade, but things are looking up already...

Andrew McCutchen: 2-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB

Charlie Morton: 7 IP, 4 H, O ER, 7 K, 1 BB

Even the eternal Pirates' pessimist like myself is getting excited...

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

Carlos Beltran, GO FUCK YOURSELF

2009-06-05T08:15:00.006-04:00

After the Bucco Lumber Company put the beatdown on the other team from New York, Carlos Beltran had some comments...

"We have to find a way to play better, there's no doubt. Overall. I'm not pointing fingers at anybody. Offense, defense, pitching -- we have to find a way to play better. The reality of this is, coming here to Pittsburgh and being swept -- personally, I feel embarrassed.

"I know they're a big-league ballclub, but we're better than them," he said. "We're better than them. We know we're better than them, but we have to do something about it." (remember our buddy Bronson sounding just like this after getting shelled by the Buccos?)

FUCK YOU TOO!

Adding to Beltran's embarrassment was that the Pirates had just traded away their gayest player -- All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth -- the day before. "McLouth wasn't there and they still come out and score how many runs? Eleven? Eleven runs," he said. "So we have to play better."

Well Carlos, here is my opinion on you. Maybe if you weren't sitting out nursing your 'stomach virus' in the first two games, (which I am guessing is related to large amounts of man cum in sitting in your stomach - dripping from the back of your throat), you could have made an impact. Worry about your team and don't disrespect Pittsburgh's. Jo Jo Reyes is out till the All Star game, Mike Pelfrey gets beat up more than Mrs.Beltran, and you have a Pirate castaway (Perez) who blows. You have your own problems. You can't beat Philly, really - PHILADELPHIA. The World PHUCKING Champions, how gay is that? All because the better team, the METS, always choke. In big games, on big dicks - you choke. I hate the METS.

oh and, how about those BUCCOS?

A Rodney That Deserves No Respect

2009-06-03T10:58:00.006-04:00

What a tool.

It's a great day for NFL offenses today, as they will no longer have to be exposed to Rodney Harrison's cheap shots and incessant chirping any longer. The long-time Charger/Patriot hung up his cleats today, relieving the NFL of one of its dirtiest players. Harrison tried to downplay his legacy as a dirty player, but both players and coaches tended not to agree with his own personal assessment of his play. But fear not fellow NFLers...while you may not have to listen to Rodney on the field, you'll get to hear him criticize you every week on NBC broadcasts! Just as soon as you feel like you've gotten a break from this clown, NBC decided to jam him right down our throats. I'm beginning to feel like earning a sports journalism or broadcasting degree is as about as good as holding shares in GM right about now. "You played professionally? We'll look past your 4th-grade reading level and you overwhelming lack of proper English and throw you into a prime-time broadcasting gig!" I know networks want to get an "insider's take" from guys who actually played in the NFL, but I also don't want to feel like I've gotten dumber from watching an NFL pregame show.

Groundhog Day

2009-06-01T12:11:00.007-04:00

How fitting was it that I watched "Groundhog Day" starring the immortal Bill Murray on FX Saturday, minutes before the Pens were about to start their rematch with the hated Detroit Red Wings? Watching the first two games of the series was painful, just like last year. But unlike last year's opening games in Detroit, the Pens played well enough to win this time around. Instead, because of a few fluke goals and some unlucky bounces the Pens head back home facing the same 2-0 deficit they faced last year. Anyone giving up on this team already needs punched in the face. This is the same team that battled back from 10th place in the standings earlier this year to clinch the 4th seed in the East. This is the same team that lost the first two games on the road in Washington, only to battle back and win that series. This is the same team that was outplayed, outcoached, and overmatched in the first two games of last year's finals, only to battle back and make it an interesting series. Until the Pens lose a game at home, they're still very much alive.

After last night's game, I was pissed. I kept going back to the time Mario Lemieux retired from the NHL for the first time back in the late 90's. He was tired of the constant clutching and grabbing that slowed the game down and didn't allow the stars play the way they were capable of playing. After the lockout, the league promised to crack down on obstruction and allow the world-class talent a chance to shine. For the most part, it's worked. The game is regaining popularity due to the emergence of offensive stalwarts like Malkin, Crosby and Ovechkin. After watching the Red Wings, I can see why the NHL champions its offensive stars and doesn't give the Wings the credit their fans always whine about. That team is near unwatchable. If the referees called interference like the NHL promised it would, the Wings would be penalized every time the opposing team dumped the puck into their end. Countless times the Pens would send the puck in deep, only to be thwarted at the blue line by a defenseman who had no intentions of turning and chasing, but instead would stand flat-footed and obstruct the forechecker. Just look at the play when Niklas Kronwall held up Jordan Staal last night. Even Edzo said that was a blatant non-call. Mikael Samuelsson held up a man off the faceoff that led to the first Detroit goal. Marian Hossa hooked, then slashed Pascal Dupuis directly before the second goal. Jonathan Eriksson held up Evgeni Malkin with his free hand, Malkin got pissed and threw him off, in turn taking the penalty himself. I'm not whining, I just hate the whole notion of refs swallowing their whistles and letting players play in the playoffs. These are obvious fouls, they are called during the regular season, why should a team have to change the way they play now? And I'm not the only one who feels this way.

If I hear one more Red Wing player or fan cry because Sidney Crosby gets all the attention and they get no respect I might vomit. The viewing public wants to watch skill and imagination, not obstruction. There's a reason the Red Wings are hated among die-hard hockey fans, and it's not because they always win. It's because it seems like there's a different set of rules when your team plays Detroit.

Mission: Possible. Objective 4 of 4 (Detroit Red Wings)

2009-05-29T10:36:00.006-04:00

Pittsburgh vs. Detroit, the Rematch

Let's hop in the Delorean and return to July 1, 2008, the first day of the NHL free agency signing period. The Penguins sit by and watch as some of their major contributors sign with other teams. It was hard to see guys like Malone, Ruutu, Laraque, etc. come and go, but we all knew there was a reason to Ray Shero's madness. He had to save cap room for Marian Hossa, the talented winger acquired at the trade deadline to play alongside Sidney Crosby. Most of us figured that Hossa would resign with the Pens, fresh off a trip to the Stanley Cup finals and loaded with top-end young talent. Little did we know what would happen next...

Hossa pulled the ultimate Benedict Arnold move and signed with the Red Wings, a team that just ended his season weeks before. Penguin Nation was stunned, shocked, pissed...you get the point. So you could argue that not only did the Pens lose out on Hossa, but they also lost the opportunity to resign key guys like Malone, who was commanding big money on the open market, but has since said he would have taken less to stay in his hometown. The problem at the time was that Shero deemed Hossa as being a higher priority, and had the Pens been able to retain him, there was no money left over for guys like Malone. So Bugsy went to greener pastures (greener only in money terms) and the Pens were stuck combing through the free agency leftovers.

Back to the present...the Pens and Red Wings, for the most part, cruised through their respective conferences and will meet again for the chance to lift Lord Stanley's Cup. And the main storyline (which will be thrown at you from every possible angle) will be the Marian Hossa situation. The Penguins now know how it feels to be so close to winning, and their drive and determination should be at an all-time high, and the fact that the former teammate who spurned them this past summer will be on the other side should add fuel to the proverbial fire. With Crosby and Malkin playing like they're the best players in the world and Detroit's injury situation, I've got a feeling the Cup will be back in the 'Burgh sooner rather than later.

I'd love to be in the handshake line if the Pens can pull it off. Pens in six.
LET'S GO PENS

A New Hope...

2009-05-28T14:08:00.004-04:00

It's almost the start of June, and around these parts Memorial Day usually signals the premature end to another futile Pittsburgh Pirates season. For once, even with the recent long losing streak and inevitable debut of should-have-been-a-Pirate Matt Wieters, the usual Bucco pessimist like myself has a reason to keep an eye on the Bucs into June and possibly beyond. Just ask the boys over at Baseball Prospectus. The stat junkies over there still give your Pirates a 9.46% chance to make the playoffs this season. Now that may not seem like much, but that's better than the ranking they gave ten other big-league teams...

Giants - 8.78%
Mariners - 6.14%
Rockies: 4.84%
Athletics: 4.36%
White Sox: 4.33%
Marlins: 3.20%
Orioles: 2.77%
Diamondbacks: 2.58%
Astros: 2.25%
Nationals: 0.52%

So there are baseball people out there other than 6th Ward who see a glimmer of hope for these Bucs. I have to admit, if they can stay healthy, keep up the strong starting pitching and continue getting contributions from young guys such as Morgan, Moss and Little LaRoche, there might be something for sports fans in Pittsburgh to look forward to in July other than the return of the Steelers to Saint Vincent. Add to that the return of Ryan Doumit and the more-than-likely debut of Andrew McCutcheon and it's shaping up to be an interesting summer over at PNC Park (and that's without even including SkyBlast in the conversation.)

Rant From The Recliner

2009-05-27T20:56:00.007-04:00

Everyone is quick to jump on the Pittsburgh Pirates for making bonehead decisions, but let's take this moment to thank the powers that be for not letting the Pirates sign Daniel Cabrera.

...the sun will come out, tomorrow...

The Washington Nationals designated pitcher Daniel Cabrera for assignment tonight. Now, let it be clear that I am not stroking the Buccos for deciding not to sign this guy, because that is not how it went down. We are lucky that the Nationals beat out the Buccos and Mets in the bidding war. 2.6 million for an ERA just under 6 in 40 innings of work, well done Washington,well done.

Speaking of giant pieces of shit...

Eric Gagne signed with the Can-Am independent league Quebec Capitales. Roids, HGH and probably gay sex brought this guy down and I LOVE IT. Even the Brewers thought this guy had absolutely nothing left (bet they wish it was before they gave him 10 million for 1 season of garbage). SEE YOU LATER SUCKER!

in other baseball news...

Could have been Pittsburgh Pirate (see, even I - king superfan can criticize the Buccos) Matt Wieters will make his debut Friday night against Dontrelle Willis and the Tigers. Zaun, later dude. Weiters is nasty, slugging .552 in May, but I still bet that Doumit could drink him under the table.

Goodbye to You

2009-05-27T12:44:00.003-04:00

Sorry Mr. Cowher...

I find it interesting that the Hurricanes would have a coach with a history of losing conference championships sound the horn before their final game of the season. How appropriate...

Other NHL News (Not That It Really Matters)

2009-05-26T11:59:00.005-04:00

Amazingly, there are other stories in the NHL other than the Penguins...

-Rumor has it that over-the-hill goon Bobby Holik will retire. Good riddance. The guy is a joke, a cheap shot artist extraordinaire and long-time thorn in the Pens' side. A few years overdue, in my opinion. At least he'll never be burdened with the rigors of being a team captain anymore.

-Speaking of guys that need to retire immediately, Jeremy Roenick is opening his mouth once again, accusing Red Wings coach Mike Babcock of hating American-born players. His reasoning? Babcock chooses not to play Chris Chelios on a regular basis.

"The coach just doesn't like him for some ungodly known reason. I think he's got a grudge against American players, but he does not like Chelly at all."

Let's see here...why would you play Chelios? Zero points in 28 regular-season games. A Red Wings roster chalk full of defensive studs named Lidstrom, Rafalski, Stuart, etc. 47 years old. Chelios dismissed the story, realizing that while he might be only a few months away from collecting Social Security, he's at least not losing it as fast as Roenick. I'm tired of talking about Jeremy Roenick, please do us all a favor and hang 'em up.

-Another two aging NHL stars plan on leaving the NHL, but not the game of hockey entirely. The Washington Capitals may have two holes to fill this offseason, with the announcement that both Sergei Fedorov and Viktok Kozlov are bolting the NHL for their native home of Russia to play next season in the KHL. While both are past their prime and don't contribute on the ice as much as they once did, they provided a comfort zone for fellow Russian countrymen and teammates Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin, and this could be a huge blow for the up-and-coming Caps.

-The Colorado Avalanche might be making a huge mistake in their questionable pursuit of Patrick Roy as coach/executive/whatever. While I admire his impeccable hockey accomplishments and hatred of the aformentioned Jeremy Roenick, he has never coached at a level higher than his sons' junior teams. And we all know how that went...

Roy is a hothead, and while he knows a ton about the game, I question this love affair. Having Roy aboard will not put more people in the seats. For a franchise that made one of the best deals ever, this move is a real head-scratcher.

-And now for my closing editorial. Please, please, PLEASE bring the NHL back to ESPN. I long for the days of NHL 2Night and daily coverage of the game. It was so refreshing seeing the Worldwide Leader kick off Sportscenter with in-depth coverage during the Pens-Caps series. Now that NBC is in control, we might have to wait TEN DAYS between games here in the 'Burgh, with the below-average biased local coverage being our only fix. If Gary Bettman really wants to expand the game's audience, swallow your pride and get back in bed with ESPN.

This is Just a Tribute...

2009-05-26T11:53:00.004-04:00

A prelude to the death of the legend of one of Pittsburgh's most beloved sports icons...we will miss you William Laird Cowher...

Cowher's legacy in Pittsburgh is on life support, as is the 2009 Carolina Hurricanes season. If Coach Cowher follows through on his publicity stunt tonight and sounds the horn before another Canes' meltdown, his Pittsburgh sports obituary will be written. Happy trails fool.

LET'S GO PENS

Reflections From the Beach

2009-05-25T12:08:00.002-04:00

After returning from Emerald Isle, NC, I wanted to let you all know about our experience with Canes fans. Surprisingly, when we went to The Beach Tavern to watch Game 2, we were embraced as visitors by the hundred or so Carolina faithful. Sure when the Pens scored and we cheered we were gently booed, but all and all there was no ill will. For the majority of the game I sat at the bar with a "superfan" wearing a Canes jersey on one side, and the owner of the bar on the other. We enjoyed pleasant conversation and we each praised one another for how well the other's home town team had been playing.

When the subject of rival teams came up and I said most Pittsburgh fans hate Philly, the "superfan" told me that the only hated rival in Carolina was Boston. I just though 6th Ward would enjoy hearing that.

The funniest thing about the whole experience was at the end of the first when Carolina was up 3-2, someone played The Scorpions song "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and everyone there sang the chorus.

We left for home after the second and as we walked out there were many handshakes and good luck was wished both ways. I salute Carolina fans for being good sports, because I know if it had been the other way around and an out of town fan came to one of our bars, they would probably leave after five minutes.

Peavy to White Sox? Nope!

2009-05-21T22:50:00.004-04:00

The other team in Chicago, the White Sox, and the San Diego Padres earlier agreed to a deal that would send Peavy to Chicago in exchange for four Sox pitching prospects. But Peavy, whose conract includes a full no-trade clause through this season, drank a bottle of Jager...

and said, "fuck that".

I have always thought this hick was too much of a diva. Get over yourself Jake! I bet if it was Boston knocking at the door Peavy would have his bags packed.
Padres suck, White Sox suck, and fucking Boston sucks.

GO BUCCOS!

Who You Gonna Call?

2009-05-20T21:44:00.005-04:00

This has nothing to do with the sports world, but it is awesome news so listen up fuckers: Ghostbusters 3 is ON!

Columbia Pictures hired the executive producers from The Office to write a Ghostbusters reunion movie. In a new interview on Entertainment Tonight online, Dan Aykroyd confirms that he Bill 'possibly the coolest man alive' Murray, Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, and even Sigourney Weaver are on board for the third movie.
According to Aykroyd, production might even begin as early as this winter.
As for the film's plot, it'll deal with the aging, original Ghostbusters getting ready to retire and pass on the responsibilities of protecting NYC over to a new crew, with maybe a female or two this time helping to capture the ghoulish motherfuckers. I have half a chubber thinking about a few Hollywood racks that I would love to see busting out of a Ghostbusters uni.

Are you the Keymaster? Yes. Actually I'm a friend of his, he asked me to meet him here.

Break Up the Bucs!

2009-05-20T09:13:00.008-04:00

Don't look now, but your Pittsburgh Pirates are riding a four-game winning streak, hoping to eliminate any memory of that gut-wrenching nine-game losing streak they endured a little while back. This ten-game road trip has massive implications on any hope of a successful Buccos season (and by successful I mean anything close to .500 baseball.) Helping the Pirates' cause this week was a well-timed trip to the nation's capital, which is home to the Expos, er I mean Nationals, a team that is in worse shape than your Bucs (if that's humanly possible.) If you thought the Pirates' bullpen was bad, just take a look at what the Nationals have rotting in their pen.

That's right. Not one, not two, not three but four, count em, FOUR former Bucco castoffs are floundering in the Nats' bullpen. Joe Beimel, Ron Villone, Kip fucking Wells and Julian Tavarez all call DC their home for this season. It really makes Jesse Chavez and Matt Capps look pretty appealing if you ask me. And anytime you can use a Slapshot quote to harass a team's closer, that's pretty awesome as well.

"Hey Hanrahan! Hanrahan! Hanrahan - Suzanne sucks pussy! Hey Hanrahan she's a dyke! I know, I know! She's a lesbian, a lesbian, a lesbian!"

I may have to purchase a seat near the Nats' pen when they come to town in early August. But anyways, it's refreshing to see the Buccos turn it around a little and creep closer to respectability. And it's also nice to see Brandon Moss finally start to live up to some of his expectations. After I called out Andy LaRoche repeatedly, he turned it on, and so I then focused my unforgiving wrath on Moss, who has responded as well. So if you know anyone that is underachieving and needs a nice kick in the ass, let me know.

RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER BIATCH!

Root Root Root For Our Home Team

2009-05-19T09:53:00.011-04:00

Never was there a more appropriate theme for a sports team than the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates. Whether you play or root for a Pittsburgh sports franchise, you're forever part of a fraternity that knows no limits. I know I rag on some local sports fans for taking their rooting interests to ridiculous levels, but it is refreshing to see our local sports heroes become part of the community.

The Pens support their Pittsburgh sporting brethren. And their brothers return the favor...

Whoa, wait a second...let's take a look at these last few pictures for a moment. There's one common theme, they're all members of the Steelers organization. But to quote the immortal Sesame Street...one of these things is not like the others. Mike Tomlin, Casey Hampton, and Jeff Reed are all regular fixtures in the crowd at Mellon Arena. As for Little Ben, when he makes an "appearance" at a Pens' game, it's in Mario's luxury box. And every time he shows up to a game, he just happens to be part of an in-game interview. It's this aloofness and elite sense of entitlement that rubs some Pittsburghers like myself the wrong way. From Empty-Netters:

"Hmmm..... Ben Roethlisberger was just shown on the video screen. He's offered a nice, polite applause. James Farrior is then shown and he gets a louder applause."

But you gotta at least give Ben credit for rooting for the home team. When one of these heroes turns his back on the 'Burgh, the wrath is unforgiving.

Example #1: William Cowher

Bill Cowher was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He coached the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most beloved franchise in sports, and led them to a Super Bowl title. He achieved a God-like status that eludes most sports figures. So why would he turn his back on his hometown and openly root for the team in his new digs? It's baffling to most, and there has to be some sort of alterior motive behind all of this. I never was a die-hard Cowher fan, he was too Schottenheimer-like for my tastes, but I didn't hate the guy. Now I'm starting to wonder...

Rant From The Recliner

2009-05-18T23:45:00.006-04:00

PENS WIN! PENS WIN!

Fleury 23 saves. Pens BALL OUT as usual.

Our Pittsburgh Pirates took their hot bats to the Nation's capital with one goal - not to pick up AIDS. Okay, 2 goals - no AIDS (3% there, what the fuck?)and to sweep the Nationals. The Bucco Lumber Company decided to drive in five runs in the sixth one day after 10-run inning against the Rockies. Jack Wilson fell a dinger short of a cycle, batting 4-4 with 3 runs, 2 rbi and one walk. In the midst of Jack's hot night, the Seattle Times reports that the Bucs and Mariners could swap shortstops, with Yuniesky Betancourt coming to Pittsburgh and Jack Wilson heading to Seattle. Other players could be involved. Betancourt is younger but more costly, as he's guaranteed about $10.5 million over the next three years. Betancourt isn't much of a hitter or defender, and at 27 he probably doesn't have a whole lot of headroom. If the Pirates are considering this, they need to get other players as well.

Let's hope Big Neal doesn't make his first total bonehead move.

Now get out there and take the next 3 in DC and 6 in Chicago!

Mission: Possible. Objective 3 of 4 (Hartford Whalers)

2009-05-18T09:49:00.008-04:00

Oh wait, I forgot...

It's been over ten years since the sweet sounds of Brass Bonanza has been blasted over the loudspeakers at an NHL game. The beloved Whalers are now known as the Carolina Hurricanes, a move that alienated some of hockey's most hardcore fans. But let's not get too sentimental, it's the Eastern Conference Finals, and your Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. Looking back at what the Pens have accomplished so far, any sane human being would have to consider making it this far to be a success. In February, this team was in tenth place in the East, on the outside looking in. Fast forward three months, and the Pens have not only fought their way back into the playoff picture, but they've knocked off arguably their two most-hated rivals in reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in the process. And what else is amazing is that they will have home-ice advantage in this series, with most pundits giving them the edge over the Hurricanes. So you'd be hard-pressed not to deem what the Pens have achieved thus far as anything less than a success, but this team wants more, and is in position to have it. This team has displayed the will, drive and passion needed for any team to survive the gauntlet that is the hardest tournament in the world. But in actuality, we're only halfway home.

I have to admit, when you play teams like Philthadelphia and Washington, it's a lot easier to get into the series and convey actual hate for the opposition. With Carolina, not so much. The Pens and Canes only play four times a season, and most of their head-to-head matchups don't garner too much interest. Well, there was this one time...

I'm sure the Orpik-Cole situation will be discussed ad nauseum. As will the fact that...

Jordan and Eric Staal are brothers.

If you didn't know that already, the guys on Versus will be sure to let you know at least 657 times tonight. So there will be a few story lines to this series, and if the Pens want to reach the Finals again, they'll have to take down two familiar faces that were a huge part of bringing the Cup to the 'Burgh...

I don't think I need to tell you who, at least I hope I don't.

And don't forget about the other hometown hero-turned bandwagon Canes fan...

Totally inexcusable.

So it starts all over again tonight. As usual, for any of your Pens' needs, check out The Pensblog and Empty Netters. If the Pens can get to Cam Ward early and often, I see a return trip to the Finals for the Pens. Pens in five.

LET'S GO PENS

Reflections From the Beach

2009-05-18T00:42:00.003-04:00

Well, I have just completed my first 24 hours at the shore and one question has been on my mind all day.

HOW IN THE FUCK DID ALL THOSE WELL HUNG STALLIONS ALLOW THE CHICK TO WIN THE PREAKNESS?

Seriously. This travesty will allow women like Annika Sorrenstam and Venus Williams to think they belong in competition with the Elite men in their sports.

The horses in this race should be subject to ball-busting not unlike that experienced by Stinch at the many Alannis Morissette concerts he has attended. They should all be made geldings and forced to accompany young, wet fillies to stable with their not-so-well-hung mates that didn't make the cut and watch them copulate. I should then fix the busted ass chair I am now sitting on with glue made from their hooves.

This will make any male think twice before allowing a female to One-Up them on the field of battle again!

FUCK BOSTON FRIDAY

2009-05-15T07:54:00.007-04:00

What a great morning for someone who hates the fuck out of Boston...

Carolina's Scott Walker busted towards Boston's Tim 'The Toolbox' Thomas, bunting in what was left of a shot by Ray Whitney to take game 7 and upset the Bruins. That is right, the top seeded Boston Bruins go down to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The defending champion Boston Celtics had a chance to knock off Orlando last night, but really people - did you think they would? It's Boston - they suck at everything. Glen 'Big Piece of Shit' Davis isn't going to cut it. They need to resort to last year's methods...

Everyone remembers last year when Paul Pierce threw up the "6th Ward" gang sign during the 1st round of the playoffs, hoping to scare the shit out of the competition. I guess it worked, no one wants to fuck with 6th Ward - but Paul, you are not 6th Ward. You are Boston, and that means YOU SUCK.

All the while, the Red Sox lost in 12 innings!

Red Sux manager Terry Francona was ejected by plate umpire Bill Miller in the 10th after Julio Lugo took a called strike with a 3-0 count on him. Nine Red Sox had looked at called third strikes, compared to one Angel. Quite possibly the biggest dissapointment of the game was everybody's favorite - David Ortiz. Big Papi stranded 12, leaving the bases loaded twice.

Papi's season so far:
AVG: .208
R: 14
HR: 0
RBI: 15
SB: 0

What is he waiting for? A homerun or a BUKKAKE party?

In other Boston news...

The MBTA trolley operator who investigators said was text messaging his girlfriend before a crash in Boston last week has been fired. He was probably asking her if she wanted to meet him at the bahhh for a laahhhger.

FUCK BOSTON!

"What's So Special About Crosby?"

2009-05-14T10:16:00.009-04:00

I am officially emotionally spent. What else can be said about this Pens/Caps series that hasn't been said already? One for the ages, an epic war of attrition, with the better team coming out on top. The way the Pens handled the Capitals in Game Seven was surprising enough...what really floored me was the fact that the series finale was the opening topic on the 11pm Sportscenter.

"You're getting stabbed Van Pelt. Hockey before NBA?"

Thanks to Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the stars in this series, hockey is starting to reemerge in the United States, which can only make one hope that Gary Bettman realizes this and continues to make the game more readily available on a regular basis. For a perfect example of this, one only needs to look at two main contributors to this blog, Biggamekilla and PWHallstrom. Only last year both were casual hockey fans, but now both live and die with the Penguins. In my opinion, hockey is the best spectator sport in the world. In our fast-paced, give-it-to-me-now society, a game like hockey, with it's constant motion and exciting action, should thrive. Hopefully this series opened the eyes of more casual fans and helps the game overtake the garbage that is the NBA in popularity. Time to step off the soapbox. A few closing thoughts before we bury the Caps...

-Sidney Crosby proved that he is the best all-around player in the world, period. He may not have the offensive skill of Ovechkin or the physical abilities of Malkin, but he does everything, and he does it all exceptionally. Everyone has known about his skill set, but many have questioned his ability to be a leader. Last night should end all those questions permanently. The Kid was on a mission, to seek and destroy without taking any prisoners. He didn't want to merely defeat the Capitals last night, he wanted to crush any ounce of hope in that building. And he did. Repeatedly. He outclassed, outplayed and outhearted (I just made that word up) Alex Ovechkin last night. Nobody in the NHL faces more hostility and hatred than Sidney Crosby, and he handles it all with a class and dignity that most 21-year olds don't have, and probably never will.

-Speaking of Crosby bashing...Alexander Semin is a joke of a hockey player. Everyone remembers what he said about Sid earlier this year. I would love to hear what he has to say now. Semin was absolute garbage this series, and Paul Steigerwald's comments last night about cleaning the black marks from his numerous shots off the glass was priceless. Semin had more dives this series than shots on goal, every time he was touched he fell over. Complete failure.

-Another joke of a hockey player is Mike Green. Much was made of Green running out of sticks because Easton discontinued the model he used. You would think that a Norris-trophy contender would have some pull at Easton and make sure that his model would be in surplus, especially when the playoffs roll around. The stick being used is no excuse for a lack of physicality and no defensive presence at all. Mike Green is a glorified Ryan Whitney, and it's save to say that right now I think Whitney is superior defensively than Green.

-Speaking of excuses, Bruce Boudreau has plenty of them, including the fact that the Caps were playing with numerous injuries. Waaahhhh. It's the playoffs, everyone is banged up. I guarantee there are plenty of injured Pens as well, but since they're still alive in the playoffs, they're not gonna announce it to the world and give their next opponent some inside information. Boudreau was outcoached and outclassed this series. He made zero defensive adjustments, even after his team was continuously outshot and outplayed. He whined and cried about penalties called against his team and not called on the Pens. I was not impressed at all by a guy who many have deemed to be one of the up-and-coming coaches in the NHL.

-Sure, Marc-Andre Fleury was outplayed by Simeon Varlamov this series, but when it came down to it, he made the save(s) he needed to make for his team to win, while Varlamov finally crumbled under the pressure. People keep calling him out for his puckhandling woes, but I don't want him to change his game now by staying put in the net. Fleury's aggressive plays behind the net prevent the forecheckers from getting easy hits on the Pens' defensemen, which saves a ton of wear and tear. For a perfect example of this, look to the other end of the ice. Varlamov never strayed from the net, which forced the Caps' d-men to constantly retrieve the puck knowing that a vicious hit was coming. The Caps' defense definitely wore down over the duration of the series, which was pivotal to the Pens' victory.

-Even more Capital punishment...the Capitals really are shaping up to be the red-sweatered stepchild to the Penguins, and even the Flyers to an extent. People like to criticize the Caps' supporters as being "fairweather" fans. I tend to take offense to that. Each sports team has its core group of supporters who are there through thick and thin. When the team has a run of success, it's human nature for outsiders to take notice and jump on the bandwagon. Like I said earlier, the NHL needs all the attention it can get, and any new fans are good fans for the game. On the other hand, these new fans need their own identity. They ripped off the "Rock the Red" theme from the Calgary Flames (which is known by the much more creative monicker "The C of Red.") And the Caps faithful have taken a page out of the Flyers fans' guidebook, resorting to taunting Sidney Crosby with signs and mock chants. You would think by witnessing Sid's great success in such environments that it doesn't work. And just like the Flyers' faithful, when things go bad, instead of supporting their struggling stars, they jump off the bandwagon just as fast as they got on. When Evgeni Malkin returned to Pittsburgh for Game Three after struggling mightily in the first two games of the series, the Pens fans cheered his every move, and Malkin acknowledged that it definitely gave him life and helped him turn things around. When Mike Green continued his series-long struggles in Game Seven, the Caps fans turned their frustration towards him, booing him every time he touched the puck. It's this lack of support and understanding that drove former stud blueliners like Larry Murphy, Kevin Hatcher and Sergei Gonchar out of town. The Caps have a bright future filled with young stars. Unless their fans shape up and appreciate what they have, and eliminate their inferiority complex (blocking outside ticket sales Mr. Leonsis?) these future stars will look at Washington as a just a stepping stone to greener pastures.

-To close the book on the Capitals 2008-09 season, we present to you the best (and worst) of Alexander Oveckin last night...

In my opinion, it was his best goal celebration to date.

LET'S GO PENS

One For The Ages

2009-05-13T21:50:00.002-04:00

Game 7 is over, time for all the AIDS infested Washington band wagoners to leave the Verizon Center and go back to their lives of unprotected sex and criminal activities. There was no possible better ending than what happened tonight, a 6-2 shellacking that sent Mr Varlamov to the showers early in the second. Alexander Ovechkin had a goal, but you can give Fleury the assist on that goal. Other than that Ovechkin disappeared for most of the game and almost seemed to quit when the game was 5-1. The AIDS patients in attendance even began to turn on the team booing the biggest queer on the ice Mike Green every time he touched the puck. C'mon Caps fans you cant boo him and only him the team as a whole was terrible. Aside from Ovechkin and Varlamov this team was in over their heads, Ovechkin was outstanding during the previous six games as was Varlamov but it takes a team effort to win when it counts and that is what the 2009 Penguins are. Yes they lost a great talent in Hossa but the guy has no heart, he left because he felt that Detroit was his best chance at a Stanley Cup. With his team on the brink of elimination, I for one hope that the Ducks pull off the upset and send Hossa home to watch the Eastern Conference Finals wishing he wasn't such a dumb fucking idiot. Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz, Craig Adams, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan were all brought in to replace some key components that had departed from the 2008 team. The knock on Satan was that he wasn't a team player and had no heart. Well Satan was sent to the minors and could of just said you know what fuck it I'm done but he stuck it out, sucked up his pride and played it out in the minors. He was called up after Petr Sykora mailed in his season when the regular season ended and has earned the playing time he has been given. All of these moves have made this a special team, they have a ton of heart, and it seems as though Crosby will not let this team lose on his watch. All in all this was one of the greatest NHL Playoff series I have ever seen and can only hope that the next round is just as nerve wracking.

If You're Not Part of the Solution...

2009-05-12T09:16:00.022-04:00

Let me tell YOU something Zack Stynchula.

Brandon Moss isn't the problem. Brian Bixler isn't the problem. Jesse Chavez isn't the problem...

YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

It's people like you, who still blindly follow this garbage excuse of a team. You're the parent that sees your young kid sticking a cat in the microwave and thinks it's youthful innocence. Seventeen years later, when your kid is holding up the local 7-11 and goes on a four-state serial raping spree, it's not cute anymore.

When things go wrong, you gotta do something about it, before the real damage is done.

The Pirates aren't a baseball team, they're a marketing juggernaut. Why spend more money on players and development to help your team win when you can just give away a few bobbleheads, have a washed-up 80's band play after the game and shoot off some fireworks? As long as people are in the seats and this team makes money, it's all good (except for the baseball.) PNC Park is not a ballpark, it's a social gathering place. The Pirates are a punchline in the sporting world, and that hurts. A team with the rich history you described below, and now it's nothing more than a doormat. Growing up, I looked up to guys like Clemente, Stargell, Van Slyke, Drabek...who do kids in Pittsburgh look up to now? Andy LaRoche?

"When I grow up, I want to be Pat Meares. He got paid $15 million for playing 21 games. He's a financial genius."

So do you get my point? They are robbing you of your dignity and your God-given right to witness good baseball. You think you're being a passionate, loyal fan by supporting them through thick and thin but you're actually just allowing them to keep bending you over and steal your money. It's the same reason the Yankees can charge thousands of dollars for one ticket and get away with it. There are people stupid enough to pay for it. You're stupid enough to pay for shitty baseball. Show them you're fed up, cut and run while you can. Don't let an REO Speedwagon concert suck you back in. Don't let a two-game winning streak make you think playoffs. I admire what the new regime is trying to do, but when you see the success a guy like Jason Bay is having while the so-called "prospects" they received in return continue to battle injuries and inconsistency, it's disheartening. And when your top prospects, the "future of the Pittsburgh Pirates" include a guy married to a baby-stealing woman 20 years his senior who quit on his minor league team last year, and another guy who showed up to camp overweight and tried to screw the Pirates when it came to signing his first contract, it doesn't give me much optimism. I remember when Chad Hermansen walked on water. Well guess what? He sunk. So until I see some semblance of winning baseball with a winning atmosphere, I'm done supporting the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's amazing that in the CITY OF CHAMPIONS there are fans who continue to support this garbage. We should be ashamed. It's just some borderline major leaguers collecting a major-league paycheck until they move on to greener pastures.

Don't call me a frontrunner. The Pirates were my first love growing up. They will always have a place in my heart. I just refuse to get emotionally attached to them again until they can prove to me they're ready for a long-term relationship. Seventeen years is a long time. Pittsburgh deserves better.

LET'S GO BUCCOS!

2009-05-11T17:27:00.010-04:00

Tom Mckee, with a little help from my friends, I would like to let you know how I feel...

and I don't even like Kerry Wood, but he too thinks you are a fuckwad!

I am a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I know about all the losing seasons, I've watched almost every game. I know there are kids with no arms and legs that can play shortstop better than Brian Bixler. I have a Sean Casey jersey (2 actually). I would skullfuck Sid Bream's wife if ever given the chance. I sat through the Jim Tracy era. I have endured the pain, anyone who puts the "P" cap on has. I like to forget all that and remember that "we" have 5 titles, a hall of famer list about as long as the list of girls I've had my way with, the BEST ballpark in the world, and also the Steelers and Penguins (to stop the bleeding in the meantime). REAL Pirate fans have made it this far, and we will continue to march through the shit as long as we have to.

On behalf of every single homer, let us be homers - we don't want you. Unless you have the kind of scratch to buy the team and turn things around, your black cloud outlook on things means nothing to us. Take your half empty glass and go be jealous of Ben Roethlisberger in the other room. Us homers, we will be just fine without you...

ROOT ROOT ROOT FOR OUR HOME TEAM -

A NEW PIRATE GENERATION, EVERYBODY SHOUT -

LET'S GO BUCS!

No Hope

2009-05-11T15:10:00.005-04:00

Thank you Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Mets may have been stealing your signs Sunday, but you've been stealing the sanity of our dear friend 6th Ward for way too long. What else needs to happen for him to lose hope? Not even a successful start by his beloved Kansas Shitty Royals can steal away his love for his Fuccos. What if Dave Littlefield triumphantly returned to the front office? Doubtful. A relocation to Boston? Nah brah. Zack is in it for the long haul.

Even if Brandon Moss ends the season with an RBI total in the single digits...

Even if Brian Bixler boots three routine grounders a game and kills four fans in the crowd with overthrows...

Even if Tyler Yates issues more free passes than Kennywood this summer...

They'll still have a friend in 6th Ward.

It Was Fun While it Lasted...

2009-05-08T10:34:00.004-04:00

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...

Another Buccos season down the shitter. Here's looking to 2010. Or 2011. Or 2012. Or never.

The Real MVP of This Series

2009-05-07T10:58:00.016-04:00

I am not a homer. When the teams I root for do not play well, I admit it, and I refuse to place blame or make excuses for them. I do not watch sports with rose-colored glasses.

A very lame attempt at humor. I apologize.

After watching Game Three of the Pens' second round matchup with the Caps, I have to admit the Penguins were by far the better team last night. They carried the play throughout the game, with the difference maker being Evgeni Malkin, who finally decided to show up, albeit two games later than expected. The difference maker for the entire series, however, isn't the NHL's poster boys, #8 and #87, but #40 for the Capitals, Simeon Varlamov. Without "Varly" standing on his head, the Pens could easily be up 2-1 or even 3-0.

This shows you all you need to know about the Capitals' post-game celebratory activities.

Going into the playoffs, many pundits were afraid to pick the Caps because of their lack of goaltending. Jose Theodore, a one-time NHL MVP, lately is known more for this and this instead of this. After Jose shit the bed in the first game of the Caps' opening round matchup against the Rangers, Coach Bruce Boudreau put down the doughnuts long enough to announce a goalie change. Enter sim-yon vahr-la-mov. Most people would think that turning to a rookie goaltender who doesn't speak English in the pressure-packed environment of the playoffs would be a gigantic mistake. Think again. Varlamov has been unfazed by the intensity of NHL playoff hockey. The man has the tools and the potential, he's extremely athletic and large, and was rumored to be a trading chip in a proposed deal for Chris Pronger at this year's deadline. Perhaps Varlamov also benefits from being oblivious to what playoff hockey is all about. When preparing for his playoff debut against the Rangers, Varlamov asked his coaches for a scouting report on the Rangers' shootout lineup. He didn't even know that the NHL eliminates the shootouts in overtime during the playoffs! It's been a combination of this innocence and his immense physical abilities that have allowed the Caps to thwart the Pens thus far in the series, not the all-offense, all the time mindset of Ovechkin. The Pens need to continue the intensity and persistence they have shown throughout the series and hope that Varlamov finally cracks under the pressure.

BREAKING NEWS...

My fantasy season is officially over.

Greinke Named AL Pitcher of the Month

2009-05-06T15:51:00.003-04:00

Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke has been named the American League Pitcher of the Month for April, marking the first monthly honor of his career.

Greinke went 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA and 44 strikeouts in April, leading Major League Baseball in wins, complete games (two), ERA and strikeouts. The 25-year-old pitched a total of 36.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs on 24 hits and eight walks in the month. Greinke’s pair of complete games in April included his first career complete-game shutout on April 18th at Texas. Zack extended his scoreless innings record to 43.0 innings over a span of six starts before allowing his first earned run since September 13, 2008. Zack joined Fernando Valenzuela as the only pitchers in Major League Baseball history, dating back to the early 1900s, to not allow an earned run through his first four starts. In addition, he entered the company of Don Drysdale and Orel Hershiser as the only hurlers in Major League history to record six straight starts without permitting an earned run.

And...
he is married to this piece of ass...

WELL DONE ZACK!

Oh Yeah? Well your momma is so stupid, she sold METH to a COP!

2009-05-05T23:00:00.002-04:00

Yankees fat piece of shit pitcher Joba Chamberlain has his name in the news, and not for a DUI. Joba's mom was arrested and jailed on Saturday night in Nebraska on suspicion of selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer. Back in February, she allegedly sold an officer 1 gram of a controlled substance for $110. The arrest had to be delayed as the Nebraska state lab had to test the substance. What a piece of shit.

BOLB Madden Curse?

2009-05-05T13:25:00.001-04:00

Ever since Malkin has been on our "cover" he has sucked. Please remove him before tomorrow. Thanks!

"Is He High?"

2009-05-05T11:00:00.006-04:00

PWHallstrom...BGK still wants to offer you Rick Ankiel...

That's a guy you want on your fantasy team, he'll run through walls for you.

He could also be used to bolster your pitching staff.

One Man Team

2009-05-04T23:02:00.004-04:00

Its been a while since I've blogged and to all my legions of fans I apologize, but I'm back in the hizzzoussse. I just got done throwing up after that disgusting performance by the Pens. I mean seriously if your name isn't Crosby and you play for the Penguins, hang yourself. Sidney Crosby has been absolutely outstanding since the beginning of the playoffs, but this series he is playing out of his mind. Where in the hell has the rest of this team gone? Malkin for whatever reason when they play the Capitals, or more so Ovechkin, just seems to disappear like a little kid hiding so he doesn't get his lunch money stolen by the local bully. Maybe he is a little timid after all those runs Ovechkin took at him the last couple of years but sooner or later he is going to have to stand up for himself. If anyone has seen Peter Sykora please alert the local authorities because there is no way the guy in that jersey is Sykora. Dupuis sucks has all year, Cooke is a fucking idiot... proof being the PP he gave Washington on Saturday to make it a 5 on 3, Rob Scuderi has more goals than most of the team. Point is if the Pens plan on winning a Stanley Cup they better start playing with some desperation/heart/desire whatever it is that you want to call it. Sid is a great player but he can not continue to have to carry this team on his own sheer will. Granted there were a few goals that I believe he should of scored, and I'm sure he does as well, but there is no way you can blame this guy for any of these losses.

COUPLE OF QUICK HITS HERE

- Matt Capps blew a save again tonight. That isn't really surprising to me considering he throws too many pitches over the plate. They say he can put the ball anywhere he wants that his command is that good but I don't see it. I watched the game Saturday night and he was terrible then follows up that with another lousy performance. Also its being reported that he was seen laughing with the umpire following his debacle on the way to the dugout. If that is true the Pirates should suspend him for a month with no pay.

-Larry Foote was officially released today...and it couldn't have come soon enough for BGK. I hate this guy more than any other Steeler ever. Quite possible the single most over-rated player on the Steeler D. Good riddance pal enjoy the shit hole that is Detroit and the Doughboys. I mean seriously who wins 2 Superbowl's and wants to play for the Lions?

-Brett Favre the legendary Jets QB just won't go way. After retiring yet again he asked the Jets for his release so that he could "retire a Green Bay Packer". Good one Brett see you in Minnesota next year.

-Oliver Perez the former Pirates phenom and current Met nightmare balked at the clubs suggestion that he take his train wreck of a career to the minors and try to solve his problems. His ERA is just a little less than the 12 MILLION the Mets pay him per year.

-Alex Rodriguez was on steroids.

-Carlos Lee is still too fat for baseball.

Rant From The Recliner - 5/2/2009

2009-05-03T19:55:00.006-04:00

Guess who is back in the motherfucking house? With a fat blog for your motherfucking mouth!

In baseball news...
Former Bucco (Rockie, Astro, and Yankee) Shawn Chacon has been signed by the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League.

45-61 with a 4.99 ERA as a major leaguer, and went 2-3 with a 5.04 ERA last year in Houston.

Shawn's 2008 season, and probably his big league career, came to an end when Shawn delivered some sweet chin music to Astros GM Ed Wade after being demoted in the rotation. Personally, I always liked Shawn, for this reason: he cocks his flat brim to the side.

Bay(Gay)Watch!

Jason Bay and the Red Sox have not resumed discussions regarding a possible contract extension, said Joe Urbon, Bay's agent. "[Bay] and I haven't even talked," Urbon said. Could it be that even the hated Boston Red Sox want nothing to do with GayBay? I know he has a giant chubby for Boston, but you can bet he would love to go to Canada. Who knows? Who cares? Other Boston related news, could-a-been Bucco, Rocco Baldelli is improving and will start working on starting and stopping with some directional changes this week. Maybe they should instead start by making sure he doesn't fall asleep out there. While I am on it, let it be known that I am glad we didn't waste a million on that loser. Hinske was the better former Tampa Bay Ray to sign, and who thought Morgan would be the lightning rod he has been?

Speaking of could-a-been, but I am very happy they are not Buccos...

The Rangers release Derrick 'I look like a hipped out version of Colby Armstrong' Turnbow.
The Rangers have released Derrick Turnbow after the dbag triggered a clause in his contract that allowed him to demand a release. Turnbow and the Rangers agreed that he would be able to ask for his release if he wasn't on the team by May 1st. Turnbow walked nine and allowed 11 hits in 6.1 innings in AAA, striking out one batter (pathetic).

Mission Possible: Objective 2 of 4 (Warshington)

2009-05-01T10:39:00.004-04:00

Keeping this short and sweet, because for once the sports world is actually paying attention to a hockey playoff series and everything I would say has already been said 40456 times. Penguins and Capitals, two teams that have a long history of playoff clashes, and a dream matchup for the NHL. In the Pens case, they've feasted on the Caps over the years during the playoffs (a 6-1 series record I believe.) But these aren't your dad's Capitals, there's no Dale Hunter, Don Beaupre or Al Iafrate. Instead, they're oozing with European talent, players that love to play an open, uptempo style. When looking at the Capitals, it's almost like looking in the mirror from a Pens fan's perspective. They were a team that was successful in the '90s (without the two Stanley Cups) fell on hard times at the turn of the century, then used multiple top draft picks to draft world-class superstars, which eventually turned them into a force. This is the series everyone in hockey was looking forward to seeing. It should go a long way in answering the unanswerable question...who is the best player in the world? Is it Sidney Crosby, or is it Alexander Ovechkin? That's the two names that have been mentioned over the past few days leading up to Saturday's kickoff. But one name tends to be forgotten in the Crosby/Ovechkin matchup, and that's Evgeni Malkin. How anyone has the audacity to leave Geno out of the "Best Player in the World" conversation is beyond me. That's why I believe that Malkin goes off in the series, leaving everyone else in the dust, and propels the Pens back into the Eastern Conference Finals. Pens in six.

LET'S GO PENS

Checking In With an Old Friend

2009-04-28T11:41:00.005-04:00

Last night the Anaheim Ducks knocked off the San Jose Sharks, the NHL's top team in the regular season, to earn a second round matchup with the vaunted Detroit Red Wings. Not too shabby for a team that was out of playoff contention at the trade deadline (sound familiar?) At the deadline, in order to shake things up a bit, the Ducks moved one of their most popular players in Chris Kunitz to the Pittsburgh Penguins for an underachieving offensive defenseman named Ryan Whitney.

The only love Whitney received in Pittsburgh over the past year.

Whitney, a one-time top 5 pick for the Pens, was mercurial at best in his time on the Pittsburgh blue line. He was once looked upon as the heir apparent to Sergei Gonchar, but with his recent injury problems, inconsistent play and the rise of up-and-coming players like Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski, Whitney was now a trading chip for Ray Shero that could be used to acquire much-needed depth on the wing. So Ryan Whitney was shipped off to the West Coast, much to the chagrin (I kid) of Pens fans everywhere.

Fast forward to the playoffs. The trade has payed off for both teams. Both the Ducks and the Pens overcame long odds and qualified for the postseason, and both knocked off their first round opponents to reach the next level. Kunitz was huge down the stretch for the Pens , and while he didn't score against the Flyers, his hit on Kimmo Timonen has become legendary.

Whitney has also regained the form that he showed in previous seasons with the Pens. In the six game series, he tallied four assists, to go along with a +2 rating in just over 21 minutes of ice time a game. On a team that already features stud blueliners in Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, Whitney offers the Ducks another dangerous option from the point. He's even added a little physicality to his game, something everyone in Pittsburgh thought he'd never do.

I know it pains most Pens fans to admit Ryan Whitney could be successful after seeing him plod his way through a disappointing final abbreviated season with the Pens. But you gotta give the guy his due. Maybe he needed a change of scenery to jumpstart his game. It's not like the Pens got screwed in the deal, they added a gritty playoff-tested winger in Kunitz who's instantly become a fan favorite and who's locked up long term. And we haven't even talked about Eric Tangradi, the prospect thrown in on the deal, who's starting to look like a big time prospect. So best of luck to you Mr. Whitney, I know I'll be rooting for you during your next series. Say hello to Marian Hossa for me.

Laraque With the Assist

2009-04-27T09:18:00.008-04:00

The only way I'd ever call Philadelphia a "sister city" to Pittsburgh was if I had a sister who was knocked up three times by the time she was twenty, had a raging addiction to methamphetamines and was on her third stint as greeter at Wal-Mart. You don't really want to admit you're related. Anytime a Pittsburgh sports team defeats one from Philadelphia in any sport, it feels a little bit better than it should, because you know some innocent wives in the eastern part on Pennsylvania are going to bed with a black eye.

Fast Eddie is double-fisting to get through this loss.

Saturday's game was an instant classic. The Pens rallied from a three-goal deficit to win 5-3 and clinch the series in six games. Things weren't looking so rosy after 14-year old Danny Briere finally started earning his inflated paycheck and scored to make it 3-0 early in the second period. What transpired next will go down in Penguins history...

Let's set the scene...Daniel Carcillo, one-time Penguins farmhand and goon extraordinaire, decides to throw down with Max Talbot. Now most teams use an orchestrated fight to turn momentum in their way when things aren't looking so rosy. The Flyers choose to fight because they're talentless hacks who love to play up to their meathead mentality. According to the Pensblog:

"What was Carcillo thinking? In WPXI's post-game, Talbot said the Flyers bench was telling Carcillo to fight. Unbelievable."

Obviously, Carcillo and Talbot aren't the best of friends. Something must have happened in WB-S years ago to set this precedent. Perhaps you remember Game 1...

So anyways, the rest is history...the Pens take the momentum from the fight, score five unanswered goals and send the Flyers to a familiar place for the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs...their couches. I'm sure you read the headline and are wondering what Georges Laraque has to do with all of this. Rewind to late in the 2007 season. The resurgent Pens were about to embark on their first foray into the playoffs in years. GM Ray Shero, in all his genius, noticed that teams were taking liberties with star Sidney Crosby, and addressed the need for an enforcer to protect Sid's head. Enter Big Georges Laraque.

Artwork by Georges Laraque.

Shero had to give something up to get BGL. And that something (or nothing, in my opinion) was one-time third round draft pick Daniel Carcillo. When acquired by Phoenix, Wayne Gretzky himself was so enamored of Carcillo, he proclaimed that one day he'd be a thirty-goal scorer in the NHL. After 2+ years of watching Carcillo, he realized that Carcillo would have a hard time reaching 30 goals for his career and shipped him to a place where thugs like him are loved more by fans than their own children, Philthadelphia. And the rest, so they say, is history.

When the Pens drafted Carcillo, they obviously imagined him contributing to the Pens in the future. It took a few years and a different jersey, but Carcillo's contributions propelled the Pens one step closer to that elusive third Cup.

One final note and then the Flyers are dead to me until next year...

I was checking out the excellent coverage (as always) at the P-G's Empty Netters blog and followed a link to a philly.com article chronicling the Flyers' most recent postseason failure. I clicked on the slideshow out of morbid interest, and couldn't help noticing a certain spelling error. The last time I checked, the captain of the Penguins' name is spelled S-I-D-N-E-Y, not S-Y-N-D-E-Y. I saw it and just figured that the editor of that site is a moron who doesn't know how to proofread his website, but when I saw the same error repeated again, and again, and again it was just too good to be true. Even the "journalists" in Philadelphia are jealous. To the second round...

Are You Kidding Me?

2009-04-23T20:35:00.002-04:00

Its Game 5 of a highly contested series between Philly and Pitt and guess what I CANT FUCKING SEE THE GODDAMN GAME!!!! This is not the first time this has happened to a FOX Sports Broadcast. Are you trying to tell me you have no backup plan when something like this happens, its amateurish busch league bullshit. Someone needs fired immediately!!!! To make matters worse my wife is at the game so I will get to hear all about it. Hopefully for Fox Sports sake this doesn't turn out to be an epic battle that goes into 2 OT's and the Pens win, there might be death. I am to fucking mad to think of anything else to type so I'm out. FUCK FOX SPORTS

Big Trouble in Little Cleveland

2009-04-23T13:50:00.003-04:00

When will Professional athletes learn to live like millionaires? Sure they buy big houses, big cars, and big jerrerry, but when it comes to common sense, they live like bums. Cleveland wide receiver Donte Stallworth proved this in March when he drove his own car drunk home from a nightclub and killed a pedestrian. A quote from the Miami Herald makes it very hard to have any sympathy...

"Miami Beach police said Stallworth, 28, was driving his Bentley drunk on March 14 when he hit and killed a pedestrian crossing the road on the McArthur Causeway. Stallworth, who had been partying at a posh Miami Beach nightclub, is charged with DUI manslaughter."

I like to think that any of us that came upon millions of doll-hairs would have the sense to take a limo to a South Beach hot spot. At least hire a driver for fuck's sake! I think the NFL should hire someone to teach these guys to live smarter with their money so that when temptation presents itself they make the right decision. Oh wait, they already do! I guess we should just face the facts that shit like this could happen to anyone.

The Real Bitches

2009-04-23T08:55:00.018-04:00

Isn't it funny how the only thing you ever hear coming out of Philthadelphia is how Sidney Crosby is a whiner and a diver and a bitch? It's probably the biggest case of jealousy and envy in all of professional sports. It's also a major case of the pot calling the kettle black. For example...

-Mike Richards, captain of the cheap shot. If you've ever listened to this guy talk, you know he's been getting his share of brotherly love in his spare time. His lisp, to steal a line from the classic Blazing Saddles "sounds like steam escaping." If he's not a closet case, I don't know who is. For your viewing pleasure, a clip of a Richards interview from November 2007. Notice the overly tight shirt, the Bobby Brown headset and of course, the lisp that a Canadian accent can't even hide...

-Daniel Briere, the man who had a decent playoff run a few years back and turned it into one of the most outrageous contracts in NHL history. He's a major reason the Flyers couldn't trade for a guy like Jay Bouwmeester at the deadline. His contract eats up so much of the cap, and the problem for the Flyers is he's constantly hurt. It could be because he's built like a 14-year old boy. Sure, some adults are smaller than others. But someone should check Briere's driver's license, cause he sure does sound like a 14-year old boy too. There's no way this guy is four years older than me. To quote the late, great Michel Therrien, Daniel Briere is "soff." The only thing less threatening than an overrated Francophone hockey player who sounds like he just huffed all the helium out of the balloons at a child's birthday party is challenging a one-armed midget to a 1-on-1 game of hoops.

-Even people in Boston know the Flyers and their fans are jokes, and that's saying a lot. Jack Edwards (you may remember him from Sportscenter, back when it was still watchable) is now the voice of the Boston Bruins. He had a front-row seat to the goonery the Flyers displayed last season, witnessing the cheap shot that could have ended Patrice Bergeron's career. He pulled no punches in making fun of Philly in this clip...

-Not even wasting my time on Scott Fartsmell.

Pictures are worth a thousand words.

As much as I dislike Paul Steigerwald, he made an excellent point before Game Four. Philly fans like to claim Pittsburghers live too much in the past. If they would stop booing and throwing beer on people long enough to actually watch their joke of a hockey franchise, they'd realize that they're trying to reincarnate the Broad Street Bullies brand of hockey that last worked in 1975. It's ok for a city to celebrate their past sporting triumphs when they actually have a past to celebrate...

Philadelphia Major Sports Titles:
NFL: Eagles (NONE)
MLB: Phillies (two: 1980, 2008)
NHL: Flyers (two: 1974,1975)
NBA: Sixers (two: 1967,1983)

Pittsburgh Major Sports Titles:
NFL: Steelers (six: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2005, 2008)

MLB: Pirates (five: 1909,1925, 1960, 1971, 1979)
NHL: Penguins (two: 1991,1992)
NBA: smart enough to not have an NBA franchise

So one of the five largest markets in sports has as many major sports titles combined as the Steelers alone. That's impressive (oops, I forgot to count Arena Football titles...the Philadelphia Soul won the Arena Bowl in 2008, but they're more famous for their owner, Jon Bon Jovi. That guys huffs a lot of dong too, which lets him fit in well in Philly.) So forgive us for living in the past, it's a lot easier to remember the glory days than relive repeated failures (I was gonna do a sweet video montage of such memorable Philly collapses featuring Mitch Williams serving up Joe Carter, Donovan McNabb throwing up and shitting the bed at the same time in the Super Bowl, Allen Iverson being Allen Iverson, and anything with T.O. in it, but I'm done wasting my time with this waste of a city.)

So instead, I leave you with the last meeting between the Pens and Flyers from last season, which features something we're gonna see in the not-too-distant future...

Philly sucks.

LET'S GO PENS

Killing Time While Unemployed

2009-04-22T23:16:00.002-04:00

One of the pastimes I have had lately is watching movies. Honestly, in the past month I'll bet I have watched a hundred at least.

Where is this going you ask? Right now Tom is thinking something like this, "Goddammit Penn, this is a fucking sports blog! That's it I'm stripping your posting privileges immediately!" Don't worry Tommy, there is a point to this.

There are only two kinds of movies that make me tear up. The first is any film with a heroic or lovable dog and said pooch dies in the end. Movies like Homeward Bound ( I know the dog doesn't die in the end but my dog's name is Shadow and when he and his owner are reunited at the end it melts my heart) and Marley and Me ( If you are a dog lover DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH ANYONE YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU BALL LIKE A FOUR YEAR OLD GIRL!). The other kind of flick that gets my water running are sports movies.

I have compiled a list of my top 5 favorite acting performances that depicts real life sports figure and invite you all to do the same....

1. John Goodman as Babe Ruth, The Babe
2. Ray Liotta as "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Field of Dreams
3. Kurt Russel as Herb Brooks, Miracle
4. Thomas Jane as Mickey Mantle, 61
5. Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig, The Pride of the Yankees

That's my 5 and yes, I do cry every time I watch any of these movies.

No One is Dodging This Draft

2009-04-22T12:09:00.008-04:00

After reading Penn's inaugural post focusing on the best NFL draft ever and witnessing Marc-Andre Fleury's outstanding performance in last night's playoff victory, I started thinking about what could possibly be the best NHL draft ever. The year was 2003, the New Jersey Devils were fresh off another Stanley Cup victory over the upstart Anaheim (still Mighty) Ducks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins were mired in their post-Jagr postseason slump. The Pens held the third pick overall, but traded that pick, along with Mikael Samuelsson, to the Florida Panthers for the right to choose MAF first overall and draft what they viewed to be the franchise goalie they've lacked since trading away Tom Barrasso a few years earlier.

Fast forward six years...Fleury, after a few growing pains, led the Pens to the brink of Stanley Cup glory a year ago, and once again has the Pens poised for another long playoff run. It's hard to argue with the Pens' choice of Fleury, but had they taken any of these top-5 picks I think they'd still be happy.

#2 Eric Staal (Carolina): One of the best power forwards in the game. The oldest of the Staal gang is a goal scoring machine who led the Canes to a Cup win in 2004.

#3 Nathan Horton (Florida): After moving down, the Panthers picked up a franchise winger who is finally coming into his own.

#4 Nikolai Zherdev (Columbus): A world-class skater and stick-handler, Zherdev disappears at times, but has shown flashes of brilliance since his trade to the Rangers.

#5 Thomas Vanek (Buffalo): Vanek has some of the best hands in the game, and is taking his place among the biggest scoring threats in the league.

That's just the top five. Look at the rest of the first round. These guys aren't just roster fillers, these are household names. Need an elite top-line forward?

Milan Michalek (#6) Andrei Kostitsyn (#10) Dustin Brown (#13) Steve Bernier(#16) Zach Parise(#17) Ryan Getzlaf(#19) Ryan Kesler(#23) Corey Perry (#28)

Or maybe you need an impact player on the blue line...

Ryan Suter (#7) Dion Phaneuf (#9) Brent Seabrook (#14) Brent Burns (#20)

And this is just the first round! In all, 29 of the 30 players drafted in the first round of 2003 have seen action at the NHL level (way to go Hugh Jessiman, you're letting us down.) That in itself is astounding. Just ask the Philthadelphia Flyers how important the 2003 draft was to their team. Where would they be without Braydon Coburn (#8 via ATL) Jeff Carter (#11) Mike Richards (#24) or Matt Carle (#47 via SJ/TB)?

When you think it can't get any better, we move to the second round...Patrice Bergeron, who was on his way to greatness with the Bruins before the Philly goon squad concussed him last season, was taken with the 45th pick in the second round. Shea Weber, one of the best offensive-minded defensemen in the game, was taken 49th by the Nashville Kid Touchers. David Backes was the 62nd pick and led the Blues back to the playoffs this season with 31 goals.

There was even good value deep in the draft. Players such as Daniel Carcillo, Ryan O'Byrne, Jan Hejda, Marc Methot, Chris Holt, Drew Miller, Joe Pavelski, Dustin Byfuglien and Shane O'Brien are contributors to playoff teams this season. And even the second to last pick in the entire draft, Brian Elliott, was the starting goalie for the Ottawa Senators down the stretch this past season. He even made an appearance on PWHallstrom's fantasy team. I can go on and on, but I think you get the point.

This draft wasn't just about quantity, it was about quality. You could argue that some of the guys taken in the middle or late first round could have been #1 overall picks in other draft years. And what's also scary is the fact that most of these guys are in their early-to-mid twenties, meaning that the stars are only going to get better as they hit their prime, and the others who haven't yet established themselves in the league are poised to make a name for themselves in the not-too-distant future.

NHL MVP Race

2009-04-20T17:40:00.003-04:00

Just an update on how the Caps superstar "Anal" Alex Ovechkin has been doing so far in the NHL Playoffs.

Ovechkin's Washington Capitals are now down 0-2 to the lowly New York Rangers. How has Alex contributed to his team's lack of success?

0G 2A 19SOG 49 mins

On the contrary, our Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Geno and Sid, are up 2-1 to the hated Queeradelphia Criers, and are gearing up for a much anticipated game 4 after a fairly sound thrashing. The Pens stars stats for the playoffs are as follows...

Malkin

4G 3A 13SOG 52mins

Crosbey

1G 4A 11SOG 52mins

The regular season ended with Malkin winning the scoring title with 113pts. Ovechkin was second with 110 and Crosby third with 103. The amazing thing is that Malkin led the league with another top scoring superstar on his team, being on the same line for much of the season. One would think that they would hurt each other's stats and cancel each other out for the scoring lead. Ovechkin's closest teammate was Backstrom with 88pts. This along with what looks like a major choke job by Alex and his Caps, I just have one thing to say....

Malkin for MVP!!!!

Building a Dynasty

2009-04-20T15:17:00.002-04:00

On the week of the NFL draft, possibly my favorite weekend of the year, I wanted to take a minute and talk about the greatest draft class in NFL history. The year was 1974 and Our Pittsburgh Steelers had just come off a 10-4 season and a disappointing first round playoff loss to the hated Oakland Raiders.

Chuck Noll's draft philosophy was to draft the best player available no matter the position need and in the first round The Steelers picked a WR from USC named Lynn Swann. Round two saw Pittsburgh select an undersized linebacker from Kent State. His name was Jack Lambert. Pick three was traded prior to the draft for a defensive lineman but they had two picks in the fourth round. Those picks turned out to be John Stallworth, WR from Alabama, and Jimmy Allen DB from UCLA whom would eventually be traded to Detroit. In my opinion, the 125th overall pick in the fifth round of this draft is the second biggest steal in NFL draft history because it garnered arguably the greatest center to ever play the game, Wisconsin's Mike Webster. (Bonus points to anyone that guesses which pick I think is the biggest steal ever!)

So count 'em up gents. That's four Hall of Famers in one draft! To put it in perspective no other team has ever drafted more than two HOF'ers in a single draft.

Let's hope this Steeler's regime has the insight and luck that "Good Luck Chuck" had in '74. I doubt seriously there will be even one HOF'er in our draft class but perhaps we can at least get an All Pro or two out of the pack!

A Reason to Celebrate

2009-04-17T11:59:00.009-04:00

It's another big day in Pittsburgh sports today, with the Pens taking on the Cryers in game two and your Pittsburgh Pirates welcoming the Braves to town over on the North Side. There's plenty to talk about, such as the NHL cracking down on Daniel Carcillo and John Stevens yesterday in the form of fines and suspensions, and the Buccos trying to claw their way back to .500. What I'm most pumped about was something that happened yesterday during the Bucs' loss to the Astros...

It's a celebration bitches!

That's right, Andy LaRoche finally got his first hit of the season yesterday! It only took him 20 at-bats, but he did it! Through nine games, this is what Little LaRoche has contributed so far to his team...

8 G, 1/20 (.050 AVG) 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K, .145 OPS, 3 E

If he keeps up this blistering pace, this is what we're looking at over the entire season...

144 G, 18/360, 18 R, 18 BB, 72 K, .145 OPS, 54 E

Not good. It's too easy to pile on this guy anymore. I've just realized how much time and energy i have wasted on bashing Andy LaRoche over the past few weeks and I'm ready to stop. This really isn't an atmosphere condusive to Andy LaRoche becoming a capable contributing member of a professional baseball club. The reasons...

1. There's already an overwhelming anti-LaRoche sentiment in Pittsburgh. Andy only has to look across the diamond (and the family tree) to witness someone who's struggled in Pittsburgh. His brother has been relentlessly bashed over the past three seasons for his slow starts and ho-hum attitude. At last year's trade deadline, Bucco fans were praying to unload their LaRoche, not pick up another one.

2. He's fighting a legacy of countless failed Pittsburgh prospects. Chad Hermansen. J.J. Davis. Bobby Bradley. John Van Benschoeten. Bryan Bullington. Do I need to continue? Pittsburgh prospects have to face the fact that this organization has had a terrible run of failure when it comes to high-end prospects. Fans are guarded when it comes to guys coming up through the system, it's hard to get excited anymore about some guy who's a few years away, when in the past you've heard how one guy can "walk on water" yet when it comes to hitting Major League pitching, he sinks like lead.

3. Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez. When your team moves a former first round draft pick to your position and then uses the #2 overall pick to draft a "can't miss" stud that also plays your position, you can't help but look over your shoulder. Many baseball people think Neil Walker is ready for the big leagues, and being that his hometown just happens to be the 'Burgh, let's just say there's a popular local sentiment to see what this guy can do. And I don't really think I need to explain Mr. Alvarez, there hasn't been this much buzz about a Pirates' prospect since Mr. Bonds.

So I have decided that it's time to hang up the Andy LaRoche bashing stick. Let's give him a few more weeks to see what he can (or can't) do. If there wasn't a tiny glimmer of hope for the Pirates' future, I might keep it up. If the only other third baseman in the Pirates' system was a guy who scouts compared to Chris Stynes or Ed Sprague, then maybe I'd stay on Andy for a bit longer. But for once in a very long time, the Pirates can offer legitimate competition to a position player, and not have to sign some overpriced stopgap. So best of luck to you Mr. Andy LaRoche, you're gonna need it.

Boom! I'm Out.

2009-04-16T12:12:00.002-04:00

John Madden retired from broadcasting today, ending a storied career in the broadcast booth. Love him or hate him, Madden's contributions to the game of football are vast. Madden's retirement, along with the expiration of W's presidential term, spells the end of Frank Caliendo's career as well.

Sorry Frank, your fifteen minutes are up.

Most people know Madden from his work in the booth and his contributions to fat, lazy video game addicts, and tend to forget he was a very successful NFL coach for the Raiders before he started his broadcasting career. In fact he was on the sidelines for the biggest play in Pittsburgh sports history...

So happy trails Mr. Madden, it's kind of ironic that you've retired around the same time your man crush finally (hopefully) hung up his cleats and put on his Wranglers.

Identity Crisis

2009-04-15T12:13:00.007-04:00

Not to be outshined by the opening of the Stanley Cup playoffs across town, your Pittsburgh Pirates made a deal today, acquiring OF Delwyn Young from the Dodgers for future considerations. Let's start off by clarifying who this guy really is...

This is DELWYN Young, newest member of your Pittsburgh Pirates:

This is DELMON Young, younger brother of Da Meat Hook and bat-thrower extraordinaire.

I've already heard Stan and Guy ("love the show") make this mistake this morning, and I anticipate hearing the same mistake being made over and over again. But anyways, Delwyn should be a decent switch-hitting reserve outfielder, and at 26 is still young enough to possibly fulfill some of the potential seen by the Dodgers.

Mission Possible: Objective 1 of 4 (Philthadelphia)

2009-04-15T11:13:00.006-04:00

A few things to get you ready for the Pens/Flyers throwdown beginning tonight at Mellon Arena...

-For all your Pens' needs throughout the playoff run, bookmark the Pensblog and P-G's Empty Netters. You won't be disappointed.

-A running countdown to let you know how long it's really been since the Flyers last lifted Lord Stanley's Cup. 1975.

-Pimp out your computer with these "Flyers suck" backgrounds.

-Someone poses the million-dollar question at Yahoo! Answers.

-This is why you can't trust the Urban Dictionary.

-There's still plenty of good seats available for the Flyers' bandwagon.

-Scott Paulsen, what a human.

-If you think Pittsburgh is the only city to hate the Flyers, think again.

-If Kevin Spangler shows up at a game this series, you can be sure he's wearing this.

-And if you need something to wear to the game, you can get one of these (maternity sizes available too!)

-And a final "F You" to the worst fans in sports...

Madden '10 Sneak Peak

2009-04-10T15:12:00.003-04:00

Being one of the head honchos at Big or Little Ben comes with its perks, such as being tight with the bros down at EA Sports. After Biggamekilla released his piece on the potential cover boy/jinx target for Madden 2010, I decided to do some investigative journalism. Here's what I found...

Biggamekilla is God's fantasy football guru.

Yes it's true, fantasy football "stars" are now rewarded with Madden covers. It seems that most NFL stars are indeed scared to be featured on the cover of Madden, so EA has decided to go to its next-best option. We'll see if Biggamekilla's juggernaut of a fantasy football team suffers from the cover jinx this fall.

Everybody Needs a Little Sandpaper

2009-04-10T09:28:00.005-04:00

A good agitator is a must for any hockey team looking to go deep into the playoffs. For the Pens' Stanley Cup teams in the early '90s, that role was filled by a guy named Ulf Samuelsson.

Ulfie ends careers.

When Ray Shero came to town a few years back, he instantly realized that the Pens were an easy team to play against due to a lack of gritty guys like Ulf. One of his first orders of business was to go out and pick up a guy who would agitate the hell out of anyone. Enter Jarkko Ruutu.

The donut is scared.

Ruutu became an instant fan favorite in Pittsburgh with his cheap shots and easy-to-chant name (that's a big thing in the 'Burgh, just ask HEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAATH Miller.) He's one of those players you absolutely loathe unless he's on your team. After two years Jarkko was due to become a UFA again, and he was looking to get paid. Shero, understanding the economy of today's game, was unwilling to give a 33-year-old player who's game is based on grit and hitting a three-year guaranteed contract. Ruutu wanted the third year (and who can blame him?) and bolted for Ottawa. Enter Matt Cooke.

Matt Cooke hits everything hard.

People around Pittsburgh weren't sure what to think. In his two short years Ruutu was a cult hero around these parts, and any time a guy like that moves on, it's gonna be hard on his replacement to live up to those expectations. In my opinion, Cooke has met and exceeded what Ruutu was able to do in his short time here. He hits, and he hits, and he hits. He has put up impressive offensive numbers for a guy who isn't expected to produce in that manner (missed empty net attempts aside.) He gets under the skin of opposing players (ask Gary Roberts) without resorting to turning them into a snack.

A side-by-side comparison of Cooke and Ruutu's stats this season (through 81 games):

Cooke: 13 G, 18 A, 31 PTS. -1, 101 PIM, 14:12 min/game.

Ruutu: 7 G, 14 A, 21 PTS. -1, 144 PIM, 11:42 min/game.

In addition, Cooke is 6th in the league with 258 hits, compared to Ruutu's pedestrian 146. What's also amazing is that Cooke's 31 points this season is only ONE LESS than what Ruutu tallied in his TWO YEARS in Pittsburgh. So it's safe to say that Matt Cooke has been a significant upgrade over Jarkko Ruutu. He's scored, he's hit, he's fought, he's agitated and he's three years younger. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Jarkko Ruutu, but once again Ray Shero proves to Pens fans that their team is in good hands.

Who's Next John?

2009-04-09T21:29:00.006-04:00

Its Thursday night Pens are dominating so i decided to do a little web surfing. I came across an interesting article on Yahoo sports. Seems that Madden 10 is in the finishing stages and looking for a suitable cover boy. Well my friends let me give you the short list of candidates whose careers are about to possibly be over.

1. That's right every body's favorite Mr. Little Ben himself. Now Ben do i need to remind you that damn near everyone who ever was on that cover has had career threatening injuries, jury trials for murder or dog fighting, and just in general bad luck. Do you remember when you almost DIED in that motorcycle accident? What good could possibly come out of this? Use you giant reconstructed head for once and withdraw your name from consideration, if not for yourself do it for 6th Wards sake.2. Yes its true Troy Polamalu is also being considered to be on a shared cover with Larry Fitzgerald. I would absolutely hate to see any Steeler on the cover of Madden not because i dislike them but because i do believe in the curse. If Fitzgerald is on the cover I may have to reconsider my fantasy football keepers list.

Other notables being mentioned Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, Ravens S Ed Reed, Giants RB Brandon Jacobs another Superbowl or Bust Juggernaut.

The results will be announced April 24th at the 2009 NFL draft. Get your popcorn ready!

Thrashin'

2009-04-09T12:28:00.002-04:00

When you consistently field an underachieving hockey club, teams have to find ways to keep the fans entertained. And the Atlanta Thrashers are doing a pretty good job of it...

Thanks to the P-G's Empty Netters blog.

Instant classic. Anyone who makes fun of Alex Ovechkin is A-OK in my book. It does take some balls to take shots at the "new face" of the NHL, especially when you're team has made the playoffs once in their entire existence. I guess they weren't busy enough making tee times for next week and came up with this gem instead. But that's fine by me.

Fantasy Hotwire

2009-04-09T12:26:00.004-04:00

The MLB baseball season is in full swing and im going to give you a little taste of greatness in this post. My hot tip for this week is to pick up Brandon Inge of the Detroit Tigers if you werent smart enough to draft him, which fortunately i was. Inge is on pace for 162 homeruns this season and qualifies at C and 3RD which are very important positions with very little quality after the big names are selected. Another hot pick up is Ubaldo Jimenez yes he is a Rockies pitcher but he is a power pitcher and will register big time strikeout numbers. One more lightening in a bottle is Emilio Bonifacio ride him while he is hot but he will cool off. Steer clear of Justin Verlander this guy is a nightmare, i dont understand how a guy who throws upwards of 100mph cant get major league players out. Until he learns how if you own him keep him benched.

LaRoche is French for "The Suck"

2009-04-09T10:37:00.009-04:00

I have to admit, it is nice seeing the Pirates above the .500 mark this late in the season. Another promising performance by a starting pitcher (Zach Duke) helped the Bucs win again in Saint Louis last night. Duke's solid outing and four-hit efforts by the middle infielders aside, the real reason the Buccos won this game was last night's performance of Andy LaRoche. What did Andy do last night to help his team win? Nothing. Sometimes doing nothing is worth more than screwing something up. Andy was set to make a pinch-hitting appearance in the 9th last night, but John Russell realized he was messing with destiny and sat him back down. I know the real reason was to get a lefty to face the right-handed reliever Tony LaRussa just brought in when LaRoche was announced, but let me dream here. Of course, with Andy out of the lineup, big brother Adam couldn't let the Pirates go one game without a miserable LaRoche performance...

0-5, 2 K. 5 LOB.

What does proud papa Dave LaRoche think about all this? Dave carved out a respectable baseball career through the '70s and '80s, even introducing his famed "LaLob" eephus pitch. Unfortunately for him, his legacy in Pittsburgh is tarnished a bit. If he spent more time in the backyard with his boys instead of pitching a baseball 30 feet in the air at 40 mph maybe the Pirates would be a bit more respectable.

Interesting factoid of the day, according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia page of proud papa Dave:

"LaRoche is of Mexican descent. According to his son Andy, Dave LaRoche's surname was Garcia, however, he changed it to LaRoche at age seven, the last name of his stepfather. "La Roche is French, but I have no French in me," Andy LaRoche said. "My grandfather was 100% Mexican."

This is certainly good news for Mexico's next entry in the World Baseball Classic.

2-1

2009-04-09T07:21:00.005-04:00

Ladies & gentlemen, OUR Pittsburgh Pirates are 2-1 after another exciting win in the home of the 2009 All Star Game (where you'll see 7 Buccos) the new Busch Stadium. Again, the Bucco Lumber Company was up and at it with every starter minus Adam LaRoche getting at least a hit.

"I am the real BIGGAMEKILLA"

If you're looking for a win, give the ball to these guys (Matt Capps not pictured)...

"We rock the party that rocks the party"

Life is good when the Pirates are winning.

One earned run, 17 hits - fucking a people. Duke limited Pujols to a 1-for-3 night with only a single, a notable feat considering the first baseman had reached base nine of 10 times in the first two games. And Duke found success against a team that he hadn't beaten since 2006, a span of four starts.
"When the numbers start to count, you really want to put some good outings together," said Duke, who pitched into the seventh inning in only 10 of his 31 starts last season. "As far as a team, we played great tonight. We put the pressure on them and made them make the mistakes.

The Suspense is Killing Me...I Hope it Will Last

2009-04-08T14:16:00.003-04:00

During last night's Pens-Lightning game, I received an interesting text message from Biggamekilla. He was discussing various hockey team mascots and wanted to know what exactly a Flyer was. Most team mascots are self-explanatory...a Penguin is a flightless bird, a Bruin is a baby bear, a Predator is a kid toucher, etc. I consider myself a sports trivia nut, but I had to admit I was stumped. My answer...

"A goon-laden hockey team who hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1975."

That's what I think of when I think of a Flyer. After some research, BGK found out that when it came time to naming the expansion Philadelphia hockey team in 1967, the winning entry was cast by a 9-year old kid who submitted the name "Fliers." How appropriate, someone from Philadelphia doesn't know how to spell. The team execs made the necessary grammatical changes and the Philadelphia Pumpkins on Ice were born.

Also serves as excellent hunting gear. Although if I saw someone wearing this I'd probably try to shoot at them.

So I pose this question to the loyal BOLB readers...what do you think a Flyer really is?

It's Lunchtime...and I Have an Appetite for Destruction of Andy LaRoche's Face

2009-04-08T12:04:00.009-04:00

So 6th Ward's ultimate dream of a 162-0 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been crushed due to a 9-3 shellacking at the hands of Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals last night. The game wasn't televised, taking a back seat to the Penguins clinching a playoff spot (more on that later.) I'm not gonna go into detail, it's the second game of the season and I'm sure many more games like this are on the horizon. I'll make two points...

#1: I have lost complete faith in Ian Snell. His promising start to his career has gone down in flames. He's been known to be a head case, and I think he's another in a long line of former Bucco pitchers who needs a change of scenery, will get it, and then blossom into a top-of-the-rotation starter.

#2: Please, please, PLEASE John Russell remove Andy LaRoche from the lineup immediately. The one time Snell actually gets Pujols to not hit a ball 450 feet off him, LaRoche drops a simple pop up, once again leading to runs for the Cards for the second consecutive game. Andy LaRoche has career minor leaguer written all over him. He's the guy who crushes Triple-A pitching year after year, but once he gets a shot in the big leagues he shits the bed. His hot spring can be attributed to the fact that most of the pitching he faced was garbage, comprised mostly of journeymen and minor leaguers who won't sniff Major League jobs.

Andy LaRoche is on a record pace...a 243-error season.

Enough about the Pirates for today, we're from the City of Champions, so let's talk about a team that has a chance to compete for a championship, the Pittsburgh Penguins. After last night's ugly 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh South Bolts, the Pens can finish no lower than 7th place in the Eastern Conference, and are likely on a collision course with Marty Brodeur and Kevin Spangler's New Jersey Devils in the first round. Last night's game was chippy, Ryan Malone will get a late start on his golf game this offseason due to a broken hand sustained last night, and AHL lifers like David Koci and Zenon Konopka (what a waste of an awesome name) were taking liberties on various Pens. An actual text sent from me to Biggamekilla last night during the goon-ruled third period...

"Dear dan bylsma... Do not take sid or geno off the bench for rest of game. Thank you. "

The last thing the Pens need is to lose a vital cog of their team with three games left in the regular season against a team filled with players you will never hear of again. I know it would have been nice to get Malkin an empty netter to pad his ever-dwindling lead in the points race, but I'd rather see him holding Lord Stanley in June instead of the Art Ross with a cast on his hand due to a slash from some scrub who will be playing in Finland next year.

So here we sit, with two games left against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers wearing Islanders uniforms and the Montreal Canadiens. I know these games are pretty meaningless, and I'd like to see a guy or two get a rest, but I'd love nothing more than having the Pens keep the Habs out of the playoffs in their centennial season and watch the suicide rate in Canada spike over the weekend.

Afternoon Eye Candy.

2009-04-07T15:16:00.004-04:00

Let's see our PENS & BUCCOS destroy shit tonight.

Pirates Fever...Catch It!

2009-04-07T10:51:00.005-04:00

What looked like a typical Pirates baseball game (fielding errors, baserunning gaffes, no power) suddenly turned atypical when elder statesman Jack Wilson (he's still here?) sent a bases-clearing double into the gap at Shitty Beer Stadium, leading your Pittsburgh Pirates to an opening day 6-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. I have to admit, I did gain a little more optimism for the upcoming season after Jumpin' Jack's heroics, but there is an interesting opening day situation going on here...

2007- Xavier Nady homers in the 9th to tie the game, and Jason Bay's two-run 10th inning shot leads the Bucs to victory.
2008- The Bucs blow a 5-run 9th inning lead, only to come back to win 12-11 in extras.
2009- Jack Wilson's 3 RBI double with 2 out in the 9th turns a two-run deficit into a 6-4 win.

So your Pirates are setting quite an interesting opening day precedent over the past few years. There are now two constants with the Bucco baseball club...the first is a guaranteed losing season. The second is an exciting opening day filled with shitty weather, shitty baseball and late game fireworks. A win is a win, and around here we'll take them however we can get them.

The Good...
-Nyjer Morgan looked like a prototypical leadoff hitter. He got on base repeatedly, ran the bases effectively and even drove in two runs. Morgan isn't known for his bat, and had a pretty poor spring, but if he can consitently get on base and set the table for the meat of the order, good things can happen.
-Paul Maholm looked like the ace of the staff everyone expected him to be. He gave up two runs that really weren't his fault (thank you Andy LaRoche, more on this scrub later) and added a hit and a key walk that led to Nyjer's big hit. Maholm needs to be the anchor of this staff if the Bucs have any hope of sniffing .500.
-Many people were upset with the failure to resign key bench players like Dougie Eyechart, but Ramon (where did my moustache go?) Vasquez and Eric Hinske both had pinch hits yesterday. The bench looks to be much improved, and we didn't even get a look at Craig Monroe, who was crushing the ball in Florida this spring.

The Bad...
-The bullpen looks to be as weak as everyone thought it would be. Tyler Yates throws hard, but sometimes when you throw hard, it gets hit even harder. John Grabow even looked a bit shaky, throwing a pickoff attempt into right field. Everyone stressed the need for good starting pitching, but when they hand the game over in the late innings, someone needs to step up and shut the door. Excluded in the bullpen criticism is Matt Capps, who calmly closed up shop in the 9th for his first save.

The Ugly...
I get the feeling that this isn't the first time this season that the word "ugly" will be used to describe Andy LaRoche's performance. A first inning strikeout with the bases loaded...two errors, with the first leading to the Cards' first runs of the game...and the ultimate slap in the face, with the game on the line in the 9th, John Russell pinch hits Hinske for LaRoche, which helped continue the Pirates' comeback. Now I know Russell probably wanted the left-handed Hinske up against the righty, but LaRoche is your #6 hitter, a slot usually reserved for one of your better run producers. Not too many #6 hitters get pinch-hit for in a key late-inning situation. It's beginning to look more and more like Andy is keeping the hot corner warm for Neil Walker, and eventually Pedro Alvarez. You know a Pirate is bad when 6th Ward cuts him from his fantasy team one game into the season, he stockpiles Buccos like it's going out of style (I think I heard him say he's putting in waiver claims for Jason Jaramillo and Luis Cruz this morning.) At least his big brother hit the ball well yesterday, which will hopefully help him avoid another terrible April.

All in all, it was another sloppy Pirates' performance we've become accustomed to over the past few years, but with a suprisingly different result. These comebacks aren't going to happen every night, but if the Bucs can shore up their fundamentals a bit and capitalize on solid starting pitching, good things might happen.

Opening Gay

2009-04-06T12:07:00.005-04:00

It's 36 degrees, windy and snowy in Saint Louis...what better way to kick off what looks to be the 17th consecutive losing season for your Pittsburgh Pirates! Normally when a professional sports team knows going into a season it's in for a long year, the team does its best PR job to drum up interest in their respective team. After 16 years of futility at Three Rivers and PNC Park, there's absolutely nothing the Pirates' brass can do to get anyone excited about this team. Not even a "clever" marketing slogan can get you pumped for this season (think along the lines of the "Let's go to Work" and "We Will..." garbage force-fed to you during Pirate broadcasts over the years.)

Genius courtesy of Mondesishouse

While fans in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are full of hope and optimism, looking forward to who they'd like to face in October, the few die-hards here are looking forward to good first half starts for Freddy Sanchez and Adam LaRoche, that way the Bucs can pick up more "prospects" at the deadline in July. Kill me now.

Dan Kreider Sighting...

2009-04-03T12:12:00.003-04:00

Dan Kreider, former Steelers fullback extraordinaire, has signed with another NFL team. Three guesses as to where he went...as if you need three...

That's right, he's taken the path of many former Steelers and will be suiting up this fall for Pittsburgh West, aka the Arizona Cardinals. Kreider and all the other blocking fullbacks around the league are going the way of the dinosaur, with teams like the Steelers using more two and three-tight end sets in running situations. Best of luck to you Mr. Kreider, I know PWHallstrom will be rooting for you.

In other NFL news, Jay Cutler was traded to the Bears. He's a bitch. Chicago gave up way too much for a bitch. That's all I'll say about that situation.

Local College Hoops Team Wins National Tournament

2009-04-03T09:28:00.008-04:00

Many people around the 'Burgh expected to see this headline in their local newspapers this week, but with a different meaning. While the Pitt Panthers cagers were at home still licking their wounds from a last-second beating from Villanova, the Penn State University hoops team was at Madison Square Garden, clinching their first championship in the not-so-storied history of men's basketball. I know, I know, it's the NIT, but still, would you rather your year end like this...

or this...

Penn State did what a lot of other teams failed to do in the past...instead of sulking over an NCAA Tournament snub, they went into the NIT and decided to go out on top. I don't want to hear about how the NIT is inferior to the NCAA's and all that jazz, they still had to beat some quality teams to win, such as George Mason (the Cinderella of the 2007 NCAA's)...at Florida (only two years removed from back-to-back National Championships)...Notre Dame (featuring one of the best players in the nation, Luke Harangody (by the way, I hate that guy, total meathead. How is he good at basketball? He shoots like a retarded kid)) and Baylor (winners of 7 of their last 8, with big wins over Kansas and Texas in the Big 12 Tournament.) It was also pretty impressive seeing 36 busloads of supporters make the trip to NYC, turning the Garden into Bryce Jordan Center East and giving Penn State a distinct home-court advantage. Even JoePa made the trip, and had some interesting things to say...

And how refreshing is it to see a college stick with a coach and let him build from the bottom up? Ed DeChellis is in his 6th season at the helm of Penn State, and while he's had his struggles, the university had patience with him, instead of canning him after a few lousy seasons. In a game where coaches have become hired mercenaries and it's more business than basketball, it's good to see a team rewarded for sticking to their guns and letting a coach build things his way and not try to find the latest quick-fix big name who would leave as soon as another better opportunity came around. This team loses some of its bigger names next year, such as tournament MVP Jamelle Cornley (this guy would be a beast if he moved to tight end) and guard Stanley Pringle. But with First Team All-Big Ten performer Talor Battle and a host of other talent returning, along with the added boost in recruiting from the NIT win, the future of Penn State hoops is looking brighter than it once did.

I know I said I wouldn't post about basketball anymore but I had to do this. I apologize to everyone and promise it won't happen again.

So What's It Gonna Be?

2009-04-02T12:14:00.007-04:00

Predictions are in for your 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates, and things aren't looking so rosy...

Buster Olney of ESPN: 62-100, 6th Place NL Central.

Albert Chen of CNNSI: 64-98, 6th Place NL Central.

Doc Emrick is not pleased.

This seems to be the consensus among most of baseball's "experts." Your 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates are on their way to their record-setting 17th consecutive losing season, and in the process most see them being the worst team in baseball. Ouch. But who can blame them? There's not one player in the Bucs' lineup that sends fear into opposing pitchers. There's no dominant starting pitcher who can be counted on to shut down the other team. The bullpen is full of guys with upside and not much else. All these years and it's still hard to be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I want to be a realist when it comes to the Bucs, but every year they somehow suck me in and keep me interested, if only until the middle of June. As much as I try to be objective, there's still that tiny glimmer of hope I hold that feels the Pirates will not be a cellar dweller this season. I'm not predicting a winning season by any means, but 72-75 wins might be a possibility. In a city that's home to a football team whose season is deemed a failure if they don't win the Super Bowl, it's pretty depressing that a 75-win year by the baseball club is deemed as overachieving.

At Least He Shouldn't Need to Collect Unemployment

2009-03-31T11:17:00.005-04:00

Welcome to the wonderful world of unemployment, Mr. Gary Sheffield. Sheff was cut loose by the Detroit Tigers today, just one home run shy of the 500 mark for his career. Sheffield has been an offensive force in Major League Baseball since the early 90's, when I used to bat him leadoff for the Milwaukee Brewers in RBI Baseball 3.

Not quite on par with the original, but a classic nonetheless.

Sheffield is old and brittle, and is not much more than a role player or occasional DH, which he didn't really want to acknowledge. I'd be surprised if someone takes the chance on him, but it would be nice for someone to throw him a bone and get him that last dinger. No comments have been released yet by the Biggamekilla camp, who selected Sheffield to represent his Innocent Until Narc'd fantasy baseball team for the upcoming season.

It's 12 o'clock....Time for Some News!

2009-03-30T10:22:00.008-04:00

Lunchtime thoughts...

-Happy trails to the Pitt basketball team. Pitt was eliminated by conference rival Villanova on Saturday night, thanks to a last-second layup by Scottie Reynolds. Best of luck to outgoing seniors Levance Fields, Sam Young, and Tyrell Biggs, and you may as well say goodbye to Dejuan Blair, it's looking like the NBA is in his very near future. Dry your tears Pitt fans, at least Penn State's hoopsters are still in the hunt for a championship (ouch). And this will be the very last time I write anything about basketball. It sucks. If anyone calls Sidney Crosby a whiner, please take the time to watch a college basketball game. Basketball coaches whine and bitch more than any person I know. Every good call, bad call, non-call...the coach has something to say. It's embarrassing. Fuck basketball, especially the NBA. Play some defense for Christ's sake.

-Marvel Smith signed a multi-year contract with the 49ers over the weekend. Yawn. Is he still playing? Now you realize why teams like the 49ers are bottom feeders, they sign injured scrubs to big contracts who can barely walk, let alone play a 16-game NFL season. Best of luck to you Marvel, you played some good football for the Steelers before you died three years ago.

-Andrew McCutcheon was reassigned to the minors. Smart move by the Pirates (did I just say that?) This team probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so why start McCutcheon's free agency clock to play in a meaningless environment? Get him some quality at-bats against inferior pitching and build his confidence. He did bat over .300 this spring, but was still striking out too much for my liking. We'll see him in the 'Burgh sooner rather than later. And another familiar prospect...er I mean talentless scrub has been sent down as well, Mr. Brian Bixler. Good riddance. This guy was supposed to be Jack Wilson's heir at shortstop, but because of his inability to hit major league pitching he'll be languishing in the minors again. If Jack Wilson really is genuine about his wanting to stay in Pittsburgh, he has to send Bixler a thank you card for his repeated failures. If Bixler had shown any promise during his major league stints, Jumpin' Jack would be playing in greener pastures right now.

-Missed the Pens' game on Saturday, the first game all season I haven't watched or attended. Usually I try to DVR the games I'm going to miss and watch them at a later time, but this time I shit the bed. It's a shame, because from some of the text messages I received Saturday I missed a good one. Six games left for the Pens, and things are still looking up.

Rant From The Recliner

2009-03-29T21:29:00.007-04:00

From the recliner to you - baseball news...

JUMPIN' JACK FLASH WILSON, the shortstop of OUR Pittsburgh Pirates is reportedly in talks with the Bucco brass about a contract extension.Dejean Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette says the Pirates and Jack Wilson are beginning to discuss a contract extension. Wilson apparently initiated talks this week, indicating a desire to stay with the club beyond next year when his contract could expire.

Wilson is set to make $7.25MM in 2009,

with a club option for $8.4MM or a $500K buyout.

What does everyone think about this? Personally, I like it. Jack has always said that his goal was to turn this 'Pirate ship' around, and we've seen how scary things can be when we put our faith in Bixler - so okay Jack, you're on board from here on out (under one circumstance, you'll have to take a 6.5 million dollar pay cut)

It's late, but how about a little 'FUCK BOSTON FRIDAY'?

Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirmed to reporters this morning that outfielder Brad Wilkerson has left the Red Sox. He doesn’t figure to be in the major league team’s plans heading into the regular season.
Wilkerson, who had signed a minor-league deal, had an opt-out option in his deal that permitted him to leave the team up until April 1. Wilkerson was hitting just .119 in 42 at-bats, striking out 18 times.

Brad was questioned as he was leaving the Red Sox spring training facilities and he said, "I blame everything on Boston. Before I came here, I was a proud journey man who was looking for a chance. Now, since I have spent around these scumbags, I am a terrible person and need to step away from baseball to get my life back where it needs to be." OK, so that part is completely bullshit, made up by me, but I would be willing to bet that I'm pretty damn close.
You're better off Brad - FUCK BOSTON!

Where in the World is Ronnie Paulino?

Former bucco backstop Ronnie Paulino, who was in a battle for a job with the Filthadelphia Phillies was traded to the Giants for lefty reliever Jack Taschner.

The Giants quickly turned Paulino around in a trade to the Florida Marlins for right-handed pitcher Hector Correa. Ronnie... Nobody loves you, nobody cares. I can't fucking believe you got your very own bobblehead in Pittsburgh. I'll throw that one in the bin with Pokey Reese.

Rant From The Recliner : Hump Night

2009-03-25T21:03:00.005-04:00

How about this recliner? So elegant, so impressive.

FANS: We here at Big or Little Ben need your help! Well, I am really the only one needing help - but that should make you even more eager to offer your services. The 'Rant From The Recliner' segment of this blog is now the most read column on the entire internet. I'm serious. What does this mean you ask? It looks like I need to schedule some more recliner time, but also I need help collecting pictures of recliners from all over the world. It might be your favorite recliner that you spend most of your time in. Maybe it's the one you had in college that smells like bong water and Natural Light. It does not matter, BOlB does not care where your recliner came from, or what fabric it is made of - ALL recliner pictures welcome!

Recliners are so important that this guy rocked one at his OWN VIEWING!

Rest in Peace you great Steeler fan. WE will get more rings than you have dead fingers and toes.

It is important that I keep you, the readers, happy. What is better than reading the best blog in the world? Helping with the best blog in the world.

Send your pics to zstynchula@yahoo.com

I am looking forward to seeing the naked pictures of your girl, I mean recliner pictures.

Boo Hoo

2009-03-25T19:21:00.002-04:00

nice fuckin shirt

Question... over 20 years a guy averages 10.8 wins a year and 7.3 losses does this sound like Hall of Fame material? I have been abstaining from ESPN television until college basketball is over, so i use the Internet for my sports info lately. Just found out that Curt Schilling has retired via his blog. Outstanding Curt, I figured a guy like you would need a teary eyed press conference, a parade, or someone to carry you around like a king on his throne but you proved me wrong. I always thought of you as a cross between arrogant redneck and straight douche bag. I have heard all the radio stations asking if you should be a Hall of Famer and my answer is absolutely not. I find it oddly curious that your best years were after age 30. Ten times you have posted double digit wins with 8 of them after age 30. In the era of steroids you managed to stay clean? I know you have flatly denied using roids but so did Palmeiro. Some of your favorite teammates which you admit to being friends with on your blog 38 Pitches were steroid users Jeff Bagwell, Ken Caminiti, and Brady Anderson to name a few. (not accusing you just questioning) Why do you belong in the Hall Curt because of your absurd affection with ketchup? (everyone knows that's what was on the sock) looks painful

Most of your teammates admit that they didn't like you over the course of your career. The media certainly has lost no love for you with your surly attitude towards them. Randy Johnson, seen below with you trying to tongue him,wont even acknowledge you existence. If you didn't play with some of the best players in the biggest markets you wouldn't have all those rings fat boy. So long Curt you wont be missed.

Tuukka Rask=The Man.

2009-03-25T15:00:00.004-04:00

I'm a big fan of NHL '09 for the XBOX 360 entertainment system. I enjoy playing online as part of the Ebortal Death club team alongside PW Hallstrom, even though we go down in flames more often than not. I also enjoy playing the part of GM and creating a dynasty from scratch, usually taking a random team, trading away all the veterans/stars and building with youth. One of the goalies I usually go after when rebuilding is 22-year old Tuukka Rask, who is currently a member of the Boston Bruins organization.

What a name. What a uniform.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Rask get a news piece on the front page of ESPN.com today. When I clicked on the story, I became even more excited. This is what got him in the news...

Pure unadulterated awesomeness. How long did it take that dude in the front row to clean the shit out of his undies when he got home? How can anyone not love the game of hockey?

No Way Jose

2009-03-24T23:34:00.003-04:00

The Pittsburgh Pirates need as much positive publicity as they can get. This is not positive publicity...

Missing 2-month-old Plant City girl found safe

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A missing 2-month-old girl has been found safe. An Amber Alert was issued for Sandra Cruz-Francisco Monday after she was last seen at the Plant City Health Center on Michigan Avenue in Plant City. She was there with her mother getting a check-up. Police believe the suspect, calling herself Janet, may have posed as an immigration official, convincing the baby's mother to turn over the child as a way to avoid deportation. "Basically, what we were told was there was a conversation," said Plant City Police Capt. Darrell Wilson. "I know there's been some stories out there about immigration but we haven't confirmed what exactly was said. There was some story about immigration and some type of official."This afternoon investigators received an anonymous call saying the woman and baby were on a street corner in Bradenton. When deputies arrived they found 43-year-old Amaila Tabata Pereira waiting for them with the child. They say it's possible she's the one who made the call.

So you read the above article and said to yourself, "What does this have to do with the Pittsburgh Pirates?" Take a look at the name of the accused woman. TABATA. It turns out she is the wife of the Pirates' heralded prospect Jose Tabata. This has to raise some red flags. Jose Tabata is barely twenty years old, and is married to a 43-year old baby snatcher. He's had questions raised about his maturity and has had numerous transgressions in his past. Granted, he's only 20 years old, and we've all made some questionable decisions in our own lives at that age. But this has to be raising some eyebrows in the Buccos' organization. Tabata is being counted on as a large building block for the Pirates' future, but right now this guy has Jose Guillen Jr. written all over him.

Pitt is Shitt (but not so much anymore)

2009-03-23T10:07:00.003-04:00

I am a Penn State fan. Most of my family (including myself) attended the Pennsylvania State University to further our education. Growing up in the late 80's/early 90's, being a Penn State supporter meant that I was required to hate the Pitt Panthers. After every heartbreaking Penn State football loss, I knew everything was still OK, because come January, the Nittany Lions would be winning a New Year's Day bowl game while Pitt would be getting a head start on their lifting program after another eight loss season. The Pitt-Penn State football games were always heated and competitive, even if one team was more talented than the other. Over time, the rivalry lost steam, and eventually went the way of the buffalo (go ahead Pitt fans, blame it on a stubborn JoePa...I know you want to.)

A salute to Pitt fans everywhere.

With PSU's move to the Big Ten and Pitt's place in the Big East, new rivalries have emerged. Ask any fan under 20 who Penn State's main rivals are, and chances are you'll get Ohio State, Michigan or even Michigan State before you hear Pitt mentioned. For Pitt, WVU and the Backyard Brawl is the #1 draw in town. For me, this hurts. When I was younger, I hated Pitt more than homework, broccoli and the Cleveland Browns COMBINED. If you know me, that's a whole lot of hate.

Fast forward to 2009. Pitt's hoops team is having arguably their best season in their history. If this was young Tom, I'd be seething. Instead, I find myself rushing home from work Friday to catch the second half of Pitt's first round NCAA Tourney matchup with ETSU. Old Tom would have been celebrating Pitt's struggle to barely beat a 16 seed, but instead I found myself rooting for the former rival. After Pitt gutted out the victory, I sat on my couch and thought about what has happened to me. It was one of those self-realization moments, things had come full circle. I could now be considered a Pitt fan (wait, fan is a strong word...let's call me a supporter.)

Now I know by admitting this to everyone I'm opening myself up to the "bandwagon fan" criticisms, but my Pitt support isn't limited to the cagers. I've also had some interest in what the Wannstache is doing on the football field, and not a negative interest. Pitt and Penn State might still be rivals at heart, and if by some act of God they start playing football again (if there is a God, he would make this happen) then I'm sure my hate may reemerge at some level, but it will never reach the levels of my youth. And I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

To get a better feel for how others have struggled with this problem, check out this post Mondesishouse did a while back. It's good to know I'm not the only one who's afflicted with this.

Rant From the Recliner

2009-03-22T22:21:00.006-04:00

Turns out that I am on the couch instead of the recliner, but you get the point...

How about that hockey game today? Figures that BGK goes Friday and gets to witness a win, but we'll let it slide for the birthday boy - happy belated - I have a Big Mac power play ticket with your name on it.

Observations from the game:

1. Beside me was a girl who I would give a 7 (how fitting, #7, Big of Little Ben) and she happened to be a Pens fan. Her boyfriend, who was a giant douche, was a Flyers fan. When the Flyers would score he would stand up, put his arms in the air acting like we should praise him, and when he wasn't doing that he was texting the whole time. Probably to Billy BEAN...

2. Drinking multiple Sierra Nevadas will catch up to you. Day drinking is a whole different game than night drinking.

3. I saw one girl who in the past, let me penetrate her. I also saw one girl who I've been wanting to penetrate (it sparked me to text her, I'll get that, oh yes I'll get that)

4. Scott Hartnell wins the award for 'Person Who Should Definately Look Into Suicide'. Not only is he inferior, but, get this - he hangs out with people who like the Boston Red Sox. YES FANS, here is the dose of 'FUCK BOSTON FRIDAY' that I could not deliver to you on Friday...

Look closely, the kids with arrows pointing towards them have RED SOX t-shirts on. Bad enough that these kids (who I have blacked out their eyes, for protection, and for punishment) hang out with Hartnell, but they like Boston. Unreal!

Pink flowers

2009-03-21T02:21:00.000-04:00

“It seems like everything is going good for us,” Fleury said. “We’re having more fun. We’re happy, smiling, and the team is improving.”

Goodbye to Another Pittsburgh Sports Legend

2009-03-20T11:21:00.006-04:00

Sad news for Pittsburgh sports fans today...Vince Lascheid, longtime organist for the Pirates and Penguins has passed away at age 85. Any fan who has attended a game at Three Rivers, PNC Park or the Civic/Mellon Arena over the years was familiar with Vince's immense talent on the electric ivories. Vince retired from his work with the Pens in 2003, but still played at the occasional Buccos game, and helped keep some of the nostalgic feel at a baseball game, which in my opinion was a fresh alternative to the lousy alt-rock/rap blasted during the games today. Hopefully the Pens realize the immense impact Vince and his organ had on local sporting events, and keep the organ at their new home across the street as an homage to a local legend. So rest in peace Mr. Lascheid, you will not be forgotten.

Rant From the Recliner

2009-03-18T21:22:00.007-04:00

From the makers of 'FUCK BOSTON FRIDAY', for your reading pleasure - Big (or Little)(but never little if you are asking me - I accept the fact that #7 is a boss) Ben brings to you, 'Rant From the Recliner'.

For the first edition of 'RFTR' I thought long and hard about a catchy opening line. I could take the Jim Rome approach and let you know what I'm burning on (but you know damn well what I'm burning on), instead I'll just let it all hang out.

Team USA - FUCK OFF. I have been watching as much World Baseball Classic as I possibly can, and I love it. What most people are finding odd is who I am rooting for. It's not so much who I am rooting for, but instead who I will not root for - Team USA. I'll tell you why - 89% of the players are complete and total douchebags. For instance, the Ambiguously Gay Duo - David Wright and Kevin Puke-i-lis.

Youk just left the WBC because he hurt his ankle, probably from the manpile after beating Puerto Rico last night. David Wright said that this has been the most exciting baseball he's ever played - well, NO SHIT dickweed. He fails to get the Mets to the show every year, so I guess I can see where this is awesome for him. Youkilis? This piece of shit was just bashing Americans for not showing enough support for the team. Youk, let me explain something to you. We, the real team USA, are going through a recession - people are not going to drop bucks to go see you play baseball before the regular season. Better yet, why support you when your squad pulls a Hector Macho Kamoncho and tries to get in a fight with the Netherlands? What about the mercy rule the other night? I'm not anti-USA, I am anti douchebag though - go VENEZULA.

I recently found out that the Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane was gay(you can thank BGK for this nugget of informatioin). I did not know this, and it doesn't discount any of the work he has done - he's one of the best at what he does (putting together a good team in a small market - not gay things). Being that I had no idea about Beane...

'okay, I see it now..."

... how many other men in sports are swinging the other way? I am curious to know who you think needs outed. I'll start the debate by showing you a picture of my picks...

How Do You Like Your Sports

2009-03-18T17:10:00.006-04:00

ima seein an ima likin

Is there anything worse than female sports? I mean seriously have you ever turned on a women's college basketball game and watched for just 30 seconds, its horrendous. Men don't try to give birth so why would women try to play sports. Today i was listening to Stan and Guy on ESPN 1250 and they were trying to act interested in the Lady Panthers, its bad enough that we are subjected to the men's March Madness but give me a freaking break already. Probably the only thing worse than actual female athletes are female sports reporters. Currently i am watching Around The Horn and this battle ax Jackie MacMullen is on the show flapping her gums just sounding stupid. This used to be one of my favorite shows but when this lady is on there my blood pressure rises above its normal high state to borderline stroke limits. If you are going on a TV show shouldn't you be at least somewhat decent looking and at the very least mildly entertaining? Jackie this isn't 1987, dump the Pat Summit look and get a new stylist. Don't get me wrong there are some good women athletes/reporters but for the most part its garbage. I mean there are great Tennis players because I believe this to be a sport taylor made for women, from the little skirts to all the screaming and playing with fuzzy balls that's what women should do. (Unless your Billie Jean King or Martina Navratilova) The whole reason for this post was that whack job Jackie on Around the Horn so blame it on her if you don't like it.

News at 12...

2009-03-18T11:45:00.005-04:00

Some lunchtime thoughts...

-The Pittsburgh Steelers resigned Trai Essex and Fernando Bryant yesterday. Who cares? It's March, I know the Steelers just won the Super Bowl and a fair chunk of the Steeler Nation cares more about the signings of a backup lineman and a retread member of the secondary more than their own children's well being, but save it for July, not now. (Go to Mondesishouse if you need your Steelers fix.) There's so much more going on in the world of Pittsburgh sports as we speak. Such as...

-March Madness is here. The area is well represented in the two college basketball postseason tournaments. In the NIT, Penn State (can't spell Nittany without NIT...that joke was funny the first 367 times I heard it) held off George Mason last night in OT, and the Dukes of Duquesne open postseason play in Blacksburg against VT tonight. Friday is the big day for local teams in the NCAA Tourney, with WVU, Pitt and Bobby Mo kicking off their trip to the Big Dance. Productivity in the workplace around the nation will be considerably reduced this week.

-Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue to plug along in Florida, but big news was made today, with the demotion of Tom Gorzelanny to Triple-A. Gorzo was once upon a time looked to be a lock at the Buccos rotation for years to come. Lately, not so much. I attribute his downfall to two things...the Pirates don't need another goofy looking pitcher in their starting rotation, and he has terrible taste in music.

-Saving the best for last...the Pens continue to roll. Evgeni Malkin exploded for five points in a 6-2 "thrashing" of Colby Armstrong's Atlanta Thrashers, fighting off questions of illness and a slump in the process (if you consider two games without a point a slump.) Everyone has been all over Chris Kunitz (who scored AGAIN last night) and Billy Guerin's balls during the Pens' hot stretch, but how about the rejuvenation of Jordan Staal? The guy has suddenly transformed into the beast some people (excuse me while I pat myself on the back) thought he was capable of becoming. Good thing Ray Shero doesn't listen to ignorant bandwagon fans. And I officially have a man crush on Sergei Gonchar, as I do with most puck-moving offensive defensemen not named Whitney. That dude is all business.

Vote for Pedro

2009-03-16T12:42:00.003-04:00

If you're a long-suffering Pirates fan like most of us are here at BOLB, yesterday's performance by Pedro Alvarez has to at least get you a little excited for the future of your Buccos. Alvarez dropped a three run bomb in the ninth inning of yesterday's exhibition to help the Bucs battle back and earn a tie with last year's AL champion Tampa Bay (don't call us the Devil) Rays. By most accounts, Pedro's blast was awe-inspiring, travelling at least 500 feet to deep center field. The Bucs are on TV tonight for the first time all spring, and I hope that John Russell puts guys like Alvarez, Tabata and McCutcheon in the lineup to give us a rare glimpse into what hopefully is a bright Pirates future.

The Ray Shero Love Fest (continued)...

2009-03-16T12:20:00.005-04:00

I know BGK just did a post on this, but you cannot give GM Ray Shero enough credit for the work he's done over the past month or so. He has taken a team that was stuck in neutral, going nowhere fast, losing bandwagon fans faster than the car industry has been losing money. Shero was taking shots from all angles, unfairly criticized for overseeing an underachieving team only months removed from a Stanley Cup finals appearance. Shero knew work must be done to turn things around, so he put on his hard hat and went to work.

Can we fix it? Yes we can!

First on the agenda was head coach Mike Therrien. Yes, he did take this team to the Stanley Cup finals only two years after being one of the worst teams in the league. But his trapping, overly conservative system was cramping the style of the freewheeling superstars the Pens employ. So out goes HCMT, in comes Baby Pens coach Disco Dan Byslma.

No more grammar lessons needed at post game press conferences.

Bylsma's first order of business was to unleash the hounds, so to speak. The Pens hit the road and jelled from the start, finishing a five-game road trip with five much-needed victories. During the trip, Shero went back to work, sending off another Pens staple in the process.

The amount of booing heard at Mellon Arena was just cut in half, at least.

Shero sent Ryan Whitney to Anaheim for new fan favorite (and Stanley Cup winner) Chris Kunitz and a stud prospect in Eric Tangradi (yes, he's a Philthadelphia native, but let's give the guy a chance.) He also swung a HUGE deal for Bill Guerin (another Stanley Cup winner, and for a third round pick, at most.) The Pens are 10-1-3 since Byslma took over, and have gained points in eight straight games, sitting in 5th place in the Eastern Conference today, a long cry from the 10th place standing they owned just a few days back. Things are looking up for the Pens, and with the top teams in the East like Boston and Washington losing momentum, I'm foreseeing a bright spring for the Pens once again, all thanks to our main man, Ray Shero.

Kudos Ray Shero

2009-03-15T22:26:00.003-04:00

What a great game the Pens played today, the only thing that i had a problem with was no FSN HD, in this day and age that is totally unacceptable. Now onto the point of my post...Ray Shero made an excellent trade acquiring Chris Kunitz and a prospect for BOLB lightning rod Ryan Shitney.(Totally hit the wrong key by accident but I'm leaving it Shitney) Did a little research earlier to see how our old friend Ryan was doing, turns out he still blows. Kunitz is on fire right now he has 6 goals and 6 assists while averaging around 17 min. Shitney on the other hand has 3 assists no goals while averaging around 22 min. That's right 3 points, now to his credit they are playing right now so this could change. There is always a chance of him scoring 6 goals tonight and totally ruining my post, but c'mon its Ryan Whitney. I was very critical of the coaching change in an earlier post and was even called a Therrien lover by elite-Tom, if you read the post i was simply saying that i did not agree with the timing of the move that coincided with a loss to the lowly Islanders. I would like to now applaud Ray Shero for the move along with the Kunitz, and Guerin deals. This team is really starting to gel and while none of these guys are Marian Hossa i believe that once in the playoffs this team could return to the Cup Finals. Go ahead call me crazy but to put 5 goals on goalie Tim Thomas is pretty unlikely and this current streak the Pens are on was even more unlikely. One side note here did anyone know there is a forum called Ryan Whitney Sucks?? Thats awesome!

FUCK BOSTON FRIDAY:SUNDAY NIGHT EDITION

2009-03-15T22:02:00.004-04:00

Just like herpes, I always come back.

After getting beat by the Senators the PENS stepped up and beat the Boston Bruins - with OUR (Yes Tom, I said our because I am a part of the Pittsburgh Penguins just as I am part of the Steelers, Pirates, Kansas City Royals, D-Generation X, and the Netherlands baseball club) backup goalie. SUCK A DICK BOSTON!

I was thinking about giving the fans what they want, a nice lengthy rant and a half - but the truth is, I am hungover as shit. Mega hungover. Mega huge extremely fucking hungover to the 10th power. Back to the tube, but before I leave -

remember, JOHN is watching you...

Who Cares Really?

2009-03-13T16:50:00.002-04:00

I am as big of a sports fan that anyone will find. However with that being said I do not enjoy basketball at all. The endless coverage of college basketball has me at wits end. It has reached a point that it is on every sports talk show, tv show, newspaper, and even blogs that i enjoy to listen, watch, or read. I will make it my sworn duty to trash any type of basketball on this blog as long as i live. I know there are people out there who feel just like i do. Who fucking cares how many teams make the NCAA Tournament or what team got snubbed and who is on the bubble..NEWS FLASH not everyone enjoys this mind numbing bullshit. Yes i will fill out a bracket just like 90% of the USA but I only do it because of my gambling problem along with my competitive spirit. I could not care any less if Pitt or any other local team makes it to the Elite 8 or Final 4. Maybe I am alone in this but for the love of Christ there is more going on in the sports world than fucking basketball. The NHL regular season is almost over and there are some serious playoff implications on the line yet not one mention of any of these games. The NHL trade deadline was non-existent unless you watch TSN. The MLB season is right around the corner yet you wouldn't even know spring training is going on because of the absolute bias that ESPN gives to college and pro basketball. Lets face it the steroids are more important for ESPN to report than the actual game. I used to give ESPN the benefit of the doubt as a credible sports coverage broadcast but how can something be credible if you have 24 hr coverage of sports with very little coverage of one of the 4 major sports in this country. The NBA coverage is overwhelming on tv, 2 hour shows before a game featuring Michael Wilbon, Stuart Scott, Steven A Smith, and some has been former basketball players slurping Kobe Lebron Shaq and quite honestly don't really care who else. I don't have an answer to the problem other than don't watch ESPN for the next 3 or 4 months by then all this garbage will be done and the NFL will start. IF you do want to catch some awesome highlights check out the NHL Networks show NHL on the Fly, not only do they give highlights they also show coverage of some live games throughout the show. I hope Pitt loses early in the tournament so we can get back to entertaining sports coverage instead of constant babbling on the same topics over and over again.

We vs. They, revisited.

2009-03-10T12:06:00.001-04:00

I never had a lot of respect for ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning, a syndicated radio show you can hear from 6-10 AM on ESPN Radio or ESPN2 (the Deuce, as it was once affectionately known.) I listen to ESPN Radio at work, because I can't stand the musical taste of most of my coworkers. Mike and Mike are two of ESPN's most recognizable broadcasters, but I will not count myself as a fan. As 6th Ward once told me, they're popular among housewives, which usually means that their version of sports talk is probably more style than substance.

They're so damn cute.

Over the past few days, Mike Golic and ESPN College Basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb was giving "Greenie" the business about him referring to his alma mater Northwestern's basketball team as "we" which some of you know is one of my biggest pet peeves. If you actually played for the team you were rooting for, as Golic pointed out, then I can see yourself being allowed to refer to that team as "we." "Greenie" used the excuse that he was an alumnus of Northwestern, which I can possibly allow as a plausible excuse. After some bantering, they both realized that fans live and die with their teams, therefore granting their permission for fans to refer to themselves as "we" when referencing their favorite teams. Lame. Do people need to feel like they're a part of something special because their life is sorely lacking in other areas? I've been a Steeler fan my whole life, but other than some celebratory shots after the big victory over Pittsburgh West, I was already in full-fledged hockey mode the next day. This is why wives get beat, and why the suicide rate would have gone up exponentially in Pittsburgh if Santonio doesn't make that catch...people become too attached to their rooting interests. Sports are a great escape from the daily grind, but they aren't life or death. "We" are not Steelers, "we" are not Penguins, and thank God "we" are not Pirates.

BGK is Back

2009-03-09T18:21:00.008-04:00

With NFL free agency in full swing and me having nothing to do on a Monday night here is a quick look at what the AFC North has been up to.
Pittsburgh Steelers have been business as usual, no free agency moves other than to retain some talent on the current roster. Last year the Steelers only signed Mewelde Moore and its shaping up to be another dry year of free agents coming to Pittsburgh. Currently on their radar is the very seasoned vet Joey Galloway. While Joey has been a very good WR his whole career, and a very average fantasy player, age is catching up with this guy. His 2008 campaign was dismal at best having only played 9 games and grabbing 13 balls, none for touchdowns. I for one would certainly prefer that this position be addressed via the draft. Also James "Silverback" Harrison's contract talks have currently hit a snag with the standout LB wanting a reported cool 25 million guaranteed. The Steelers are believed to be offering 15 million guaranteed, not bad for an undrafted free agent from Kent State. Some losses Nate Washington, Bryant McFadden, and Anthony Smith. I really don't see any of these as key losses. Limas Sweed can and will be as consistently bad as Nate Washington, i mean seriously Nate get over yourself. McFadden might be the biggest loss so far of the off season not because he was a great cornerback but because he has a ton of upside. Unfortunately he is not worth the 10 million he got from AZ yet. Now we come to loud mouth Anthony Smith, not a big loss here either at least his teammates wont have to look over their shoulders in practice anymore. The guy just didn't get it and probably never will, lotsa luck dip shit. Who knows what the draft will bring but an upgrade at offensive line will almost certainly be addressed as well as defensive line, lets face it Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith aren't getting any younger.

The Cleveland Browns. What the fuck are you guys doing? You hired a retread coach who is reportedly standoffish with his players, traded away your best receiver in Kellen Winslow, and pissed off your best defensive player. Although the nickname "Mankok" will never get old the continued failures of this team soon will. It seems as though every 3 or 4 years a new regime takes over and has a rebuilding plan, well that's great but what are you rebuilding. Definition of rebuilding is to restore something to its original state. News flash Cleveland you keep rebuilding a losing team. Oh almost forgot the key signing of Robert Royal to replace Winslow. As far as draft goes this team needs to address the defensive side of the ball and also the aging RB position. The Browns select 5th overall and if LB Aaron Curry is there they need to take him.

The beloved Baltimore Ravens. Although i am partial to the defense, for fantasy football purposes only, i must say FUCK YOU! I am so glad you lose free agent after free agent while signing no one of real impact. Matt Birk is a nice pick up but you lost Jason Brown who many think will be one of the best lineman in the NFL. They also let Bart Scott, Matt Stover, Chris McAllister, and Jim Leonhard go into free agency. Just when Baltimore seemed to get on the right track on offense it seems like the defense could be the let down for a few years. Yes they signed Ray Ray but he is a shell of himself, Ed Reed will continue to ball hawk and dodge contact, and T-Sizzle will belly ache about his contract until they trade him. Ravens select 26th in this years draft, need to go defense or wide receiver. If USC LB Rey Maualuga is there they gotta take him if he is gone take WR Hakeem Nicks.

Oh Cincy, Cincy, Cincy!!! You lose your best WR via free agency while you have another WR who doesn't even want to be there, some how decided to keep your head coach after a terrible season, and lost another number one draft pick for the season after Hines Ward knocked him silly. This team needs to get tougher all around. There are so many glaring holes on this team i don't even know where to start so i wont. Draft analysis take Crabtree / Maclin on offense or Aaron Curry if you stay at 6, if not Aaron Maybin with a trade down in the draft around pick 10-15. Done wasting my time on this pathetic team.

Lost at Sea...

2009-03-06T12:06:00.001-05:00

Breaking news here at BOLB...we have found the reason behind the lack of blogging from 6th Ward and Biggamekilla. The two writers were part of the doomed fishing trip with NFL players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith. Thankfully the two were found floating 50 miles off the coast of Florida yesterday, alive and well. Hopefully they will return to their blogging duties as soon as possible.

ESPN...the Worldwide Leader in Suck.

2009-03-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

Your (almost) daily lunch update from the world of sports...

-The NHL trade deadline came and went yesterday, and other than the flurry of deals right at the 3 pm deadline, there wasn't that major blockbuster that tends to happen every year (unless you count Olli Jokinen, but a trade involving a player who's considered a cancer and has never been in the playoffs in his 10-year career isn't what I call a blockbuster.) The Pens and Ray Shero didn't listen to the numerous insane asylum escapees who clamored for the trade of Crosby and Staal, instead settling on a couple guys with grit, leadership and Stanley Cup rings (Guerin and Adams) without giving up much in return (a third round draft pick at the very worst.) If you've ever watched playoff hockey, you'll know that guys like Guerin and Adams are vital, especially when you know the refs are going to swallow their whistles and things are gonna get a bit chippy. Guerin also will also bring a solid leadership presence and ease the burden on 21-YEAR OLD Sidney Crosby.

-A player that I thought would look good in Black and Gold was former Toronto forward Nik Antropov. The man has tons of size and upside, and I thought playing alongside Sid would give him a kick. Many said he wilted under the intense spotlight in Toronto, so they gave him a change in scenery and sent him to another place with an intense spotlight, New York. I don't see much benefit for either sides in this trade.

-Unless you count the ageless Mark Recchi as a monster deal, many Eastern Conference teams didn't do much to shore up their teams heading into the playoffs, which could bode well for your Pens. The Panthers holding onto Jay Bouwmeester is a huge gamble, I think it shows the players there that they're committing to winning this year, but I don't see them making it past the second round, if they get in the playoffs at all. And if Bouwmeester bolts via free agency this summer without a Cup in Miami, you have to consider that lack of a move to be a giant mistake.

-God bless TSN. It's almost impossible to be a hockey fan in the US. There was absolutely no coverage of one of the biggest days in hockey on any of the major sporting networks yesterday. ESPN thought that Shaq flopping in a meaningless NBA game was the biggest story of the day yesterday. What a joke. Does anyone watch the NBA? I'd watch it if I was suffering from insomnia, cause it would put me to sleep in less than 10 minutes.

-In NFL news, Ray Lewis finally signed, and he's decided to stay in Baltimore. I applaud both sides for keeping him where he belongs. Well, he really belongs in prison, but that's another story. I'm glad he's staying a Raven, because it keeps the hate level high for me. And Terrell Owens was finally cut by the Cowboys. I've got fifty bucks Al Davis has a #81 Raiders jersey waiting for him.

-Don't look now, but you're Pittsburgh Pirates are 6-1 this spring, with another impressive 2-1 win over the Twins yesterday. There was an Andy LaRoche sighting, his two-run homer provided all the offense your Buccos needed. What's been most impressive is the pitching staff. Hopefully for all of us the Bucs can keep this going into the regular season, but I'm sure none of us are holding our breath.

All Pens. All the Time.

2009-03-02T12:58:00.003-05:00

There's only one news story that I care about right now...no, it's not the two NFL players missing at sea or Jay Cutler and his hurt feelings...it's the Pittsburgh Penguins. A huge week for the Pens, with wins over the Isles, 'Hawks and Stars the Pens have moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Most noteworthy among these three victories was not the reemergence of MAF, Jordan Staal and Miroslav Satan making apperances on the score sheet, or even the instant impact of newcomer Chris Kunitz (three points in two games) but the fact that the Pens won all three games without captain Sidney Crosby.

I don't know who Adam Burish is.

Three huge wins without Sid the Kid. He's definitely expendable now. I'd trade him in a heartbeat. Come on Ray Shero, you have three days to make this happen! Ok, back to reality now...any human being who considers themselves a hockey fan and thinks that the Pens should trade one of the top three players in the world is insane (I guess that means Bob Smizik isn't right in the head, go figure.) I cannot take the fact that fans ride guys like Crosby and Staal so hard. THEY ARE 21 AND 20 YEARS OLD, respectively. Let me reiterate that, in case you missed it. 21 AND 20. What were you doing when you were that age? Probably skipping your Pysch 101 class because you were too hung over from the beer pong tournament the night before. Take a look around at the rosters from other teams. Not too many teams have kids that are this age putting up numbers and playing vital roles for their teams. These guys can't even see their prime yet, and yet they have their team primed to make another playoff run, one year after reaching the Stanley Cup finals. Patience my friends. These guys are still learning on the fly, learning what it takes to win in this league. I have utter faith in Ray Shero, the man is learning which types of players he needs to assemble to play with these guys. Crosby, Malkin, Staal, MAF...these guys are the core, the future. Dan Bylsma seems to get it, and is letting these kids play the way they need to play to gain confidence and be successful. There's still a part or two missing for the Pens to compete this year, but to do away with one of the vital cogs would be suicide.

Ryan Whitney watch:

Saturday, 2/28. W @ Dallas. 0 G. 0 A. +1. 20:34 TOI. 1 hit.

TGIF (2/27)

2009-02-27T12:10:00.000-05:00

Yoi!

Friday thoughts...

-It's the one year anniversary of one of the saddest days in Pittsburgh sports history...the passing of Myron Cope. ESPN Radio 1250 is honoring him with Myron Cope Day. Since it's Friday, stop by your local watering hole after work and have a few in honor of one of our fallen heroes.

-Another huge game for the new-look Pens tonight in Chi-town. Chris "the Savior" Kunitz makes his Pittsburgh debut against the Blackhawks. He'll be skating on Sidney Crosby's line, but likely without Sidney Crosby, who's still struggling with his groin. As for the departed Ryan Whitney, he was held scoreless with an even plus/minus rating, which is surprising seeing that his Ducks were shut out 6-0 by the Bruins. I'm planning on keeping tabs on Mr. Whitney, to see if the change in scenery does him well.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

-The Super Steelers turnover continues. Former Pro Bowler Kendall Simmons was cut yesterday, as was resident big mouth/small game Anthony Smith. It's also looking like Chris Kemoeatu and Nate Washington are out the door as well. No complaints here. In other NFL news...Albert Haynesworth got paid. Ten bucks says the 'Skins regret this in two years, as they usually do with their huge free agent mistakes.

-Two wins in two days for your Pittsburgh Pirates, this time a 3-2 comeback victory over 6th Ward's favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. That means the Buccos have beaten the past two World Series champions in successive days. Playoffs here we come.