Great Balls of Fire

Re:

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Countdown to Football

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:23:00 +0000

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.7is7.com/otto/countdown.html?year=2009&amp;amp;amp;month=09&amp;amp;amp;date=10&amp;amp;amp;hrs=20&amp;amp;amp;ts=24&amp;amp;amp;min=30&amp;amp;amp;sec=0&amp;amp;amp;tz=local&amp;amp;amp;lang=en&amp;amp;amp;show=dhms&amp;amp;amp;mode=r&amp;amp;amp;cdir=down&amp;amp;amp;bgcolor=%23FFFF00&amp;amp;amp;fgcolor=%23000000&amp;amp;amp;title=Countdown%20To%20Champs%20vs%20Titans"&amp;gt;Countdown To Champs vs Titans&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

5 Reasons I Love Hockey

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Ol Pal Dave Dameshek has listed his top 5 reasons for loving hockey. It's a good list and surely includes one or two items that should be on everyone's list, such as 66 and the old Division names and rivalries.

But I feel that I must provide you, my dear readers, with my 5 reasons, if only to get you to think of your own. So, without further ado:

Power Plays: no other sport (soccer's not a sport) makes one team play a man, or possibly 2 men, down. The anticipation builds when the refs arm goes up (gotta get control of the puck...is he bleeding?...get the goalie off the ice!) and the momentum swings - each way scoring or killing it off - decide games and playoff series. Score on it and you've done what you should, unless it's a major when you can score all you can. But kill it, and watch your team suddenly turn the tide to its favor. Or, best of all, score a shorty and take the life right out of the other team.
A fresh sheet of ice at the start of each period: its a new beginning and a team can come out and completely turn around what happened prior. it's shiny and smooth making pucks glide faster and truer and skaters fly. Again, no other sport has anything that compares: basketball towel and mop guys only clean up small areas, baseball grounds crew guys sweep the infield dirt once but the impact is minimal. No other sport has the Zamboni and the beauty it creates.
The Great White North: it's front and center in the NHL, no need feel like a rented mule like Toronto must in baseball after seeing its partner in Montreal ushered out of the country, or in football where the CFL is a minor league. In Canada, hockey is #1, and it grows the humble boys that keep the NHL firmly out of the me me me culture that engulfs the other sports.

So sing along to O Canada in Edmonton (I'll take that over ol Slewidge in Ottawa) and if it's Saturday night, tune into Hockey Night in Canada - the best sports broadcast show there is - listen to the intro music and watch the montage and you're ready for the best night of the week.
Playoffs done right: 4 rounds, all best of 7, 2-2-1-1-1. None of the best of 5 junk that tarnishes baseball or basketball. And about as fair as you can get 2-2-1-1-1, who cares about the travel distribution of the 7 games. Forget the 2-3-2 that has some teams crying foul if they get home field advantage. Give me 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 if possible, but it's not though the NHL comes closest.

The Igloo: How cool is the Igloo? In it's last year, it's now the grand dame of NHL arenas and every true hockey fan should make a pilgrimage (if you can get tix). So cool it was built for the symphony. It's got: a retractable roof, a big steel dome instead of the cookie cutter roofs around today, crooked stairs and aisle ways, Jeff Jimerson, the outdoor TV (when NBC isn't airing the game), an address of 66 Mario Lemieux Place, not one but two balconies, Jeff Jimerson belting out anthems, great nachos, and still the best sightlines in hockey. It will be a sad day when it closes, hopefully not until next June.

Bonus: They're sweaters, not jerseys.

Suggs' Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Peter King noted it in his MMQB column this morning, now we have the evidence:

Bring it...

Follow Great Balls of Fire on Twitter!

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:42:00 +0000

Great Balls of Fire is now on Twitter! Follow me there if you want more frequent, as they happen updates or to hear what I and my followers think about the daily goings on.

If you want to check out what I'm tweeting about, my recent tweets are over on the left. Check it out and then be sure to:

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GBoF Wants to Talk to You!

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:38:00 +0000

Got something on your mind and want Great Balls of Fire to opine on it? Now you can call me and we can discuss what is near and dear to your heart. If I don't answer, leave a message and I'll post it below and give my take on your question.

All you need to do is enter your number below and GBoF will call you via Google Voice, then let me know what you want to discuss!

Give me a call now!!

The first caller into GBoF wants to talk Buccos

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Thanks for calling!

I know many people are upset about the Bucs tearing the team apart once again and especially about Jumpin Jack and Sanchez leaving, but it comes down to this: do you want to watch players you like or do you want to watch a winning team?

If you want to watch a winner, these moves had to be done. And all of them had to be done. No sense doing it halfway.

Now that doesn't mean Huntington has stocked the system with players who will definitely turn the team around and produce a winner. But they weren't going to win as they were. Now, maybe they'll have a chance in a couple years. Many pieces have to come together still and there are some questions about who they acquired, but the system now has some talent in it and depth as well and jobs will have to be won, not handed out.

The pitching staff in particular may not have an ace in waiting, but there are now many who project as major league arms, something that wasn't true with guys like Bullington, JVB, and other from the Littlefield era.

Just for fun, let's look at 3 different lineups:
2009 Opening Day
C: Doumit
1B: Adam LaRoche
2B: Sanchez
SS: Wilson
3B: Andy LaRoche
LF: Morgan
CF: McLouth
RF: Moss

Post Trade Deadline lineup, 2009
C: Doumit
1B: Pearce
2B: D Young
SS: Cedeno
3B: Andy LaRoche
LF: Milledge
CF: McCutchen
RF: Jones

Tell me the truth, after all those guys who've been dealt, is the second lineup any worse than the Opening Day lineup? Nope, and it might be better if Pearce and Milledge play to their abilities.

Opening Day 2011
C: Doumit
1B: Pedro Alvarez
2B: D Young
SS: Argenis Diaz
3B: Andy LaRoche or Neil Walker
LF: Jose Tabata
CF: McCutchen
RF: Milledge

Rotation: Maholm, Duke, Alderson, Lincoln, Morton. Or possibly: Hart, Bryan Morris, Karstens, Ohlendorff, Ascanio.

Still lots of questions and issues with this lineup. But it COULD be a good lineup and they might still have guys like Gorkys Hernandez, Brian Friday, Chase D'Arnaud, Tony Sanchez, Miguel Angel Sano (??!!) and others to back up in case or be dealt for more players. And jsut waht if guys like Pearce and Garrett Jones can actually play over a full season?

Bottom line: the moves had to be done. It might be more interesting to watch Indy and Altoona for the next little while, but those guys will be in the Burgh soon.

Pittsburgh, PA; Everything Baltimore and Washington Would Love to Be

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:14:00 +0000

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/200972-pittsburgh-pa-everything-baltimore-and-washington-would-love-to-be

Does it burn you up, Washington D.C.? Does it hurt to see what your hockey franchise could be in the near future? The Pittsburgh Penguins, among the most hated pro sports franchises around these parts, took the impossible and converted it into a glittering reality for hockey fans.
How about it, Baltimore? You are a blue collar lot. Your city knows how to get down and dirty. You love hard-hitting defense and a smash-mouth running attack. Yet in the moments that count, the Pittsburgh Steelers can hang their hard hats on unshakable nerves and a fan base that lives and dies on every tackle evaded by Ben Roethlisberger.
Two metros with Three Rivers envy. Pittsburgh, at least in the ranks of professional sports, is everything we want to be.
Sure, colleges and universities dot the periphery of our collective metropolitan conscience. Fine art is accessible to the masses, a sprawling nightlife beckons to all that enter the limits of both cities, and the surrounding counties are a safe haven for those who just want to tour the concrete jungles on occasion.
There is more culture on I-295 than in the whole of Pittsburgh, but the Steel City continues to lord one thing over yuppies of the mid-Atlantic: championship-caliber sports.
For as much as we enjoy the trappings of city life, Baltimore and Washington leave much to be desired in the pride delivered by championship-winning teams. The Ravens unexpectedly delivered the goods in 2000, and while they’ve been consistent enough, they are never the favorites to win their own division, let alone the Super Bowl.
As for Washington pro football, we don’t even have to go there. Daniel Snyder continues to drive the crown jewel of the city into the ground, while Ted Leonsis has turned the city’s dunce cap into a shimmering crown of glory, making the Washington Capitals the franchise closest to competing for—and winning—a league championship. A championship that figures to run through Pittsburgh, at least for the near future.
We hate to admit it, most less-than-intelligent fans based here won’t. But Pittsburgh fans reign supreme in this axis of a sports rivalry, and so do their teams. We could say that they don’t know how to handle their success, but success itself is always the best response.
We yearn for your excitement. We envy your homegrown love for your teams and wish we didn’t have to suffer folks who move to our cities to work while holding their allegiances to other squads.
We hate the fact that you have fans all over the world, that Dan Rooney is savvy and beloved, and that your hockey star can be a crybaby and still find success.
And yes, we especially hate the fact that your rapid transformation into a Boston-like collection of ignorant, arrogant jerks is well-deserved. Lord knows how much we want to show off the jackass inside of all of us, if we only had the chance.

The Day Dawns

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:58:00 +0000

By the time I go to sleep again, I will experience a once in a generation event and be either ecstatic and drunk with joy or incredibly disappointed and wondering if I'll ever experience joy again.

I was 9 the last time a day like this happened. Almost 30 years later it has come around again.

Championships have been won. Game 7's have been played. Do or die's have been contested. But nothing compares to a Game 7 in the Finals.

Courtesy of the Pirates, if you can believe that, Pittsburgh had a run of 3 from 1960 through 1979, that being the last one and the last time a road team has won a Game 7 in a Final round of the NHL, NBA or MLB. Not since then have we seen something like this.

The Steelers have played 4 Super Bowls since the last Burgh Finals Game 7. Won 3 of them. But that is a one game matchup. Sometimes, like in February, it takes a bit for the game to heat up, for emotions to come to a boil.

Not in a Game 7, the last of a long series that forces emotions to the fore and hatred for the rival.

The Pirates have all but faded, but their last gasp provided perhaps the most painful Game 7 collapse in history. But it wasn't the final round. Even if Espy catches the ball, Lind fields it like the gold glover he was, Berryhill gets called out on strikes like he was, and yes, Bonds earns a series ending assist, there was still more work to do.

Tonight, or early tomorrow morning, no matter what there will be nothing more to do. Both teams go home. But one gets the prettiest present in all of sports to share with their fans and family all summer long. After a season pushed as far as it can go, that is the reward. Both have come as far as they can, but the teams and their fans will depart will remarkably different feelings and memories from today.

I am somewhat removed from the glow that is burning in both Pittsburgh and Detroit, unable to join the thousands in the Burgh on this collective roller coaster. This time, unlike in 1991 when I drove all day from Tennessee to the Igloo (getting lost and winding up in Kentucky along the way) for Game 2 vs the North Stars and got to witness 66 splitting Chambers and Wilkinson and enjoyed the Pens return with the Cup with thousands of others at old Pittsburgh International, this time I'll be watching from afar.

But even that didn't take 7 games to win. And even Game 7 heroes like Kasparaitis and villains like Volek and Fitzgerald will take a back seat to a Finals Game 7 hero.

Because this day is unlike any other. It's Game 7. Stanley Cup Finals. In the schoolyard for all the marbles.

And sometime Friday morning, I'll fall asleep with memories and emotions that I know won't likely come around again for a long long time, if ever.

Let's Go Pens!

Meet You In the Schoolyard for all the marbles...

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:47:00 +0000

Nobody does it better: Mike Lange in Game 6

Zach Duke's Resurgence

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Where Have You Gone Andy van Slyke has seme great insight into Zach Duke's sterling performance last night:

After reading Tony La Russa's comment about Zach Duke last night (according to DK, he told reporters, "You saw Duke pitching, right?" when asked why his hitter struggled last night), I decided to go in to the PitchFX and look around a little bit to see if I could find more of an explanation than "he's throwing a little harder this year" to attribute his turnaround to. I mean, he is throwing a little harder, I think (I haven't really compared, but last night Pitch FX spots his fastball right around 89 all night), but there's got to be more to it, right?

The first thing I noticed on the graphs from last night is how nasty his curveball looks against right-handed hitters. I pulled up the full chart with pitches and outcomes and sorted the changeups. There are two that are misclassified fastballs (I think), so that leaves us with 12 pitches, all thrown to righties. He threw ten for strikes (both balls were to Pujols) and of those ten strikes, two were fouled off, four were hit for ground outs, three were swinging strikes, and one was a called strike. That's a really good pitch.

Next up is the curve, which he threw 30 times for 19 strikes. Those 19 strikes resulted in four foul balls, seven called strikes, two swinging strikes, two groundouts, a flyout, and a single. In total, he went to his change or curve 42 times with only 13 balls. Of the 29 strikes, only six were put in to play and only one of those went for a hit. I don't have time to compare this with a start from last year (I will at some point soon, I hope), but those numbers strike me as being really, really good.

Still, we at least partially have an answer; it's not just an improved fastball that's making Duke better. He's throwing some really good off-speed stuff as well.

Sunday Papers

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Anyone paid attention to ol Ollie Perez's fortunes with the Mets? How about a 9.31 ERA? And how about a trip to the minors. I didn't like giving him up, but he's done nothing consistently in NY to show he's become a valuable pitcher.

Empty Netters had this photo of Sid's almost goal yesterday. That looks prety close to over the line. A video review wasn't done if I recall. Why not?

The Pens looked slow after a great start. Maybe because there weren't as many Pens fans in the phone booth as normal? Both sides have to be better for Game 2.
Did you know not to pick up a rattlesnake by the lips? Did the Pens just ask a pregnant looking woman when she is due? And another where's Geno question.
Ross Ohlendorf is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA. Need more evidence that the Bucs flirtation with .500 will end soon?
For a team that once had a Super Bowl winning roster made up entirely of players who played only for them, it's kind of amazing to look back at how few Steelers complete their careers in black and gold, especially since 1982 or so.
Willie Parker and Larry Foote are more alike than you think.
Steeler minicamp is in full swing. Which means you'll be hearing aboout a lot of guys who will be riding the bench in the fall.
The bad economy hits the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky still happy:

Churchill Downs returned $127,825,423 to bettors on the Kentucky Derby Day race card, which amounts to 82% of total wagering, the track reported. The Commonwealth of Kentucky benefited from $789,241 in revenues generated through the state’s excise tax on pari-mutuel wagering.

Please Don't Do It

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:32:00 +0000

The rumors are true, unfortunately. It's likely just a matter of time now for this awful idea to happen.

Report: London eyes Super Bowl

LONDON -- London has launched an audacious bid to stage the Super Bowl within the next eight years, a move that would see the United States' biggest sporting event played overseas for the first time, the Sunday Telegraph has reported.

According to the newspaper, representatives from the Mayor of London's office and Visit London, the city's official visitor organization, have received assurances from the National Football League of a commitment to hold the event in London.

The NFL has already staged two sellout regular-season games at Wembley Stadium, with a third scheduled for this October.

"We are looking at 2014, 2015 or 2017," David Hornby, the commercial director for Visit London was quoted as saying.

Talks have been ongoing with the NFL, which has identified London as the outstanding candidate city to host the event outside of the United States, according to the report.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the league is not considering playing its championship game in London. He shot down a BBC Sport report that "'substantive talks" were under way between the NFL and London officials.

"We have never looked at London or Mexico City as a site," he said.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the Super Bowl could be worth $521.1 million to the London economy, although the newspaper also quotes an unnamed NFL spokesman as saying: "The suggestions about London are only theoretical. There is no bid document."

However, Wembley Stadium commercial director Jonathan Gregory said: "We will do everything we can to work with the NFL and help bring this amazing event to London."

Can it Last?

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:09:00 +0000

Excellent article over at "Where Have you Gone, Andy Van Slyke?" about your second place 11-7 Buccos. Maybe there are some reasons why it can last, such as pitchers finally realizing their potential, the bigger signs point to this run not lasting much longer at all...

http://www.whygavs.com/20090427245/pittsburgh-pirates/april-2009/more-on-the-pitching-staff.html

If you haven't seen it yet, one of our new FanHousers, Jeff Fletcher, did a Sunday piece about the Pirates' pitching staff and talked to Joe Kerrigan and Zach Duke about the improvement in the rotation this year (you might have noticed that we're hiring real writers at FanHouse now). The whole thing is interesting, but what really grabbed my attention was Kerrigan talking about what he saw when he first watched film of the Pirates' staff:

"I saw a bunch of good deliveries," Kerrigan said. "The numbers I saw just didn't add to up to what was on the video. I saw too many guys who were sound with their mechanics. It just didn't make sense."

Duke, a mainstay in the Pittsburgh rotation for the past four years, said he didn't get it either.

"The talent has been here the last few years," he said. "It's just been a matter of taking that talent and putting it into actually winning games. We're finally learning how to do that."

I thought that was interesting, because it is kind of true. I mean, every pitcher currently in our rotation except for Jeff Karstens was a pretty serious prospect at some point in time and both Colborn and Andrews focused on mechanical adjustments with the staff. Could it be that Kerrigan is just a better "professor of the game" if you will, and he's taught the pitchers what to do with their talent?

I guess that's possible, but the answer is really something else. Look at this screengrab from MLB.com this morning.

Look at the right side of that chart. You know what I'm going to say. The Pirates aren't even in the ballpark with the other teams with good ERAs when it comes to strikeouts. In fact, they're last in the league in strikeouts right now. I can't imagine a team has ever lead the league in ERA while finishing last in strikeouts. Through 18 games, the Pirates' defense has had to make somewhere between two and five more outs per game than the defenses behind other good pitching staffs. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up very quickly.

For now, the Pirates are getting plus defense (according to FanGraphs' UZR) from everyone who's played a significant amount of time in the field except Nate McLouth and Ramon Vazquez. Can it last? Adam LaRoche is on pace for his best defensive season by a good measure. Vazquez is likely to get a lot of playing time at short with Jack Wilson out and he'll see more time at second if Freddy Sanchez gets hurt. Freddy is suddenly playing second like a much younger player. How long can that last? Can Morgan's speed keep making up for his awful route-running?

I know the pitching is the hot topic for conversation, but I think that the defense deserves a lot more credit and they might have a lot more control over how long this hot start lasts.

New Bucs catcher dishes on Buc pitchers

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Your second place Bucs are getting a little attention these days. They haven't been included in all the real vs fake columns popping up, but Pedro Alvarez's fellow Vandy alum Buster Olney had some nice things to write in his blog.

Included were these notes Jaramillo had about the Bucs rotation:

Paul Maholm, who is 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA after winning the decision against the Marlins on Wednesday: "He is one of those guys who is really fun to catch, because he can throw all of his pitches for strikes. Tempo with him is really good, really important. He's pitching with a lot of confidence."

Ian Snell (1-2, 4.24): "Another one whose tempo is really important. I actually caught him quite a few times in spring training. A guy who's real fiery. There was a time when I went out to chat with him, when we were playing the Phillies, and it was a really intense conversation. He was ready to go."

Zach Duke (2-1, 2.95): "He's kind of like Paul [Maholm]. You get the same kind of feeling when you're catching him."

Ross Ohlendorf (1-2, 3.00): "He's a character -- a brilliant guy. His changeup is coming around, and he throws a really heavy sinker. Very articulate, and he thinks out on the mound -- he's thinking constantly, batter by batter and pitch by pitch. When you go out to talk with him, he knows exactly what you're going to say before you say it."

Jeff Karstens (1-0, 3.60): "He got skipped [in the rotation] in that first time around, and he's a touch guy, so he needs to pitch -- and he had a pretty good outing the last time around.

DOUMIT WILL MISS 8-10 WEEKS; Bucs at 9-6

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:11:00 +0000

I would be happy if the Bucs were 8-10 right now. but after a surprising sweep against the hottest team in baseball, they are 9-6 and dare I say on pace for 97 wins.

Today the Pirates have placed catcher Ryan Doumit on the 15-day disabled list (retro to April 20 ) due to a fracture of the scaphoid bone (right wrist). Doumit injured the wrist while batting in the game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, April 19.

Doumit, who is scheduled to have surgery on the wrist Thursday, is expected to miss between eight to 10 weeks of action. Dr. Mark Baratz will perform the surgery in Pittsburgh. Doumit will have his right wrist re-examined in four to five weeks to determine the extent of healing. The results of that test will dictate his course of rehab.

The Pirates have recalled catcher Robinzon Diaz from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Doumit's spot on the active roster. The 25-year-old Diaz hit .350 (7-for-20) with a double and three RBI in six games with Indianapolis, which included a .429 (6-for-14) average against right-handed pitching.

Diaz was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last year on August 25 as the player to be named in the deal which the Pirates sent Jose Bautista to the Blue Jays. In two games with the Pirates last September, Diaz went 3-for-6 with an RBI.

Alvarez getting big hits

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Dejean points out in his notebook this morning, the Bucs #1 pick from last summer has struggled a bit but is developing a flair for the dramatic big hit...

Alvarez making drama

Pedro Alvarez, the Pirates' first-round draft pick, has had his struggles in batting .250 for Class A Lynchburg in the opening two weeks of his professional career, but he also is showing an early flair for the dramatic.

Thursday, he hit a three-run walkoff home run. And yesterday, in what proved to be an 8-7, 10-inning loss at Wilmington, he hit a tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning, deep to right field.

It was Alvarez's third home run in 36 at-bats.

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:19:00 +0000

3 hours til the puck drops at the igloo. Can the Pens go up 2-0?

Bibs' List for Playoff Success Omits One Obvious Item

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:50:00 +0000

from Jamie Baker of the Seagate Broadcasters Blog:

Bob Errey was captain of the San Jose Sharks as the team prepared for the 94 playoffs. A couple of nights before the playoff series with the #1 seeded Red Wings began, Bob was laying in bed and couldn't sleep. Bob had won a Stanley Cup while in Pittsburgh and was thinking about what it takes to succeed in the playoffs. After awhile he decided to jot down what he was thinking which he shared with the coaches and all the players. While many of these seem obvious, it's the mental part of hockey that ultimately takes you to the top of the mountain. Make no mistake, you have to have skill, but that alone will not win you a championship in hockey. Here are the 16 Keys for Playoff Success.

1. It takes 16 WINS to win the Stanley Cup
2. 4 Wins per series
3. Never dwell on the past (good, bad, win, lose)
4. Never take anything for granted
5. One shift is as important as 20
6. Rest
7. Confidence
8. Momentum
9. Throw statistics out the window
10. Luck
11. Play bigger
12. Never retaliate
13. Get pucks out, get pucks in
14. Never out of a game (ie. high sticking major = 5 minute PP)
15. Have fun
16. Heart is more important than skill

That's all fine and good but he forgot one thing: make sure you have 66 on your side

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:26:00 +0000

GBoF visited with old pal Dave Dameshek on his ESPN Radio podcast to discuss many things of interest including the glory of the NHL playoffs, the Pens chances vs the hated Philly Phlyers, the Steelers schedule and how easy it really is and who you should vote for in the Land of the Fox.

To listen in, go
here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 AFC North Champions

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:19:00 +0000

My early take...a conservative 12-4 and another division title.

STEELERS 2009 Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 10 -- TENNESSEE, 8:30 p.m. W 1-0
Towel stomping is background noise to Renegade welcoming the Champs onto the field.

Sunday, Sept. 20 -- at Chicago, 4:15 p.m. L 1-1
In first home game, Cutler surprises and leads da Bears to a win

Sunday, Sept. 27 -- at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. W 2-1
Bungles have full roster, but Palmer is still rusty

Sunday, Oct. 4 -- SAN DIEGO, 8:20 p.m. L 2-2
Chargers fly east but like late start, Rivers finally has decent game. Shaky 2-2 start.

Sunday, Oct. 11 -- at Detroit, 1 p.m. W 3-2
Steelers decide to celebrate SB XL win again, Lions figure why not join in

Sunday, Oct. 18 -- CLEVELAND, 1 p.m. W 4-2
Quinn/Anderson make like Tim Couch, scamper back to Cleve weakly

Sunday, Oct. 25 -- MINNESOTA, 4:15 p.m. W 5-2
Peterson does not becoem the first RB to single handedly beat the Steeler D

Monday, Nov. 9 -- at Denver, 8:30 p.m. L 5-3
Yonco fans get lathered up for their big prime time game, Ben has his one bad game, team falls to unsteady 5-3

Sunday, Nov. 15 -- CINCINNATI, 1 p.m. W 6-3
Skyline Chili doesn't travel well and neither does this equally motley mix

Sunday, Nov. 22 -- at Kansas City, 1 p.m. W 7-3
Cassel and Vrabel can't turn KC into NE West. Steelers enjoy the BBQ and scalping the Chiefs

Sunday, Nov. 29 -- at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m. L 7-4
League caves to Birdies demand to not play in Burgh in prime time and grants them a home game vs Champs. Steelers don't run scared or beg off but can't sweep the Birdies again.

Sunday, Dec. 6 -- OAKLAND, 1 p.m. W 8-4
Rivalry revived? Not when it was a long time ago, like when the Raiders were still in the NFL.

Thursday, Dec. 10 -- at Cleveland, 8:20 p.m. W 9-4
Brownies will target this prime time game as their biggest of the season, only leaving them even worse off after Steelers romp

Sunday, Dec. 20 -- GREEN BAY, 1 p.m. W 10-4
Green n' gold vs Black N' Gold possibly in the snow. Two pillars of the league square off but the Pack is in for a down year.

Sunday, Dec. 27 -- BALTIMORE, 1 p.m. W 11-4
Quick rematch keeps wounds from the loss fresh and Steelers inflict more damage this time around. Flacco doesn't finish the game, is Kordell still on the Ravens?

Sunday, Jan. 3 -- at Miami, 1 p.m. W 12-4
Victory over Birdies locked up division so this won't matter for the Steelers, and it won't for the Dolphs who will take a step back as teams figure out how to stop the wildcat.

PENS RECORD TELEVISION RATINGS ON FSN

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:23:00 +0000

And the winter wasn't even that cold....

PENS RECORD TELEVISION RATINGS

FSN Pittsburgh, the exclusive rights-holder for Pittsburgh Penguins regional telecasts, concluded the Penguins 2008-09 regular season with record high ratings averaging a 6.9. FSN Live Penguins Post-Game, presented by Skarkist, also recorded record high ratings averaging 2.5. FSN Pittsburgh led all FSN regional sports networks in NHL game ratings for both the 2007-08 and the 2008-09 regular seasons.

The Penguins 6-1 win over the New Jersey Devils at Mellon Arena on April 1, 2009 was the highest-rated game on FSN Pittsburgh for the 2008-2009 regular season with an 8.8 rating. The game landed sixth on FSN's all-time highest regular season ratings list of Pens telecasts. The highest rating of a regular season Penguins game in FSN Pittsburgh history still remains the 15.9 mark for the first game Mario Lemieux returned to the team in December 2000.

'92 All Over Again?

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:32:00 +0000

In 1992, Pittsburgh fans could make a very legitimate argument that they had the three best players in each of their three pro sports.

Barry Bonds was MVP of the NL for the division winning Pirates.
Mario Lemieux was the best hockey player in the world for the Stanley Cup winning Penguins.
Barry Foster was a 1,700 yard workhorse and most dominant running back in the NFL for the playoff bound Steelers in Bill Cowher's first yer as coach.

In all objectivity, only Foster's status was debatable.

It's a trifecta that is rare and almost impossible to match, even for cities with 4 major pro sports teams.

So, we are now 17 years later in 2009. And from Pittsburgh's point of view, the Pirates are minor league while Pitt basketball has ascended to major and certainly championship caliber level.

And here we are again, does Pittsburgh have the three best players in its sports? Or is this a biased argument that only a homer would make?

In the NHL, while the Penguins are middling, Sidney Crosby is widely regarded as the league's best, yet Geno Malkin leads the league in scoring. You could pick either of those two and make a very compelling argument he is the best.

That a Super Bowl Champion Steeler is the league's best may be the toughest argument to convince outsiders. Yet, James Harrison was the Defensive Player of the Year,Troy Polamalu may be the most disruptive defensive player and young Ben has won his second Super Bowl and is the clutchest player in the league. I'll take Harrison for this year, the defensive player of the year on the league's best defense that led the team to their Super Bowl win.

Then we come to Pitt basketball, replacing the Buccos in this list. Over the last week, DeJuan Blair is making a statement that is impossible to ignore that he is the best player in college basketball. At the very least, he is the favorite to be the Player of the Year in the Big East on a team that has as good a shot to win the national title as any.

Bonds, Lemieux and Foster in 1992.
Crosby, Harrison and Blair in 2009.

Pretty fair players and all the best in their sports that year.

NBC: Hard-nosed Steelers are real America's team

noreply@blogger.com (RP) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:00:00 +0000

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28938835/

As Myron would say: "I love it, I love it!!!!"