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The Penguins Next Step

2012-07-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Penguins Next Step

Written By: Chad Revak

So what do the Penguins do now? They lost out on the two top free agents in this year’s free agent class after making substantial offers to both of them. Is there a plan B? Does Shero have some magic up his sleeves to acquire another top tier winger in the likes of Rick Nash or Bobby Ryan? Either one of those two would demand a huge return, that kind of return where I don’t know if it would be worth it to even consider it an offer. But, knowing Shero’s past there is no doubt that he would listen or make an offer if he felt it was right. I mean this was the guy who brought in Marian Hossa for next to nothing. Even though the Penguins have had a tough off season so far, you could argue that they actually haven’t done that bad. We lost Jordan Staal in a trade that brought back a very nice return, we lost out on the two big name free agents, and we lost Sullivan and Michalek. Well first things first, Staal is a huge loss for the Penguins, but you have to look at it from a management situation. Staal was going to walk after this season anyway. So why not get a great return now instead of getting nothing at the end of the season. Secondly, it hurt not to get Parise or Suter. But, it’s not the end of the world, because the Penguins have two guys on their team that have won Hart trophies, MVP’s, and most importantly, Stanley Cups. With Crosby and Malkin there should be no panic in any Pens fan because when you have these caliber players on your roster, you have a chance to win every year. Sure Crosby doesn’t have that Parise type winger. But, Dupuis, last year put up career numbers, and that was without Sid for most of the season. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; Crosby makes every player around him ten times better. He brings out the best in players, and makes it easy for guys to score. Free agency hasn’t been a complete loss. The Tanner Glass addition makes up for the loss of Asham. Virtually the same players, Glass may actually have more skill than most think. We also apparently are stacking the WBS Pens by signing so many players to minor league contracts. Who knows, maybe one of those guys will eventually get called up and contribute more than fans think. Where does Shero go from here? Is he satisfied with the team right now, or is there that missing piece he is searching for? I think, for starters, he should save the cap space for the trade deadline and next year’s free agency. He could target players like Jerome Iginla or even bring back Ryan Malone at the deadline for a strong net front presence. I really think we should wait until next summer, where again there will be some big fish in the free agent class. Shea Weber and Corey Perry are a few names that come to mind that would be attractive to Shero and could address the needs of a physical d-man or that scoring winger for Crosby. Either way, in Shero we trust, and whatever moves he does or doesn’t make, this team is still a contender for the Stanley Cup.

Zach Parise, Please.

2012-06-28T12:47:00.003-07:00

Parise and Crosby after the 2010 Gold Medal Game.

What should the Pens do in free agency?

Written by: Chad Revak

They have been speculated to be going all in on either Zach Parise or Ryan Suter. These guys are the cream of the crop in this summer’s free agent class, with the next tier of players dropping off substantially. Should the Penguins throw all their cards in on one of these guys, or settle for the likes of a P.A. Parenteau, Shane Doan, Jiri Hudler, or even the fan favorite Alexander Semin? Alright, maybe Semin isn’t well liked around these parts of town, but there is no doubt that his offensive intangibles could benefit the Penguin’s offense. But, this should simply be Plan B, maybe even Plan C, with a trade for Bobby Ryan, a consecutive thirty-goal scorer for three straight years, being Plan B. Plan A should no doubt be to hook, line, and sinker Zach Parise. Ryan Suter is an attractive piece to the Penguins, but let’s face it; our defensive depth is only growing. Sure, the naysayers will preach about how bad the defense was in the playoffs, but there were many factors that contributed to the beat down we took from our rival Flyers. Areas like the penalty kill and power play hurt us almost as much as Paul Martin. Simon Despres should be NHL ready for the upcoming season and they drafted two defensemen in the first round this year, which should be an indication where Shero and his staff plan to go in this year’s free agent market. Early reports after the draft that the Penguins were going to go after Minnesota native Zach Parise, stirred up message boards, radio stations, and water cooler talk. It’s pretty obvious as to why. Parise, 27, is still one of the NHL’s elite wingers with all the intangibles the Penguins are looking for in a long term solution Crosby’s supposed winger problem. Even though Crosby makes everyone he plays with that much better, putting Parise on his wing would make this combo about as deadly as Penguins teammates Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Combining for ninety goals, Malkin and Neal had the kind of season only one could hope for. Imagine the possibilities for potential line mates Crosby and Parise. Though they may not tally ninety goals, they will contribute significantly, making each other that much better. Neither player lacks playmaking or goal scoring abilities. Parise has averaged over thirty goals and thirty assists in five of seven seasons in the NHL, with one of those seasons being lost for the most part to injury. Stats only do so much to prove this perfect piece fitting in with the puzzle. Also, this Shattuck St. Mary’s connection might look enticing, but don’t read too much into it considering Parise played there a few years before Sid. Sure the offer is going to have to be right, and sure Parise will more than likely have to take less money to play here, but again the payoff for Parise, who wants to continuously contend for a Stanley Cup, is one that cannot be overlooked.

Plan A: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter

Plan B: Trade- Potentially for Bobby Ryan, Iginla, or Setoguchi

Plan C: Shane Doan, Alexander Semin, PA Parenteau

Plan D: Steve Sullivan, Ray Whitney

The Art of the 3

2012-04-19T14:32:00.002-07:00

The Original "3 Goggles"

The 3 Goggles started with Rudy Fernandez and teammate, Patty Mills. Fernandez started off as a shaky three point shooter and Mills joked with him that he couldn't see the basket. When Fernandez started knocking them down, he would look at Mills with those goggles proving he could shoot with them on. The celebration became a trademark for those Portland Trailblazers and sparked a national phenomenom.

The 3 Cigar

James Harden took the 3 Goggles celebration and adapted it to form his own celebration After every three, Harden would blow threw his hand signifying he just smoked you with a tray. The beard does it all.

The Flick

The greatest three point shooter of all-time, Ray Allen, is subtle and smooth with his three point cele. Just a flick of the wrist holding out the number three, and boy have we seen this a lot. Jesus always had the smoothest J.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Not to be outdone by his teammate James Harden, Russell Westbrook called upon Clint Eastwood for his three goggle celebration. He takes the goggles in each hand, blows them out like a gun, and puts them each back in there holster.

The 3 Wings

Hedo Turkoglu has pretty much lost his ability to play basketball, but his three point celebration still survives. Both hands raised with the goggles outstretched is a simple way to celebrate the tray.

The Star Trek 3

Dirk does his own thing with his fingers that makes his celebration unique. He looks like he has alien hands or octopus arms, who knows really, but it is something to call his own.

The Shocker

JJ Redick made this little number popular back during his days in Durham. He made the most 3 pointers in NCAA history by the time he left Duke. I'm sure he used the shocker both on and off the court.

The Shurg

Sir Altitude did it all. Michael Jordan made six first half tray's in this 1992 playoff game against the Trailblazers. Apparently, one reporter told MJ that Clyde Drexler was a better three point shooter than he was before that game. Rule #1- Never doubt Michael Jordan, you will either get hurt or embarrassed. The Shrug remains my favorite three point celebration of all-time.

Pens/Flyers: Game One Reaction

2012-04-12T10:07:00.003-07:00

Jakub Voracek scores the game winner in overtime.

Pens need adjustments if they want to win series.

By: Dave Molitierno

An instate rivalry, with more animosity than any other series in the NHL, got off to a hard fought battle last night. The Pens came out surging and got off to a 3-0 lead after the first period with goals by Crosby, Kennedy, and Dupuis. The remainder of the game was controlled by the Flyers, led by the Penguin killer, Danny Briere, and Brayden Schenn. The Flyers fought back to tie the game half way through the third period, and went on to win in overtime off of poor defense by the Penguins. Jakub Voracek found himself an open back door to cap the 4-3 victory for the Flyers.

Let’s talk about the areas the Penguins need major focus on (in no particular order) going into game 2 vs. the Flyers Friday night at Consol Energy Center.

First off, let’s not get carried away with the ability of the Penguins offense through the 2^nd and 3^rd periods. Yes, they definitely did not play well, and struggled to create opportunities and find the back of the net, however you’re talking about the leagues number 1 offense through an 82 game season (3.44 goals/game). They will be fine, and will bounce back for game 2.

First Area of Focus:

Special Teams – The Penguins were 0-3 on the powerplay with only 5 shots on goal. With star power like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, improvement is much needed. An effective tactic to focus on is getting back to the basics of what worked in the season, Steve Sullivan. Sullivan isn’t the guy that will bury goals for you, but he’s the man on the point that can move the puck, and quarterback the powerplay. Putting him back on top is needed right now. Umbrella should be as follows: Sullivan on top quarterbacking, Letang on the left side with Crosby low, Malkin on the right side with Neal low/in front. Special teams can make or break a team. The Flyers took advantage of the lone Penguin penalty to tie the game, and in turn went on to win.

Second Area of Focus:

Pens D - Let’s face it, the Pens D looked awful defensively. The OT winner was simpy no defensive zone coverage. Kris Letang yet again got caught staring at the play and tried using his skill to pick Carle’s soft shot low to Fleury’s pads. By doing so, he turned a routine save by Fleury, into a misplayed deflection right into a game winning one timer for Voracek. Kris Letang, and the Pens D, have to change their defensive side of the game, or this will continue to happen. If they can, there isn’t a team out there that can compete with them. Effective tactics to focus on are gap control, and picking men up in the defensive zone, while keeping your head on a swivel to watch the play.

Third Area of Focus:

Coaching – The 2010-2011 Jack Adams Award Winner, Dan Bylsma, didn’t look like himself last night. To go hand in hand with the Pens D focus, this belongs to Dan Bylsma to make that adjustment. Also, going into overtime the Penguins had the two best players in the world sitting on the bench, while watching Jordan Staal’s line start the overtime period. We all understand matchups during regulation, however when overtime is in play, you need to immediately maximize your best players early, and often. It’s not a battle of a game, it’s the battle of the first to score. Bylsma isn’t dumb, he will adjust, but the Penguins got outcoached and outworked from the 2^nd period on. Effective tactics to focus on are maximizing your star players, and make necessary on ice adjustments to opposing team to gain back momentum.

Hockey is a chess match, and there are plenty of moves left of this 7 game series. How the Penguins adjust to start Game 2 is still yet to be determined. What they need to remember though is it’s not only the adjustment for the start of game 2, but it’s the game time adjustments that will win the game for the Pens. The instate rivalry is just warming up, look for big things to come.

Our Sweet 16 Preview

2012-03-22T07:39:00.004-07:00

Anthony Davis with his eye on the prize.

Syracuse vs. Wisconsin
I think this is the one team in the bracket Cuse did not want to see. Wisoncsin shoots the 3 just as well as anybody in the country and we all know that's one thing a zone defense can give up. Wisconsin is also rumored to start playing a zone defense to force the Orange to shoot the 3. It seems that whoever makes the most 3's will win this game.
Prediction: Wisconsin wins 67-62

Cincinnati vs. Ohio State
The key matchup in this game revolves around Yancy Gates vs. Jared Sullinger. Gates has been underrated this season, but he hasn't faced a guy who works as hard as Sullinger does. Sullinger has a big game while Craft, Buford, and the underrated Deshaun Thomas all score in double-digits.
Prediction: Ohio State wins 71-61

North Carolina vs. Ohio
Ohio's run ends here. D.J. Cooper is a great guard and was one of my players to watch throughout the tournament. If Ohio has any chance, he must dominate this game. Carolina was my pick to win it all this season and I don't see the road endng here. Their frontcourt is too big and just too talented for Ohio. Carolina wins big even if Marshall does not play.
Prediction: North Carolina wins 77- 62

Kansas vs. North Carolina State
Kansas showed a ton of heart at the end of the Purdue game. They trailed throughout the whole game, but never faltered. The intensity on Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor's faces showed me all I need to know about this group. Not only do they love to win, but they hate to lose, a danegous combination. CJ Leslie and Richard Howell must dominate the inside for NC State to have a chance. I've been doubting NC State all year and may still be in some way. However, I believe this game will be closer than expected.
Prediction: Kansas wins 73-70

Marquette vs. Florida
In my opinion, this is the game to watch of the 8 games. If you like run and gun offense, this game will not dissapoint. Florida has domianted this tournament so far, but have been tested very little. They gave Kentucky a scare in the SEC tournament, which may have been the best game they played all year. Bradley Beal has really come into his own and along with Patric Young, this team can be very good. Marquette is lead by Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Crowder is the X-Factor in this game because if a big man guards him, he'll shoot the three, but if a guard guards him, he'll take him into the low post. If Crowder dominates, Marquette wins.
Prediction: Marquette wins 82-76

Michigan State vs. Louisville
Michigan State has been quietly one of the great teams this year. Something about Tom Izzo and March just makes sense. His teams always perform in March and this year is no different. Sparty will look to slow this game down agasinst the Pitino Press. If they are successful, Louisville does not stand a chance. While I love Chane Behanan inside, him and Gorgui Dieng will have their hands full with Draymond Green, Derrick Nix, and Adreian Payne.
Prediction: Michigan State wins 69-57

Xavier vs. Baylor
Xavier is about to zip Baylor up this game. Xavier seems to be on a magical run with Tu Holloway finally playing like he had before that fight with the Bearcats. Kenny Frease has also shown some spark playing inferior oppenents down low. Frease vs. Quincy Acy will be the matchup to watch in this game. For Baylor, it all depends on which Perry Jones III will show up. He may be the most inconsistent player in the history of the NCAA who is always described as a lottery pick.
Prediction: Xavier wins 66-59

Kentucky vs. Indiana
The Sequel will end differently than the first matchup. Anthony Davis barely played in that first meeting due to foul trouble and scored only 6 points. Terrance Jones only scored 4 points and had 6 turnovers in that game as well. Davis and Jones will not let that happen again. Indiana loves playing in Bloomington and will not have their home crowd to feed off the time.
Prediction: Kentucky wins 83-65

Shero, Make the Call.

2012-02-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

Pens Trade: Paul Martin, Eric Tangradi, and a 1st round pick
Pens Receive: Jarome Iginla

Iginla has 23 goals and 24 assists this season and would be a major asset for the Pens. The Pens will have to give up a lot for Iginla and even though hes a UFA after this year, its worth it. Also, the Pens could get rid of Martin's contract in the process so even if Iginla would leave after this year, it would essentially free up cap space.

Pens Trade: Tyler Kennedy and a 2nd round pick
Pen Receive: Ales Hemsky

Hemsky is having a down year by his standards, but he would add tremendous skill to this team. He would be a rent-a-player and that's why I think the Pens could make this deal happen. Also, he would be another scoring wing the Pens always desperately need.

Pens Trade: Eric Tangradi
Pens Receive: Bryan Allen and a 4th round pick

Bryan Allen may not be a well known name, but hes a 6'5" solid defenseman. He remains +2 on an awful Hurricanes team and already has accumulated 130 blocked shots. He's a younger, more versatile Hal Gill and everyone seemed to want him back. He would be a rent-a-player too, but I think giving up Trangradi in this deal would work out well for both sides involved.

Pens Trade: Eric Tangradi and a conditional 3rd round pick
Pens Recieve: Paul Gaustad

Gaustad is a gritty in your face player. He would be asset for the Pens PP in front of the net and he has an underrated scoring touch.

The Revolution, Jeremy Lin

2012-02-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

I've never been so Linsane about a subject, never been so Linstantly in awe with a sports figure, and never been constantly rooting for someone to succeed. Jeremy Lin has taken us all on ride in not only a sports story, but a human story. This is the "American Dream" in essence, where this unknown Asian kid, breaking stereotypes, who constantly overcame the obstacles and achieved tremendous success, overnight, in the greatest city in the world. I have never rooted for any NBA player in my life like I am rooting for Jeremy Lin. I hold my breath for every shot he takes hoping it touches nothing but net. Their is something about this kid that everyone roots for. If you have been watching these games, you see the fun his teammates are having watching him succeed. Professional athletes rarely smile throughout games, but this Knicks team is constantly grinning. Thats the craziest part of this story. How this kid can change the game back to the game at the park, the game they grew up playing, and having fun with. If Pittsburgh ever had an NBA team to call their own, it is these New York Knicks and its Jeremy Lin.

Let's Go Knicks.

Pittsburgh Sports...By The Numbers (1-10)

2012-02-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Who was the greatest player in Pittsburgh sports history to wear each jersey number? That's a question that I will plan to answer throughout these next few weeks. The list primarily includes players from the Pirates, Penguins, Steelers, Pitt Football, and Pitt Basketball with a few surprises along the way. So, who is was the greatest to wear #1? Let's begin.......

#1- Larry Fitzgerald (Pitt WR, 2002-03)

The runner-up for the 2003 Heisman Trophy was the greatest WR in the Pitt's rich football history. Fitz only spent two season with the Panthers, but that did not stop him from amassing 2,677 yards and 34 touchdowns in 26 games. By those numbers, Fitz averaged 103 yards receiving per game. He also holds the NCAA record for 18 consecutive straight games with a touchdown catch. He could come down with any jump ball, at anytime, during any game.

#2- Jack Wilson (Pirates SS, 2001-09)

Jack was one of the few bright spots in the darkest period of Pirates history (which is still ongoing). He was a smooth operator at shortstop and its a crime this man never won a Gold Glove award. His best season occurred in 2004 where he earned his only All-Star selection and batted over .300 for the year.

#3- Phil Garner (Pirates Infielder, 1977-1981)

Phil Garner played a pivotal role in the "We Are Family" Pirates run in 1979. He batted .417 in the NLCS and over .500 in the World Series completing a magnificent postseason.

#4- Ralph Kiner (Pirates LF, 1946-1953)

Kiner won the Home Run title for 6 straight years during his tenure here in Pittsburgh. Constantly pounding home runs over the short porch in right field at Forbes Field, the organization named that right field wall "Kiner's Korner." The 6-time All-Star never tasted post season success, but his power was magical.

#5- Bill Madlock (Pirates 3B, 1979-1985)

"Mad Dog," as he was known during his playing days, was a pure hitter winning 4 NL Batting Titles, 2 of which came with the Pirates. He batted .328 during the 1979 season and .375 during the World Series.

#6- Smoky Burgess (Pirates C, 1959-1964)

A 4 time All-Star with the Pirates, Burgess was the anchor behind the plate. He was apart of the 1960 World Series and batted .333 in that series against those vaunted Yankees.

#7- Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers QB, 2004-Present)

Roethlisberger is my favorite player in NFL history. The definition of a play-maker, Ben is at his best when extending the play. He has won 2 Super Bowls in his short career and earned the reputation as one of the leagues most clutch performers. He led the Steelers 88 yards with under 3 minutes remaining in Super Bowl XLIII capping the greatest drive in Super Bowl history with his throw to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone. He will always be under appreciated as a passer, but no one will ever doubt his skills as a football player.

#8- Willie Stargell (Pirates LF, 1B, 1962-1982)

Stargell is considered the second greatest Pirate of all-time behind a man who you will see later on this list. He had extraordinary power for a man his size and was known for his tape measure home runs. Only 4 home runs were ever hit out of Dodger Stadium and Stargell has 2 of them. This guy warmed up with a sledgehammer and it showed with him hitting 475 home runs. If he hadn't played in Forbes Field for the bulk of his career, he could have hit 200 more. "Pops" was the captain of the 1979 World Series team and was revered by his teammates. A world class talent and a world class person, Willie Stargell.

#9- Bill Mazeroski (Pirates 2B, 1956-1972)

"There's a drive into deep left field, look out now… that ball is going, going gone! And the World Series is over! Mazeroski… hits it over the left field fence, and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series!" Mel Allen of NBC was responsible for those words after Maz won the Buccos the World Series with the only walk off home run in Game 7 history. Maz was also a 10 time All-Star and 8 time Gold-Glover, but he will always be remembered for the greatest home run in MLB history.

#10- Ron Francis (Penguins C, 1991-98)

After being apart of one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history, Francis was an integral part of both Penguins Stanley Cup championships in the early 90's. Francis never had flash, but he was extremely patient and had tremendous vision. Francis spent seven seasons with the Pens, captaining the team twice, and becoming the first Penguin to win the Selke (Best Defensive Forward) in 1995. He is currently 4th in points and 2nd in assists in NHL history.

Khemical Waste

2011-12-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

10 games. That's is all it took. Khem Birch, the highly touted freshman recruit, has decided to leave Pitt just 10 games into his rookie campaign. Birch was just the second McDonald's All-American coach Jamie Dixon has ever recruited to Pitt and great things were expected from him from the moment he signed his Letter of Intent last year. When Birch reclassified from the 2012 class to this years 2011 class, Pitt was ecstatic to be getting him a year earlier than expected. From early on this season, you could see that Birch just oozed athleticism and given the right amount of time to adjust to big time college basketball, he would be ready to thrive possibly as soon as Big East play started in late December.

When Dante Taylor was injured for a few games earlier this season, Birch was called on to start and filled the void very well. His breakout performance was against Penn where he had 15 points and pulled down 10 boards in 28 minutes. Birch has shown flashes of brilliance and was ready to make the jump to the next level, but in the blink of an eye he was gone. Birch blind-sided his coaches, his teammates, and the Pitt fans with his decision to leave the team and head back to his native Canada. Twitter nearly broke with all the speculations and rumors floating around Thursday night, but all were confirmed when Birch did not attend practice Friday and bolted home later that day. Dixon has the reputation to make his freshman wait out their time on the bench and earn their playing time, and when they finally have earned it then he has given them the chance to get on the floor. Birch, being a freshman, did not see the minutes he thought he deserved. He was still growing and Jamie would have rewarded him with more and more minutes if he continued to improve, but he didn't want to stick around to find out. Sam Young almost transferred to Memphis after his sophomore year because he wasn't getting the time he wanted, but he sat down with Jamie and trusted his opinion and continued with the gameplan. This worked out pretty well for Young who went on to tear up the Big East in his junior and senior seasons and lead Pitt to their first elite 8 in many years while averaging 23.5 points in 4 NCAA tournament games. He helped his draft stock mightily and was taken in the 2nd round of the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

If Khem just would have trusted Jamie and the coaching staff, he could of had the same fate. He could of had a solid freshman season, chipping in when called upon, and waiting his turn to become Pitt's next great star. Next season would have been a breakthrough year for him, and it still might be, but just not in a Pitt uniform. Apparently, Khem never really got accustomed to Pittsburgh and was very homesick. This, along with the lack of playing time, are the only 2 reasons uncovered so far. Khem was starting, on a top 15 team, in the best conference in all of college basketball, but that still wasn't enough for him. Even his high school coach at Notre Dame prep stated, "This situation is painting him as something he is not. The problem is he is being led down a road by so-called advisors. It's going to end poorly for Khem, and that is sad for me because I care about the kid. This is not going to end well for him." No-one knows if Khem plans to transfer or if he plans to enter next years NBA draft, but this I do know. Pitt will win with or without him. His loss.

The Great One, The Magnificent One, or The Next One?

2011-12-01T11:19:00.001-08:00

The great debate of who the best hockey player of all-time always comes down to Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux and rightfully so. Gretzky dominated the league throughout the 80's shattering every scoring record while Lemieux was revered as the most gifted scorer in NHL history. But, lets add a new face to the debate, his name is Sidney Crosby. Crosby was dubbed the Next One at a very young age and has all but exceeded the expectations set for him. The man has won every major individual award in the NHL including the Hart, Pearson, Art Ross, and Richard trophies and team awards such as a Stanley Cup championship and a Gold Medal while representing Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. He did all that by the age of 24.

So, who is the greatest NHL player of the three? It really is a tough question, but the numbers never lie and the only way to distinguish such a player is to look at the numbers. A statical analysis of these players will give us the answer we have all been waiting for. Here. We. Go.

First, lets start off with how each player compares against one another in terms of attributes. Their was no doubt Gretzky had the best vision, Lemieux the best hands, and Crosby the best skating, but we're talking about the most complete player. This chart will breakdown each player in terms of sheer skills and the score is out of 100.

Attributes	Lemieux	Gretzky	Crosby
Shooting	9	8	8
Vision	9	10	9
Goal Scoring Touch	10	9	8
Skating	9	7	10
Hands	10	7	8
Power-Play	9	8	6
Penalty Kill	10	10	4
Clutch Gene	9	10	7
Hockey IQ	10	10	10
Defensive/Neutral Zone Play	7	7	9
Overall	90	83	80

Now, these rankings are our opinion, but you get a chance to see the strengths and weaknesses of each player. Going in to this, Lemieux was going to be the best ranked player, but I didn't think Gretzky and Crosby would be that far behind. Crosby is really low mainly because of special teams play. The Penguins power play throughout his tenure has been average at best and the guy is rarely out there to kill penalties. Some of you are saying that Crosby isn't a penalty killer and the Penguins have better suited players for those roles, and I completely agree with that, but Lemieux was not a penalty killer either earlier in his career, but he willed his way onto the rink. So, Crosby has to be penalized for his lack of skills in that area because Lemieux and Gretzky overcame the same ordeal. Other than special teams play, I see no argument with the numbers assigned. In this ranking system, Lemieux is by far the best player with a ranking of 90 out of 100. In terms of skills, the Magnificent One reigns as the greatest to ever grace the ice.

Second, their is always that argument of the certain era each played in. The NHL was completely different in the 80s than it was in the 90s. The Dead Puck era occurred from 1994-2005 and with the emergence of the neutral zone trap around 1994, the NHL seen its goal per game drop from 7.46 in 1977-1987 to 5.32 in 1997 to 2007. That 2 goals a game is a huge difference and the neutral zone trap was just one reason for this harsh decline. Lets look at how the era's affected each player.

The easiest decade of scoring in NHL history occurred during 1977-1987, which yielded 7.46 goals per game. In that decade, Gretzky played the prime of his career scoring .842 gpg and 2.33 ppg. Those are fantastic numbers and no one can argue that Gretzky was not the best player in that era after seeing them. In my opinion, Mario Lemieux's peak of his career was between 1987-1997. In those years, NHL scoring was around 6.7 ppg, an entire goal lower than that of Gretzky's prime and the neutral zone trap was in full effect. Lemieux scored .883 gpg and 2.16 ppg. Now, Sidney Crosby's prime is going on right now or still may be ahead of him, but lets analyze his first 8 years for this section. The NHL has averaged about 5.45 goals per year from 2001-2011. That decade ended as the 4th lowest decade of scoring in NHL history, with 2 of the others occurring in the early part of the 20th century. Since 2004-2005, Crosby has scored .522 gpg and 1.38 ppg. So, lets recap of the numbers so far.

	Lemieux (Prime)	Gretzky (Prime)	Crosby (So far)
GPG	.883	.842	.522
PPG	2.16	2.33	1.38

Now, lets analyze Lemieux and Gretzky's numbers during the Dead Puck Era, which occurred between 1994-2005 and Crosby's as of right now.

	Lemieux (Dead Puck)	Gretzky (Dead Puck)	Crosby (So far)
GPG	.66	.31	.522
PPG	1.68	1.8	1.38

The first aspect of these stats that really caught my eye was the decrease in both gpg and ppg with Gretzky from his prime years into the Dead Puck era. Now, some of that has to do with Gretzky entering the era at age 33 with his best years behind him. But, I believe Gretzky's game was based on space and the neutral zone trap took that space away. Lemieux, however, didn't miss a step entering the era and had one of his best statistical years in 1995-96 with 69 goals and 161 points. Gretzky and Lemieux's numbers in their prime's were downright scary. Gretzky shattered records with that Oilers dynasties scoring 2.3 ppg and Lemieux averaged 2.16 ppg and .883 gpg all while dealing with a herniated disc in his back and Hodgkin's disease throughout those years. He still seems to find ways to amaze us today. Next, a lot of people think of Alexander Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos as the greatest goal scorers of today's NHL, but Crosby's numbers prove he shouldn't be overlooked. In these tables, Crosby doesn't just compare with Ovechkin and Stamkos, he compares with the two greatest hockey players of all-time. Another thing to keep in mind was the emergence of the butterfly goaltenders in the early 2000's. Crosby has played all of his career during this time period with goaltenders playing the game more effectively than ever before.

Gretzky averaged 1.921 ppg over his career while Lemieux averaged 1.883, the best two scoring averages in league history. Lemieux played in 600 less games that that of Gretzky because of the health issues I brought up earlier. Those 600 games were all during Lemieux's prime so it would be reasonable to say that Lemieux would have exceeded Gretzky's numbers if he remained healthy. Mike Gartner, a former NHL all-star, once claimed Lemieux would score 1,000 goals in his career. He didn't quite get there, but boy did he have that ability.

After analyzing the statistics of the three players and the NHL they played in, Mario Lemieux proves to be the greatest player hockey of all-time while Gretzky comes in at a close second. Its hard to argue against all the points Gretzky put up, but Lemieux was just the more talented, better overall player. For now, Crosby comes in at third, but if his game continues to evolve, he could climb to the top of this list.

So, there you have it. A statistical breakdown of the greatest players in NHL history. The greatest players in the greatest game.

Top 10 Images in Pittsburgh Sports History

2011-11-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

10.) Jerome Lane

"Send it in, Jerome."

9.) Jack Lambert

Jack Lambert was a 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was a key component to the greatest defense the NFL has ever seen, the Steel Curtain of the 70's. This picture personified the toughness that Lambert played with and the fear that the Steel Curtain instilled in every team they played.

8.) Lynn Swann

Talk about hand-eye coordination. With a name like Swann, it was only fitting for him to make this catch. It remains one of the most acrobatic, graceful catches in Super Bowl history. Swann became known for this catch over the years and I can't see him complaining about that. He caught four passes for a then Super Bowl record 161 yards and one touchdown pulling in the MVP of Super Bowl X.

7.) Talbot Ices It

When you think of the current Penguins you think of Crosby, Malkin, or Staal, but Max Talbot is forever part of Penguins history with his clutch 2 goal performance in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals against the Red Wings. The Penguins wound up winning 2-1 with Talbot scoring both goals. His second one being an absolute snipe of the top right corner on Wings goalie Chris Osgood. Osgood is still trying to figure out how that puck slipped past him. The Penguins got revenge on the Red Wings for beating them in the previous Stanley Cup Finals and this marked the 3rd Stanley Cup in Pens history.

6.) The Immaculate Redemption

The Colts came into this game as heavy favorites against the 6th seeded Steelers, having already smacked them 26-7 earlier that year. No-one expected the Steelers to hold up against against the Colts lethal offensive attack led by their maestro Peyton Manning. The Steelers had others plans in mind and thoroughly dominated the game with their defense. Manning was rattled from start to finish and this game should have been over with a late Troy Polamalu interception, but the refs blew the call and left the door open for one of the craziest endings in sports. Up 21-18 with a little over a minute to play, all the Steelers had to do was run the clock out. Jerome Bettis was called in to ice the game, but ended up fumbling the ball on the Colts 2 yards line and Nick Harper scooped it up and looked like he was going to take it all the way for the game clinching touchdown. The only man back for the Steelers was Roethlisberger and somehow he managed to make the most crucial tackle in recent Steeler history. The Colts went on to miss the game tying field goal, making Roethlisberger the hero for his remarkable defensive effort. The Steelers would go on to win the franchise's 5th Super Bowl against the Seahawks later that year.

5.) Clemente's 3000th

This picture epitomizes Roberto Clemente and his ever lasting humility. His last and final hit in baseball was the historical milestone of 3000. Clemente died the next off season when his plane crashed en route to the country of Nicaragua where he was racing to aid earthquake victims. My dad always claims Roberto Clemente was the greatest baseball player of all-time, I can't disagree.

4.) Le Magnifique raising the Stanley Cup

In 1984, Mario Lemieux wanted a seven figure contract from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Eddie Johnson, the team's General Manager, was hesitant on giving him one. The Penguins drafted Lemieux with no promise of this contract and Lemieux refused to walk on stage when his name was called. A few weeks later, Johnson gave him that contract and what ensued was extraordinary. Lemieux was the greatest and most talented hockey player in NHL history and in 1991, he carried the Penguins to winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup. Simply the best.

3.) The Catch

With perfect dexterity, Santonio Holmes made this corner end-zone catch to help the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII. To this day, I still have no idea how Holmes managed to get both feet in bounds and maintain control of the football. The biggest players always show up on the biggest stages. With 35 seconds remaining, Holmes did just that. Clutch.

2.) The Immaculate Reception

Arguably the greatest play in NFL history, the "Immaculate Reception" still seems magical to this day. The play will be forever immortalized in Steeler lure for it marked the turning point in the franchise. This play led to the Steelers defeating the Raiders 12-7 that day and gave the franchise its first playoff victory in its history. The Steelers were beat in the AFC Championship by those historical 1972 Dolphins, but the foundation for winning was laid for years to come. Six Super Bowl's later, the Steelers are regarded as the greatest franchise in NFL history.

1.) Mazeroski

The only game 7 walk off home run in MLB history lands at the top spot. With the score tied at 9-9, Bill Mazeroski finished off the vaunted Yankees, with a solo shot, in the bottom of the 9th of the seventh game to lead the Pirates to their first World Series title since 1925. The 1960 World Series was one of the strangest series ever played. The Bronx Bombers outscored the Buccos 55-27 in the series and won their 3 games by scores of 10-0, 16-3, and 12-0, but somehow the Pirates still managed to take the series in 7 games. The MVP of the series was Bobby Richardson, the 2nd baseman for the Yankees, and he was the only World Series MVP to ever be selected from the losing team. The Pirates were the epitome of a team with Maz leading them to victory. He will be forever rounding those bases at Forbes Field, spinning his arms, floating to home plate to finish one of the most magical moments in sports history.

This is the Year: Pitt Basketball

2011-11-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

The backcourt lost a key component and its main facilitator with the departure of Brad Wannamaker. Travon Woodall, a redshirt junior who has plenty of experience, must take Wannamaker's place in the offense. Woodall has shown flashes of greatness in the past, i.e. the game tying shot agianst St. Johns at the Garden last year, but he has been very inconsistent throughout his career. He will change that this year. He will finally have the ball in his hands and he will make plays. It's now or never for Mr. Woodall. Next, their are only two people in this world that I believe every jump shot they take they should make. One is Ray Allen, the greatest three point shooter in NBA history and the other is Ashton Gibbs. With a 49% three point percentage while still maintaining 16.8 ppg, this should come as no surprise. The dude is the purest of shooters with ice water in his veins. However, this year he must prove to NBA scouts that he can be a point guard at the next level so look for Gibbs to pass more. With that being said, he can't stop shooting because he is the best shooter in the country, period. After these two, the experience is minimal. Lamar Patterson will step into a starting role this year after spelling Wannamaker and Gilbert Brown last year. I'm hearing that he has reshaped in his body for a more prototypcial 3 guard which Pitt will need. He can shoot, pass, and defend so watch for Patterson to be on the court a lot this year. Jamie Dixon has said of Patterson that he is the best pure passer on the team and Pitt will need him to facilitate because passing is crucial to this teams offense. JJ Moore, a sophomore, will likely split time with Patterson at the 3 spot. Moore is the best athlete on the team, winning the team dunk competition the last 2 years proves this, and can really fill it up when he gets in the zone. The good thing about Moore and Patterson is that they are polar opposites in the way they play basketball and with them Pitt can throw many different looks at opposing teams, making them a very hard team to defend against. Also filling out the backcourt are Isaiah Epps and Cameron Wright. Both were redshirted last year, so they spent last year practicing with the team and adjusting to the pace of Big East basketball. They should be ready to make key contributions this year when called upon. Epps is a pass first point guard and if Woodall is not getting the job done facilitating, then Epps will jump right in and the offense shouldn't miss a beat. Wright is a 6'5 two guard who has the size and the overall game to maybe make the NBA if he continues to improve throughout his time here at Pitt (which most players do). John Johnson, a true freshman, score first point guard, might also see some time at point, bringing a nice change of pace from Woodall and Epps, who are both pass first points guards. Johnson never came across a shot he didn't like and Pitt may need someone like that to help ease the scoring load on Ashton Gibbs.

The frontcourt is loaded with size, talent, and athleticism and is the strength of this year's team. Athleticism is the key attribute here because most Pitt teams in the past just didn't have it. The most athletic team Pitt had in the past decade was the 2008-2009 team with Dejuan Blair and Sam Young and that team lost in the Elite 8 at the buzzer. I won't say more than that besides the fact that Socttie Renyolds is in now playing in the country Chad. Back to this year, this frontcourt is stacked starting with Nasir Robinson, an underrated rebounder and finsiher for being 6'5", Dante Taylor, a former McDonald's All American and my pick for Big East Most Improved Player this year, Talib Zanna, an althletic freak who can extend defenders away from the hoop with his jump shot, and two highly recruited freshman Khem Birch and Malcolm Gilbert. Watch out for Khem Birch as a freshman. It may be unfair for me and probably others to have such high expectations for this young man, but if you've seen him play, you know what I'm talking about. Birch had 15 points, 10 rebounds (9 offensive) and six blocked shots at the McDonald's All-American game which is against the best high school players in the nation. Sounds like old number 45 huh, and yes, he can be that good, maybe better. This frontcourt has the ability to compete and win against any in the nation. The X-factor though is Dante Taylor. He has steadily improved his first 2 years and needs to step up and have a breakthrough year. He has a high motor and can rebound on both ends better than most big men, but he must add a scoring touch this year. He has blown easy lay up after easy lay up his first 2 years and I believe this has caused him to lose some of his confidence. This year must be different. He must regain that scoring touch and that focus that led to to be a highly touted high school prospect. He needs to average close to a double double and finally live up to his McDonald's All-American moniker for this team to really make some noise in the Big East.

Prediction

Over the past 6 years, Pitt has been the best team in the Big East, which is considered the best overall conference in college basketball. In that time, they have earned a number 1 seed twice in the NCAA tournament, but have only made it to the Elite 8 once and Sweet 16 twice. This team is famous for chronically underachieving when the lights shine the brightest, but I believe this year will be different and here's why. The infusion of young talent will be the difference this year. Sure this team still has plenty of experience, but many of their young guys will be called upon to log major minutes and they have not felt the sting of the tournament losses quite like last years class did. With the mixture of experience and youth, this team is poised to have the perfect mix and make a deep run into the tournament and plus, Gibbs can shoot this team into any game against anyone. I believe they will finish second in the Big East in the regular season, gaining a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament. They will parlay their high seed with the team's first Final Four since World War II. (which really doesn't even count). Jamie Dixon deserves a Final Four and this will be the team to give it to him. This is the year.

Top 5 Steelers/Ravens Games

2011-11-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

"Us and the Ravens. It'd be a big game if it was a scrimmage." Mike Tomlin was responsible for this quote right before the two teams faced off in the 2009 AFC championship and he couldn't be more right. These two teams play this game like the Yankees play the Red Sox, like Duke plays North Carolina; they play this game with pure hatred. With words like kill, brawl, gang fight , and evil being a mainstay throughout the week leading up to this game, you would think the media were talking about the crime rate throughout the city, not a football game. This game and this rivalry has the reputation of being the best in the NFL with no close second. And to honor this rivalry, here are our 5 best Steelers/Ravens games....

5) 2004 Week 2 (in Baltimore)

Roethlisberger celebrates after throwing the
first of many touchdowns to Hines Ward

I know what you all are thinking. Your asking yourself what the hell happened in week two of 2004 that deserves be on this list? Well if you remember correctly, the Baltimore Ravens knocked Tommy Maddox out of that game during the first half and in came a young rookie named Ben Roethlisberger. You may have heard of him. The Steelers lost that game 30-13 but all 13 of the Steelers points were scored in the 4th quarter by Roethlisberger. I guess that game and quarter were a sign of things to come. Ben started the next 13 games and set an NFL record by going 13-0 as a rookie starting quarterback. And the rest is history......

Final Score- Baltimore 30- Pittsburgh 13

4) 2010 Week 13 (in Baltimore)

With both teams coming in with identical 8-3 records and the Ravens already beating the Steelers once that year, the Ravens looked poised to use the home crowd as an advantage and finally take control of the division. I guess the Steelers didn't get the memo. The game started out as a defensive struggle with points coming at a premium. Roethlisberger struggled to lead the Steelers to points so it was the defense's turn to make a play. With the Steelers down 10 -6 late in the 4th quarter, their strong safety, Troy Polamalu, came up with the big play he has become known for. Coming off the right side unblocked, Troy strip sacked Joe Flacco and what felt like slow motion, Lamarr Woodley picked the ball up and went to the house. The Steelers won the game and home field advantage on virtually that play setting them up for another playoff run. The Steelers would meet the Ravens again that year in the AFC Divisional Round and a game you may see later on this list.

Final- Pittsburgh 13- Baltimore 10

3) 2008 Week 15 (in Baltimore)

Entering their second game of the season against the vaunted Ravens, the Steelers defense ranked first in the league, with the Ravens defense not far behind in second. With a win, each team had a chance to take a stranglehold on the division with only 2 weeks left. Coming in everyone expected a hard fought, defensive struggle and that's exactly what they got. Ravens fan will have hard time forgetting what ensued in this battle. The game was intense from the start and with the Ravens grasping a 9-6 lead late in the 4th quarter, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steeler's offense were trapped deep in their own territory. Roethlisberger proved why he is currently the best money quarterback in football, not named Brady, and led the Steelers on a 92 yard touchdown drive in a little under 3 minutes. In classic Big Ben fashion, he started to his left, then turned back to his right, and threw a bullet to Santonio Holmes in the end zone. The debate was about the ball's location and if it really did cross the goal line. The play was reviewed and the refs ruled that the ball did end up breaking the plane. With that touchdown, the Steelers ended up winning the game 13-9, taking the division, and setting themselves up for a home rematch against the Ravens in the AFC championship game later that year (seen later on this list).

Final Score- Pittsburgh 13- Baltimore 9

2) 2011 AFC Divisional

Antonio Brown's memorable 3rd down catch

This was one of the strangest games I can ever remember watching. To begin the game, the Steelers drove right down the field on the opening drive and Mendenhall plowed into the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead. Those are the only points the Steelers would score in the first half, after that it was all Baltimore. The Ravens quickly answered with Ray Rice rushing for a touchdown, but then all hell broke loose. On the next drive, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked by Terrell Suggs and fumbled, but no-one realized it was fumble, every player on the field thought it was just an incomplete pass except Corey Redding who managed to scoop the ball up and run it in for an uncontested touchdown. The Steelers and the Heinz
Field faithful were stunned and could not believe the turn of events that took place. The Ravens ended the first half up 21-7 and looked poised to exorcise their demons of not being able to beat the Steelers in the playoffs. However, the second half started with a change of misfortune for the Steelers. It all began when Ray Rice fumbled a routine catch across the middle, which led to a Heath Miller touchdown not even two minutes later. Then Joe Flacco threw a careless pass down the right sideline that was intercepted by Ryan Clark. Roethlisberger found the ageless wonder Hines Ward for a touchdown on the ensuing drive and all of a sudden the score was knotted at 21. To make things even worse for Flacco, he fumbled the snap on the very next drive. Everything that could have possibly went wrong for the Ravens in the second half did, and yet the game was far from over. With the score tied at 24 with only 2:07 left in the 4th quarter, the Steelers were looking at a gruesome 3rd and 19. In one of the most exciting Steeler plays in recent history, Ben Roethlisberger unleashed a rocket throw to a streaking Antonio Brown that set the Steelers up at the 5 yard line. This marked Antonio Browns coming out party and showed his ability to make big plays for the first time. The Steelers sealed the game with another tough Mendenhall run and once again sent the Ravens home for another long offseason.

Final Score- Pittsburgh 31- Baltimore 24

1) 2009 AFC Championship

First of all, to put this game into words would be an injustice. Each team played with such physicality and reckless abandon that it cannot be fully appreciated unless watching live. The Steelers and Ravens met for the 3rd time of of the 2008-2009 season for a chance to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. What resulted on that cold January night wasn't a football game, it was an all out war. This game cemented the rivalry as the best the NFL currently has to offer. The Steelers jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead sparked by Santonio Holmes' ridiculous catch and run through the entire Ravens secondary. The key to the touchdown was Ben Roethlisberger's ability to improvise and extend the play. The Steelers looked like they were going to cruise easily to victory, but the Ravens had other aspirations in mind. The game turned into a defensive struggle with the Ravens continually chipping away at the Steeler's lead. Midway through the 4th quarter Joe Flacco was trying to continue his cinderella run through the playoffs by threatening to finally take the lead. Flacco dropped back and launched a pass to running back Willis McGahee who was 20 yards downfield. Ryan Clark read the play perfectly and hit McGahee head on, with both players colliding at full speed. Neither could get up after the ferocious hit that I'm sure could be heard all the way back in Baltimore. With that collision the drive stalled, but the Ravens managed

Polamalu seals the game with his late touchdown.

to get one last shot to take the lead when they managed to get the ball back with a little more than 4 minutes left on the clock. On a 3rd and 13, rookie Joe Flacco made his first rookie mistake of the postseason and tried to squeeze a pass into a cutting Derrick Mason, but Troy Polamalu was ready for it and jumped the route for an interception. He took the interception to paydirt and sent the Steelers to their 7th Super Bowl appearance. It was a fitting ending for a game, that boasts the 2 best defenses of the decade, to end on such an amazing defensive play. This marked the 3rd time the Steelers beat the Ravens that season and set the stage for the greatest Super Bowl in NFL history.

Final Score- Pittsburgh 23- Baltimore 14

NFL Picks Week 8

2011-10-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis (+9) vs. Tennessee

After the NBA score that New Orleans put up on Indianapolis last week, they should feel embarrassed. I believe they'll come out as a different team this week to protect whatever pride they have left. Houston hasn't ran away with AFC South just yet, so watch for Indy to play well in a division game. However, Chris Johnson should have a break out performance against the Colts below average run defense. This game will be close, but Tennessee pulls it out at home.
Prediction: Tennessee 27-20

Cincinnati (-3) over Seattle

Jacksonville (+9) vs. Houston

Unlike Indianapolis, Jacksonville played their best game of the year against Baltimore. They'll come out with more confidence this week against a solid Houston team. Houston will once again be without star receiver Andre Johnson and their offense will suffer without him. With Andre out, Arian Foster will be the difference. This guy keeps putting up crazy rushing and receiving numbers that look a lot like LT circa 2001. He'll be the difference, book it.
Prediction: Houston 20-14

Buffalo (-5.5) over Washington

Carolina (-3.5) vs. Minnesota

The Cam Newton show will continue against the banged up secondary of the Minnesota Vikings. Aaron Rodgers completed his first 14 passes against the Vikings last week and although you shouldn't expect that greatness from Newton, he will have his share of passing yards. Cam Newton continues to impress me with his ability to throw the ball and extend the play. This game and his team are on his shoulders the rest of the way out.
Prediction: Carolina 31-21

San Francisco (-9) over Cleveland

New Orleans (-13.5) vs. St. Louis

The New Orleans Saints ran the Phoenix Suns offense last weekend in Indianapolis scoring 62 points with Sean Payton's high tempo play calling. It was the first game Sean Payton called from the press box due to his leg injury and it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to stay up there forever. I may have went too far saying forever, but he called a damn good game. Conversely, the Rams are on the other end of the winning spectrum and are in complete disarray. I partly blame that on injuries to Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson, but the defense continuously underachieves each week. No chance the Rams cover with AJ Feeley at the helm.
Prediction: New Orleans 45-13

Baltimore (-12.5) vs. Arizona

I have no idea why, but Joe Flacco plays so much more confident at home than on the road. The modern day Jekyll and Hyde has just one loss in the last two years at M&T Bank Stadium and that was a 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last winter. Arizona played well against the Steelers but their pass defense let Roethlisberger have a field day with Mike Wallace and the gang. Flacco redeems himself at home, like always.
Prediction: Baltimore 31-13

New York Giants (-9.5) over Miami

Denver (+3) vs. Detroit

A 3 point spread is eye opening for two teams with drastically different records. Las Vegas and the oddsmakers know something we all don't and have Denver keeping this game close. Mile High will be excited to see Tebow for the first time this season and I think Tebow will give the crowd something to cheer. The guy is a pure winner, plain and simple. Matt Stafford and the Lions seem to be descending a little bit. If Stafford's ankle is any factor in this game, they will lose this game because they're already a one dimensional team with no running game. Moreover, the Lions always start slow on the road, so watch for Denver to jump out to an early lead. Tebow does it again.
Prediction: Denver 24-20

Kansas City (+3.5) over San Diego

Pittsburgh (+3) vs. New England

If you haven't read our preview to this game, now would be the time to scroll down the page.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 35-31

Philadelphia (-3.5) over Dallas

Keys to a Steeler win against the Patriots

2011-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

With a combined 7 Super Bowl appearances since 2001, these two teams have defined greatness in the AFC and the NFL. Now, Tom Brady comes into Heinz Field with a record of 6-1 against the Steelers. The Patriots are the one team the Steelers have had virtually no success against and last year's 39-26 Patriots win at Heinz Field proves just that. But I got a feeling this year will be different and here's why.......

1.) Big Ben

The Steelers have to put the ball in Ben's hands to be able to win this game. This is the most explosive offense that Ben has ever had and they need to let him utilize it to try and make some plays. The Patriots secondary is suspect and we finally have the receivers to exploit them. No matter what we do on defense, Brady is still going to put up points. That means we have to put points up of our own, we have to answer them every time down the field. I'm not saying we need to completely abandon the run. The running game is also crucial to control the clock and keep Brady off the field. The more Brady is off the field, the better, but we also need to let Roethlisberger do his thing and make plays with his arm. The NFL is a passing league now and the only way we are going to hang with the vaunted Patriots offense is by fighting fire with fire. Ben needs to take control of this game early, get into a rhythm with his receivers, and show Brady why he has won 2 super bowls since Bradys won his last in 2004.

2.) The Steelers defense must change.

The Patriots west coast offense is the kryptonite of Dick's Lebeau's zone blitzing Superman. With quick accurate throws, Brady picks these Steelers apart. Lebeau can't let that happen this year and if that means changing his zone scheme to a more man to man then he will have to do just that. It seems Lebeau has been stubborn to change against the Patriots and I have no idea why. A more man to man scheme will take away those quick outs and force Brady to make the long, tough throw. The Steelers corners cannot give that 10 yard cushion because Brady will take it every time. They need to get up on the line and be physical with the smaller receivers, Welker and Branch. Also, the Patriots love to exploit match-ups with running backs and tight ends. Last year, Rob Gronkowski had 5 receptions for 71 yard and 3 touchdown's. Apparently, Belichick game planned to throw to the tight end in key situations and it worked flawlessly. Lebeau cannot be afraid to use 2 or 3 more cornerbacks on each given play. Farrior and Timmons on Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Woodhead is a mismatch and Brady will find them if the linebackers are in man to man coverage. So, I'll leave this point with one word of advice to Dick Lebeau, Adapt.

3.) Young Money

The self proclaimed receiving corps of the Steelers are getting a lot of hype these days, and deservingly so. Young Money has over 25 receptions of over 20 yards and with the Patriots being last in the league in pass defense, giving up 322 yards per game, look for Big Ben to take a couple deep shots down the field.

Lets look at Mike Wallace first. Mr. Wallace has been a terror on opposing secondarys so far this year. He's currently third in receiving yards with 730 while averaging 20.4 yards per catch. If you're the opposing defense you have to account for Mike Wallace every time he's on the field and if you match him up one on one with one of your corners, well good luck to you. The only person that might be able to stick with Wallace stride for stride is the Flash. He leads the NFL with 6 catches for more than 40 yards with his long being a 95 yard streak last Saturday against the Cardinals. The knock on Wallace his first couple years in the league was that all he can do is run that go route and just use his speed to beat defenders. Sure, he can do that better than anyone in the league, but this year he has been more of a possession receiver as well, especially in the games against Baltimore and Houston when he consistently moved the chains without getting a deep ball. Wallace has that rare ability to make a corner think he has him covered one second and the next second Wallace is 3 yards passed him ready to break loose. He's growing more and more as a receiver and soon this league won't know how to stop him. Book it.

Next, lets look at Antonio Brown. Brown was barely used in the passing game last year having only 16 catches for 167 yards. Just to show you how little that number is, Mewelde Moore managed to pull down 26 catches for 206 yards. Well, the days of Mewelde out receiving Antonio are over. Brown already has 25 catches for 364 yards this year in only 7 games. He has overshadowed Emmanuel Sanders and is challenging both Sanders and Ward on who is going to play second fiddle to Wallace. Brown has already shown his clutchness/dependency last year in the playoffs when he made that ridiculous grab to basically beat the Ravens and when he made the game clinching first down against the Jets. Not to mention that Brown is one of the most dynamic return men in the game. He usually always makes the first guy miss and is a threat to take to the house every time he touches the ball. Get this guy into open space and he's lethal.

Finally, we make our way to Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders came storming out of the gates last year as a rookie making 28 catches for 376 yards. So far this year he's been overshadowed by Brown, but that doesn't take away from his spectacular rookie season last year. He shattered everyone's expectations and was a key possession receiver that helped us get to the Super Bowl. Injuries began to plague Sanders last year and have continued to slow him down so far this year, but he has continued to fight through it and is finally looking to be 100%. He can be just as dynamic as Brown when healthy and every one of these 3 receivers can run right by you if your not careful. The Steelers have managed to draft a track team that is ready to run at all times.

P.S.- Remember the last time the Patriots came to Pittsburgh on Halloween? It was back in 2004 and the Patriots came into Heinz Field in the midst of a NFL record 21 game win streak. The Steelers came out and smacked them 34-20 and the game wasn't even that close. All I have to say is history has a tendency to repeat itself. Here we go.

By: Jon and Jeff Gingell

Analyzing the Penguins Successful Start

2011-10-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Fleury has been a key contributor to the success of the Pens so far

Just in case you haven't noticed, the Pittsburgh Penguins have come storming out of the gates this season. Through 10 games the flightless birds are 6-2-2 and currently tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with Alexander Ovechkin and the vaunted Capitals at 14 points each. I am going to break down how the Penguins have gotten to this point and what to expect for the rest of the season.

The main reason the Penguins have gotten off to such a rapid start is Mr. Dan Bylsma and his effective team system that shows no matter who is in the lineup the team is a threat to take 2 points at any given night. Disco is proving to all his doubters that he was the right man to win the Jack Adams award last year for NHL Coach of the Year. What he has done with this team the last 2 years is downright remarkable. Let's look at last year, the Penguins were without Crosby for 41 games, Malkin for 39 games, and Staal for 40 games and somehow finished with 106 points, the second most in team history, and in a dog fight to win the division. The Penguins fizzled out in the first round of the playoffs last year, but that does not take away to what Bylsma and the team accomplished during the regular season. Now this year, Bylsma and his squad have picked up right where they left off last year without Sid and with a banged up Geno for 3 games and somehow still finding ways to win games. This team has figured out how to win without their 2 star pivots and whenever they get completely healthy I feel sorry for the rest of the National Hockey League.

The next key to the Penguins fast start has been the sudden goal scoring prowess of James Neal and Jordan Staal. Lets look at Neal first. The Penguins picked up Neal at the trade deadline last year and expected him to be the winger of the future for Crosby and to effectively jump right into the lineup and provide the goal scoring that the team desperately needed last year. With Crosby out of the lineup all last year and so far this year we don't know how well Neal and Crosby will work together, but Neal has finally started to find that goal scoring touch we expected out of him last year. Through 20 games with the Penguins last year, Mr. Neal only had 1 goal and 5 assists. We knew Neal had talent, but we just couldn't figure out why he wasn't putting pucks in the net. Well, this year has been the opposite for Neal who, in just 10 games, has fired 8 pucks past opposing goalies and has gained the confidence that every goal scorer needs. Goal scoring is a habit and Neal has become addicted.

Next, Jordan Staal has also had a terrific start to the season. Like I mentioned earlier, Staal missed 40 games last year, and never really got into a groove. Sure, he had 11 goals and 30 points, but we need more out of Staal, especially with the prolonged absences of Crosby and Malkin. This year, Staal has been a terror in all 3 zones. He's been that coveted stud defensive center who can also light the lamp. It may not always seem like Staal is having a good game, but Staal does the things that don't show up the score sheet. You win with guys like Jordan Staal. He backchecks, he forechecks, he'll shut down the other teams best center, he plays all 200 feet with no complaints. I know we wish Staal would chip in on the scoring more often, and maybe he has heard our complaints and used them as fuel to the fire for the start he has had this year. Through 10 games, Staal already has 5 goals and 3 assists. If Staal continues on this pace he will end the season with around 40 goals and 30 assists and although that might be unrealistic, he still should end up with at least 30 goals and 60 points. You might be a Staal hater, but you can't hate those numbers, and if Crosby and Malkin come back healthy this season, Staal is without a doubt the best 3rd line center in the NHL. When on his game, the guy can do it all.

Maybe the most important reason the Penguins have flown of the gates is backstop Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury has been absolutely magnificent so far this season. There isn't one game you can point out and say that if Fleury had stopped that one shot the Pens would have won. In past years, that wasn't the case. Fleury has maybe been a little inconsistent thoughout his NHL career, but I tell you what without Fleury the Pens would have never won the cup and would not be contenders year in and year out. Fleury can single handedly win games for this team. He has so much talent and when he gets into a groove , he's virtually unbeatable. To all you Fleury bashers out there, you need to start watching another sport because you know nothing about hockey.

This team has dealt with so much adversity and so many injuries in the past couple years that if they all return healthy I don't know who can beat them. Even though I hate being without Crosby and Malkin, it might be a blessing in disguise with the fact that this team has learned to win without them and can take anything thrown their way. This team has learned to win no matter what the circumstance. They never make excuses, they just go out and win and in this city that's all that matters. Pittsburgh loves winner and hates losers (ex. Pirates of the last 20 years), and with this lineup the Penguins aren't going to be caught in the latter any time soon. I believe Malkin will be back sometime this week and Crosby following suit sometime in November. Kennedys concussion issues have become a concern, but I don't believe he will be out long term and when Michalek comes back in a month this team is poised to make another deep run into June. Top to bottom no team in the NHL can match our offensive and defensive firepower and if this team starts clicking on all cylinders when healthy, I like their chances to lift the Stanley Cup again for the 4th time in team history. Let's go Pens.

By contributing writer-Jeff Gingell

3 Reasons Why North Carolina Will Win the NCAA Tourney

2011-10-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Barnes, my pick for the Naismith, looks to be the focal point of the 2011 Tar Hells.

3.) Experience

In overall age, the Tar Heels are very young, with their only senior standout being Tyler Zeller, but they have the experience of veteran squad. They return all 5 starters from last seasons team and look poised to build on the momentum they built up from last years tournament run. This starting roster went 14-2 last year in the second best basketball conference in America and that was with barely any big time experience. After the ACC, this team made the Elite 8 last year falling to the Kentucky Wildcats. With the experience gained throughout the tournament, the sky is literally the limit. Those same two teams will meet again this year, first in Lexington, and the second time in New Orleans.

2.) Depth

At seemingly every position, they have two players ready to step in play well. A backup point guard is the only position that is worrisome in this lineup with Stillman White, a freshman from Wilmington, holding that position. The frontcourt and the backcourt are loaded with skill and more importantly, size. The average Tar Heel is around 6'6'' 210, not too bad huh. North Carolina has all the players it needs to battle injuries and overcome any adversity.

1.) Pure Talent

A staggering nine players out of the sixteen man roster are McDonald's All-American's so you can bet on talent coming in when talent goes out. Other big-time programs such as Pittsburgh have only had two McDonald's All-American's in the last two decades. On a recent list put out on CBSSports.com debating the 100 best college players, North Carolina had four players in the top ten alone. Kendall Marshall is the purest point guard in the country with ability to visualize three plays ahead. Tyler Zeller and John Henson are tremendous defensive players with Zeller's offensive repertoire as a weapon as well. Overall, I think this team has 8 future first round picks on it and if my memory serves me correctly the 1995-1996 Kentucky Wildcats had 9 future pro's on it and they won the NCAA tournament rather easily. Carolina has the ability to be one of the best and most talented team in decades. Don't forget who told you first, Chapel Thrill will add another banner.

NFL Picks Week 6

2011-10-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Week 6 NFL Picks

Green Bay (-15) over St. Louis

A 15 point spread is extremely high for the NFL and usually when it's that high, you always pick the underdog. Having said that, I'm going with Green Bay because they're at home and St. Louis is on the road. Aaron Rodgers for 3 TD's and 400 yards is a staple of the NFL sunday.
Prediction: Green Bay, 35-14

Chicago (-3) over Minnesota

Jacksonville (+12) over Pittsburgh

The Jaguars are the only team to beat the Steelers at Heinz Field twice in one year (2007). That will never happen again, but I'm going with the Jaguars against a high spread.
Prediction: Pittsburgh, 27-17

Carolina (+3.5) over Atlanta

Philadelphia (-1.5) over Washington

If the Eagles are who we thought they were, they win this game by double digits and silence their overwhelming amount of critics. With a team this talented, starting 1-5 would be downright baffling. Look for Desean Jackson to have a big first series and set the tone for the Eagles.
Prediction: Philly, 35-24

Indianoplis (+7) over Cincinnati

San Francisco (+4.5) over Detroit

Somehow, someway, this is the most intresting game of the week. Detroit is 5-0 for the time since the Civil War and San Francisco is having a revival under Jim Harbaugh and that great defense. Lions havn't played a great defense yet and in the NFL, you have to lose eventually.
Prediction: San Francisco, 20-13

NY Giants (-3) over Buffalo

Giants come alive and so does their running game. 200 yards for Jacobs and Bradshaw combined. Buffalo keeps it close, but comes up short
Prediction: Giants, 21-17

Baltimore (-7.5) over Houston

Oakland (-7) over Cleveland

Oakland at home still riding from last weeks win. Al Davis will be on their minds again.
Predicition: Oakland, 28-17

New England (-7) over Dallas

New Orleans (-4.5) over Tampa Bay

NY Jets (-7) over Miami

Tease this game and it's the lock of the week. Matt Moore vs. Derelle Revis equals a Jets Blowout.
Prediciton: Jets, 24-3

Bartman Remembered

2011-09-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

After watching "Raising Hell" on ESPN tonight, I felt a feeling about sports that I rarely feel, I felt betrayed. We all remember what happened to Steve Bartman and his infamous interference with Moises Alou in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. After the play ensued, the Marlins scored 8 runs in that fateful inning and ended up beating he Cubs 8-3 in Game 6. Now, the reason I felt betrayed was because sports gives me a lot of joy in life. They are a microcosm of America itself and reflect true competition. Nothing brings friends, family, and teams together the way sports do. Sports can make you happy, cry, and scream all in one play. But, in this instance, sports turned a sports situation into a life situation. After Bartman interfered with that ball, all hell broke lose. He was ridiculed and threatened to the point where nobody has heard from him sense. I am embarrassed to be a part of the sports watching community knowing that millions of baseball fans drove this man into living his life feeling threatened and unwanted. Like I said, sports brings out the best in people, but it also brings out the worst. Threatening to kill this man over a baseball game? I guess nobody realized Bartman was a Little League baseball coach or that he was a very intelligent, polite young man. You forget that celebrities (Bartman became one) have a life outside of their persona. There is a fine line between anger and violence and too many sports fan crossed that line the days ensuing Game 6. 8 years later, I hope Bartman found peace in his decision to leave Chicago and begin a new life. If the Cubs ever win a world series, Bartman should be honored somehow, someway. But, that may never happen because karma is a bitch and what the city of Chicago did to Steve Bartman antagonizes it....the wrong way.

WVU Unwanted

2011-09-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

WVU Unwanted

WVU is unwanted not only by the ACC, but now the SEC. It appears that the quality of the school's academics may be what is keeping them out of a major 16 team conference. WVU ranks around 130 of the most pretigious Subdivision schools, which is very very low. Time will tell where the Mountaineers end up. For their sake, let's hope the Big East stays together or they will be starting a rivalry with Central Michigan soon.

Bosh Silences Critics

2011-05-22T20:25:00.001-07:00

Bosh Silences Critics

It looked like Jurassic Park 4 in Miami tonight because Chris Bosh plain out dominated his opponents (and how he looks exactly like a dinosaur). 34 points on 17 shots isn't Dirk Nowitzki like, but productive to say the least. After the infamous Crying Game, Chris Bosh has slowly come to life and tonight seems to be the pinnacle of his recent ascension. Even more impressive, Bosh was the biggest of the The Big 3 tonight carrying the scoring load while Wade and LeBron struggled shooting. If Bosh can keep this up, Miami wins this series in 6 and goes on to hold up the Davey O Trophy. I guess that middle school pep ralley the Heat had earlier this season lived up to the hype. And Chris Bosh is a part of it.....finally.