Billy Guerin's Will to Win; Penguin Signings

Bill Guerin and Craig Adams have already shown that they will take another run at the cup over money any day. A "sign" of things to come, literally; they both took signficantly less money than they could have received from several other teams, for the chance to get their names on the cup once more. Both of these guys are tough customers with great hockey I.Q. and have won a combination of 4 cups (09 included) in their careers.

I personally love these two players, and their will to win has been proved on and off the ice. Guerin signed a one year, 2 million deal in what could be his last year in the NHL. Why not spend it playing on a line with sid the kid? Adams signed a 2 year, 550,000 per year deal to keep him holding down a solid 4th line for the Pens. The Adams signing means that Mike Zigomanis will probably not return next year, and although his faceoff skills will be missed, Adams' toughness is what defines a reliable 4th line.

Ray Shero has done a great job so far in terms of not overspending, but there are still plenty of moves to be made this offseason. Rob Scuderi is a big question mark, and will test the market before reporting back to the Pens, but he has given every notification that he will take some type of hometown discount to stay.

The way this penguins team struggled and bonded this year, especially coming out of the season victorious, every player is willing to sacrifice some buck to stay in the burgh. July 1st is the start of free agency signing, so i'm looking for Fedetenko to be resigned fairly quickly, especially because of his clutch performance in the postseason. If Shero can sign either Ruslan Fedetenko or Rob Scuderi to smaller deal, the team will be in even better shape than last year.

No Regrets Ese; The Dejuan Blair Departure

As we Pitt fans watched Dejuan's disastrous draft drop, some couldn't help but pull the "shoulda" card on the big fella. "Thats why he shoulda stayed at Pitt", "He coulda been a lottery pick if he woulda came back!" Stop right there. Put that card right back where it came from. Dejuan's decision to enter the draft was the right decision, and his drop did nothing but prove that.

Blair's drop had nothing to do with his college game, his development, or his age-it had to do with his flagged body. A body that would only get more wear and tear in the Big East Paint, a body that could suffer injuries from taking on the best centers in the league, and a pair of knees that could fall apart on him at any time. That is, after all, a large reason why he entered the draft anyways. If he happened to get banged up bad this year or if his knees began to deteriorate like doctors are confident they could, we wouldn't see the Big Fella in the first 2 rounds of the draft at all.

Blair doesn't have any regrets, and why should he? He saw before his eyes the issues that almost every NBA team had with his knees, and if it caused such a drop this year, then he probably didn't even want to think about if he had stayed next year. I'm not a doctor, but I do know his bad knees would still be, well, bad.

Look, you can call him prideful and stubborn. You can label this a hubris-caused downfall and say that he should've stayed and worked on his jumpshot (teams will surely draft him for that..). But in the end, Blair did the right thing. The draft proved it right before his eyes.

Forget the Recession, The Buc(k)s are Rising

Just when you'd think the Pirates would descend into the deep, mucky, stanky hole of no return, they go on a 4 game win streak to give you that little tingle of hope. Amidst trade rumors and Latin American free agency talk, our favorite Pittsburgh Ball Club put together a fine ending to their series against Cleveland, and took a step further to clinch a series win against the Royals.

The walkoff is what did it. With a stingy and scrappy steal by Jack Wilson, and a clutch hit by none other than "Cutch the Clutch" McCutchen, the Pirates sealed a win and a series against the Indians; was great to see such an effort by two respectable Buccos. Andrew McCutchen also completed a 13 game hit streak to lead any rookie this year. He also leads all rookies in batting average and is climbing in RBIs. What a player-he is quite the expectation surpasser.

Delwyn Young is impressive yet again, driving in 4 RBI's tonight, while Jack Wilson has climbed to a .291 batting average in very under-the-radar fashion-he's hitting 8th in the lineup. Jason Jaramilo has also shown glimmer in these past two series.

This is directly following a dismal and frustrating 5 game losing streak, which included a sweep from their former coach , Jim Tracy, and his Rockies. The losing streak reminded us that these guys are young and inconsistent. It reminded us that our pitching can fall apart, and Andrew McCutchen can't carry the team by himself (as a rookie at that). It reminded us that shaky lineups don't lead to consistent wins.

But. this team responded. they put on their big boots and drudged up the muddy hole, trying to ignore the remnants of their fall. They're back to breathing room, but there is so much left to go. Seeing the light is only the beginning to this team's awkward strive to a winning season. Still, it is quite the beginning.

Slippery Knees; Dejuan Blair and the NBA Draft

Wow. I can openly admit that I was completely wrong about the draft status concerning Dejuan Blair, mostly because everyone out there was wrong as well. Draft boards had him anywhere from 10 to 22, but I had a feeling it would be around the mid-teens. Yet, the Big Fella dropped all the way from the first round, only to be drafted 37th by the San Antonio Spurs. There is a consensus that Blair's knees caused the fall, because he aced every part of his pre-draft workout-we're talking interviews, shooting, weightloss, etc.

Teams seemed to collectively have been looking for a player that they can develop in the next few years, with the selections of Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, James Johnson, and Jrue Holiday coming early. These athletes are not impact players nor are they immediate starters. Instead, these guys have the youth and athletic ability to raise their chances of being a contributor in 2 or 3 years. But it's still a big chance. Odds are that one of these ballers-if that, will become a high caliber starter in 3 years-especially given the lack of a specific talent in their college games.

Although Blair's knees do pose fair concern, it's not something to jump over, only to get a guy solely with athletic ability and physical attributes-for example Portland's pick of Spain's Victor Claver-with the 6-11 frame the only thing going for him . Or maybe the Cavs' selection of Christian Eyenga from the Congo, standing at 6-6 with very raw offensive ability and almost nothing to contribute for now.

I can't help but wonder if these teams are going to regret not selecting Blair, especially when their picks are on the bench while he gets starting minutes and quality rebounds for a good 2 years.

The Spurs got incredibly lucky, in that their one basic need for their lineup was a quality rebounder, and the best rebounder in the draft-best college offensive rebounder in the last decade-fell into their championship caliber laps. Last year, the Spurs were one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, and through this quality pick, they will have addressed that need and more with Blair. Not only do they get his quality rebounds, they also get his strong will to prove the entire NBA wrong, as almost every team passed over him because they doubted him-those doubts based entirely on an X-ray. No injuries in college, no days off and no ice packs-an x-ray.

Look-there is a small possiblity that Blair plays 3 or 4 years and starts to decend into wobbly knee syndrom. However, teams should've taken that small risk, given that the players they drafted instead have the same chance of actually producing as much as he will have in those years. In fact, they could be looking at a guy with a ring or two on his hand. Oh-and one other thing. I can't wait to see Blair face off against Thabeet on a monthly basis-they're in the same division, and we will see how the #2 pick fares against those doubted knees.

I'll end this one with a quote from #45
""I think its the perfect situation for me. All the teams that didnt pick me I’m gonna make you regret it. I’m with the Spurs. I can’t wait to get down there to San Antonio. The Spurs are the one team that believed in me, and since they believed in me, ima give them 1000 percent."

"Who's Laughin Now!"; The Steeler Offensive Line

In light of the Max Starks deal, it's time to assess the infamous offensive line for the Black 'n Gold.
In the past three years, the O-line has been deemed the worst unit of the team. Although most of the blame for this has been shot towards the release of Alan Faneca, the offensive line wasn't that great when he was the keystone; Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 46 times that season, and Charlie Batch ate turf 3 times.

As a Steeler fan, I cringe when an unblocked pass-rusher is coming at Ben at full speed, and I stomp my foot every time Willie Colon is called for a false start. However, given Roethlisberger's ability to avoid pass rushers, and his amazing talent to actually improve his game on the run, the o-line isn't as big of a liablity as portrayed. Also hidden, is the fact that Ben causes his own "downfall", literally, by not making quick enough decisions; on the recieving end, the wideouts need to also make sure to run quicker routes and come back looking for the ball often. I think this can be easily improved with time and practice; the worry should be much more in the run-blocking game, considering that Willie Parker is fairly easy to bring down if he isn't given large holes, but if he has an opening, he's one of the most dangerous backs in the league. If the offensive line can improve their run-blocking, which is their obvious weakness (run blocking was Faneca's strongpoint and why he is missed, see Willie Parker's Super Bowl XL run), the Steelers will be much harder to defend. It will make Willie Parker and Mendenhall much more dangerous, and consequentially make the play-option and overall passing game a larger threat.

Let's look at the composition of the O-Line at the moment. The probable roster has:

Centers: Justin Hartwig (starting), Greg Warren
Guards: Chris Kemoeatu (starting), Darnell Stapleton (starting), Craig Urbik,
Tackles: Max Starks (starting Left), Willie Colon (starting Right), Jason Capizzi, Tony Hills

Caveat: This may not be the final roster at the end of camp, but at the moment these are the guys that either have the most potential or have proven their on-field ability.

Centers:For the center position, Justin Hartwig has proved his, as Mike Tomlin would say, "mettle." There haven't been up the middle explosions, and the snap transaction happened very smoothly throughout the season-very few instant fumbles or bobbled snaps. Although many would like to see A.Q. Shipley, unless he goes ape-shit at camp and blows the coaches out of the water, Greg Warren will be the backup. Warren was incredibly consistent as a long-snapper, and we all took that for granted until the Giants game when Warren was injured, and chaos ensued.

Guards: Chris Kemoeatu is the only sure starter in this category, simply because Stapleton could easily be outperformed by rookie Craig Urbik. I could see either of these guys getting the second spot, but Stapleton did a decent blocking job last year filling in for Marvel Smith, and I think that will push him past Urbik for one year. However, I think Urbik will get some playing time, and this year will be a learning experience. When he does eventually step in to that position, he will improve the line significantly. He has the tough and gritty mentality that will get him far with Tomlin, and also will make him an effective run-blocker. As far as Kemoeatu goes, I've seen him stick out like a sore thumb and fall on his face at times, but he is very effective against the run, and he's the best we've got in terms of experience and talent at the guard position. Furthermore, he has a lot of room to grow, and has the potential to be a dependable starter.

Tackles: However annoying Willie Colon's false starts and burnt out pug face may be, he is a good player, and can shut down fairly talented defensive ends. Surprisingly, Ziggy Hood mentioned to Jim Wexell that playing against Colon was like a smack to the face; He really opened some eyes when it comes to Colon's game. False starts are tendencies that can be improved with work and experience, and the pug face is something we all have to deal with. Max Starks is the most talented player on the offensive line. He doesn't get the credit, because he was outperformed in camp several times, but he has shut down some of the league's best on the strong side. When has the Steeler' backfield ever been demolished by one player? It's always against several fast players within a smart defensive scheme (see Philadelphia Week 3). Max Starks has done his job against the stars that should be getting to Roethlisberger, and that's why he was rewarded with a new contract yesterday-and a fairly cheap contract at that. Starks also has potential to grow, and I don't see him being outperformed this year. However, I could see Willie Colon outperformed by Capizzi or Hills, given their youth and gaining knowledge of the Steeler system.

Overall, if a guard in Capizzi or Hills steps up, and Craig Urbik performs to his potential, our offensive line will mature into a talented group throughout the next two years. They have the capability and/or potential to shush the doubts as soon as this year.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

This week's Pittsburgh Sports Article feature is provided by Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette-
Titled "Nothing ordinary about Penguins' march to the Cup; instead, extraordinary ruled at every turn"

Gene Collier's column provides an emotional ride through the Penguins' season-but also puts into perspective how far this hockey team has come in such short time-mentioning Crosby becoming captain at the young age of 19, and Dan Bylsma starting the season as coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Penguins. Collier's writing does justice to the Penguin's season, but simultaneously ensures that we, as fans, don't take this success for granted. Because of the Penguins' struggles in past years, and even after last year's shortcoming, we're able to appreciate the Cup so much more. There really is nothing ordinary about this sweet victory, so let's live it up; we, of all fans, know how hard a stanley cup is to come by.

Save the lengthy title, I really enjoyed this read, although Collier is not my favorite Pittsburgh columnist. He doesn't really have whit or statistics to back up his opinions, but sometimes, in this article for example, he makes up for it with emotion.

If you dig this article, you can find more of Gene Collier's sportswriting here.

Underdogs is the Way it Should Be

One of the reasons I feel in love with the Mets all those years ago was because plain and simple, they were not the Yankees. In the 90s all the Yanks did was win and for a young kid that was just no fun. There was no struggle, just assumed victory; pinstripes guaranteed glory. I wanted to suffer with my team. I wanted every win to mean something special. Not just another notch on the ol' belt.

Then I discovered the Mets. I did not know anything about them but they were New York's underdogs so I was curious. I watched as Todd Hundley launched bombs in '96 and as the Mets just missed the playoffs in '97. It stung but I realized I was starting to fall for the lovable losers. Then they brought in Piazza and the tide began to change. The Mets were a force. The playoffs became a regular and soon a World Series appearance.

Then the team started to really change. With their recent success the Mets signed bigger and bigger free agents trying to keep the good times rolling. They began to spend with the best of them and winning was expected. The underdog image was fading. They were becoming a shell of the team I fell in love with. Heck I was changing as a fan. Each win was less and less sweet. Every playoff appearance was less and less a surprise.

Which brings us to 2009. The Mets have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and it is a tragedy if they miss the playoffs. Every year you can legitimately think World Series. They have some of the biggest stars in the game in Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, K-Rod and Santanna. We watch and expect not watch and hope.

With some help from the injury-bug, however, we have a little different team this go around. Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Maine. Those big salary stars are not trudging out everyday. Rather it is a cast of misfits that represent New York day in and day out. The Omar Santoses of the league. The roster is a patchwork of journeymen and unproven players. Not multi-million dollar bats and arms. So now the cards are stacked against this Mets team and it feels like it used too.

This team is no longer expected to win which means everytime that they do it is that much sweeter. Every late game victory reminds us more and more of why we becames Met fans in the first place. If this group can come together and play real baseball they can claim a spot in all Mets' fans hearts. Their struggle becomes our passion.

I will not deny for a second that the Mets are a better team with those stars back in the lineup but it just seems right as a Mets fan to have a group of underdogs trotting onto the field again.

Alex Rodriquez Just Does not get it

This guy absolutely, just flat out, does not understand how it works. Sometimes he really just makes you go wow and recently it seems it is not with his play on the field.

Remember shortly after it was reported that he tested for steroids in 2003, yes that career tarnishing bit of news, you know what he did? He went off on a photo shoot where he kissed himself in a mirror. Ya smart huh? This was after living in the tabloids with his very public divorce. You know at least it did not affect his baseball. It was in the off season and it had nothing to do with his play. You would think though, after spending his winter in the sights of all the New York sports writers and tabloids he would want to take a few plays off...? Maybe just concentrate on baseball? Ya...

A-Rod has outdone himself this time. After coming back from hip-surgery the Yankees have been floating in and out of first place in need of an offensive spark to carry some under producing starters. They needed Alex to be his old self and add a spark to the lineup. It has not quite panned out that way.

In 165 at-bats Rodriquez has hit just .212 including a .145 average in June. He has exactly two multi-hit games so far this year. Not quite the punch in the middle of the line-up the Yankees were hoping for. So the yanks, seeing their superstar hitter struggling decided to take matters into their own hands. Their verdict was that he was suffering from fatigue and maybe had just pushed it too hard after coming back. So from an apparently direct order from GM Brian Cashman the Yanks sat A-Rod for two games to get some needed R&R.

What Alex apparently heard was to go out in Miami till 2:30 am with Kate Hudson. No way? Way!

It is one thing when a superstar is out partying late night when hes tearing it up on the field, you know '86 Mets style. It is completely different when he hasn't even sniffed a 3-4 day at the plate in a month. The yanks sat their 200+ million dollar investment because he was tired. So what he did was go party late into the night.

Look these athletes are free to do whatever it is they want; while it is hard to believe, they are indeed grown ups. But when you are the highest paid player in baseball and your struggling because of apparent fatigue and you continue to party late into the night it just makes you scratch your head. All of A-Rod's actions screams selfish and egotistical and if I was Yankee fan I would really wonder if this is the kind of guy I want in pinstripes. You never would have seen Jeter, O'Neil or Williams pull this one... ya know champions?

Why not snuggle up with a scouting report instead, its not like he can't use the help.

Pirates Trade Talk

Murderer's Row and Hot Steel join topics today, as Pirate trade rumors are afloat like oil in the Cuyahoga. Although there is not one guy that is the focus of Bucco trade rumors, it is obvious that the Pirates are pushing and possibly already shopping for a trade before the July 31st trade deadline. They're also showing signs of trades by promoting guys rapidly down on the farm.

Although some are saying that the Pirates wont trade a big-time player so soon after the Nate McLouth trade, I think it's exactly what the Huntington needs to do in order to stay on track. If the Pirates don't trade the mediocre/.500 players now for upside prospects or pitching, then they're just going to leave when their contract expires and we won't get anything in return.

Next year, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, and Jack Wilson become Free Agents. Seeing that these guys wont likely resign, I think the Pirates will need to trade two of these three guys to get some young talent if they want to compete in the coming years. They need to get support around Andrew McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata, and possibly Andy LaRoche, and they have a chance at being a playoff team in 2011.

I'm personally hoping that the Pirates can trade Adam LaRoche. He's extremely slumpy and has a bad taste in his mouth from the McLouth trade. He wants his team to compete but isn't doing anything to contribute! He's also the kind of guy that will probably hit better on another team, because he's really a deadbeat in the clubhouse at the moment. In terms of replacements, the Pirates have already called up Steve Pearce to try him out at 1st base.

I don't want to see Sanchez go, but I think the Pirates could get A LOT by trading him. He's a great hitter and I would love to see him take us to the playoffs, but his age and price just don't bode well for those dreams.

I really would like to see the Bucs keep Jack Wilson, because no one can match him defensively in the infield. He's really an asset to the team for double plays, and is a clutch hitter at times. He's a great guy to have on the field and at the bottom of the lineup, not to mention he doesn't come with as much of a price tag as the other two guys in the long run. Also, how great would it be to see Jack Wilson win a championship with the Pirates after all these years as a suffering bucco? I'd be in tears.

In other buccos news, I hate Eric Hinske and I think Delwyn Young is an asset if he learns how to field. Andrew McCutchen is already leading the NL in triples, after 17 games; he also has a 10 game hit streak. whoa.

Where do the Mets Go for Help?

With the injury bug still tearing its way through the Mets clubhouse the Amazins have somehow managed to hang in the division; which is more a testament to the lousy play around the league than anything special from the Mets.

However, as the Mets move on they will need to start looking into making some early moves if they want to try and weather the storm until their key players come back. Jerry Manuel has said himself, the Mets need more pop in their lineup. Before Delgado went down the team was never considered a deep threat but without him they just don't have anyone to consistently hit the long ball. Sure Citi Field, a pitchers park, does not help, but no Met has yet to reach double digit home run totals. The ideal candidates for mid season moves from the Mets are:

1) Nick Johnson 1B Nats

Johnson, who started his career with the Yanks has finally found his form again after a few seasons plagued by injuries. Hes batting .333 with an on-base-percentage of .432. Hes got some pop in his bat and defensively is the best available. He does, however, have a knack for getting injured; something the Mets do not need any more of.

2) Aubrey Huff 1b Orioles

Aubrey Huff quietly put together a great season last year, dishing out 32 homers on his way to a .302 average. All around he is not quite as good as Johnson and his OBP is significantly lower at .338 but Huff has a little more pop and stays healthy.

3) Mark DeRosa 1b Indians

DeRosa is an interesting option because he is a very versatile player. He can play first now while Delgado is out but if Carlos makes it back DeRosa can play third, second or even in the outfield. It gives the Mets a number of options considering they have injuries all over the place.

4) Carlos Lee OF Astros

This one is a little more out there but rumors are starting to fly that the Mets might be interested in adding a high profile bat in Carlos Lee. The Astros OF has popped 11 big flies so far this year on his way to 40 RBIs and a .305 average. Lee would give the Mets that much needed power boost but is slated to make over 18 mil the next few years and it is unclear whether the Mets are willing to pay that price.

Omar Minaya has his work cut out for him this season. This group has as much talent as almost any team out there. Injuries or not if they do not make the playoffs you have to begin wondering when the Mets might start looking elsewhere for a new GM.

Steeler D

Pondering on the Steelers' success last year, the league has really shifted in terms what successful teams focus on. Defense has become the focal point for most NFL teams, because the best teams have the best defenses. We can look at the success and failure of teams and see that without a premier defense, you will not win in this league; The Titans and the Saints. How does a team with Drew Brees and Reggie Bush go 8-8, while a team with Kerry Collins and a rookie RB goes 13-3? The Titans' defense makes all the difference.

These aren't the days of the "greatest show on turf" or Peyton Manning's fanclub; Instead, teams like the titans, steelers, ravens, and giants have risen to the top of the NFL, because they have complete defenses that can win games themselves. Look at what made the difference in the superbowl; While Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner showed off their offensive firepower, James Harrison's defensive play created a 10 point swing in the game. Even looking back at last year's superbowl; Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots seemed unstoppable, but the Giants' linebacking corps got to the duo, and they were shut down when it mattered.

Hell, look at the biggest Free Agent signing this offseason; It's Albert Haynesworth's move to Washington, possibly the most pivotal defensive player when he's on the field. The shift also appears in coach signings and success. Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, both former defensive coordinators, were the most successful young coaches in the past year, and Mike Singletary is making things bubble in San Franscisco. Meanwhile, Eric Mangini, the so-called offensive genius, was left to drown in New York and New England's offensive wiz Josh McDaniels is already looking shaky in Denver.

All this is getting me excited about this upcoming season for the Steelers. This league has proven that Defense is where you win games, and the Steeler D is going nowhere, possibly getting even better.

Lamarr Woodley is hitting his peak, while James Harrison is still hungry. James Farrior is in the best shape of his life, and Ike Taylor is learning to catch, and becoming an elite corner in the league. William Gay is going to make a splash this year replacing Bryant McFadden, because when he was on the field last year, he played extremely well. Last year during the Super Bowl run, the ESPN Insiders wrote that:
"One other surprising addition has been the impressive play of nickel cornerback William Gay. According to Football Outsiders' game charting project, the two starters, Taylor and McFadden, are performing roughly the same as Taylor and then-starter Townsend in 2005. Gay, however, has been the best nickel corner in the NFL. Opponents are averaging only 3.3 yards per pass when they throw at Gay's man."

3.3 yards per pass?! That's incredible, and I think we're going to see even more from Gay when he finally gets his deserved start. However, the guy i'm most excited about is Lawrence Timmons. Timmons is incredibly fast for his size and strength. This allows him to rush the QB and drop into coverage easily, and makes him a guy that lineman and quarterbacks always need to keep their eyes on. Of course, there are alot of those guys on the Steeler Defense. Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith, should I go on?

Sure i'm excited about the offensive developement with our second-year players. But with the league patterns showing defensive prominence, i'm much more excited about the Steeler D; they have the potential to be elite again.

Where, oh Where Will The Big Fella Go?; Dejuan Blair Draft Buzz

I posted somewhat of a glory rant on the soon-to-be-drafted Dejuan Blair, simply because I am so excited for Pittsburgh to have an NBA connection. He really is the first guy in a LONG while (probably the first that will go so high in the draft) to have true Pittsburgh city roots, playing in the NBA. Well now, 5 days before the draft, it's time to see where Dejuan Blair could go in this little event.

Talk about Dejuan Blair's draft position can get heated, and easily. Experts, scouts, owners, fans all disagree about where this undersized, overheart-ed, big muscled kid with a freak wingspan should go. To his benefit, this draft is weak. Even as a Pitt fan, you must admit that he was very wise to enter the draft this year, especially now with all the talk 'bout his supposed "bad" knees. In terms of big men in the draft, we've got Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet and Jordan Hill that are definitely going ahead of Blair. However, given that Griffin is a sure #1 pick (what a waste, he's got a very small ceiling), that leaves an assortment of teams needing Big Men, with only Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet to supply the first two. So after that, the question is: who else needs a big man, and will they take Blair?

I don't think that any other big men are taken before Blair.

Looking only at skill and possible contribution, guys like James Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Henderson, and Earl Clark don't have as much going for them. For one, these guys don't really have a specialty in their games. All of these players were called on to do a little bit of everything on their college teams, and as a result, didn't develop post moves, rebounding skills, or a decent shot. Sure, these guys have the potential to do all these things, but when you're drafting high, you need an instant contributor. Guys that did it all in college don't translate as well in the NBA, simply because you need to master a specialty to play against the good guys. Furthermore, the fact that no one knows what specialty these guys will develop (if they even do), makes it very hard for teams to address their needs by drafting them.

That being said, we know Dejuan Blair is going to rebound. He has proven his ability to smell the ball playing against the toughest competitors. He is THE best rebounder in the draft, and the best offensive rebounder the college game has seen in years. Scouts, owners, and players can all attest that he has a gift in that respect, simply because when he wants the ball, he gets it. This type of hunger is extremely attractive for teams, because it translates. You can't really teach hunger, especially for such an un-flashy skill in rebounding. Players don't make highlights for rebounding, but they change games-NBA games. Speaking solely on skill and contribution, I don't see any scenario that Blair is passed by these other "big" men. I honestly think he'd go above Jordan Hill if he had a couple more inches, but that's crazy talk.

Let's look at teams that need rebounding. We've got New York, Toronto, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Phoenix, Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland as possible candidates in their respective draft order. I think New York will take a point guard as their bigger need, so Toronto is the first real candidate for Blair. I do think that there could be a move for Chicago to trade up with New Jersey , giving them their two later picks for NJ's higher pick. That way, Chicago could take Dejuan and NJ could get a guy like Hansbrough and address another team need as well. I really do have a feeling this is what will happen. I think we're most likely going to see Dejuan either in Chicago, Milwaukee, or New Jersey.

All the Chad Ford bad knee buzz is frustrating. If you read Chad Ford, just know that he's a high school cheerleader when it comes to draft rumors. He'll promote anything he hears as "owners are worried about" or "scouts are saying." It's very obvious and silly once you realize what he does over and over with rumors. Speaking of Dejuan's knees, everyone already knew that he had knee surgery. THis was common knowledge, that really shouldn't be an issue unless he sat out some games, which he didn't. His knees didn't affect him in the two years that he was a starting center in the big east. Chad really needs to stop gossiping about them like they're some big hookup.

I'm looking at Chicago. And i'm looking for his second season to be great. He's shown his ability to improve in new environments after one go-around. I think a lot of teams are going to regret their Jordan Hills, their Hasheem Thabeets, and their, dare I say it, Blake Griffins.

NBA, meet the hardnosed hungry Dejuan Blair; or should I say, meet Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh's Other "Kid"; The Andrew McCutchen Story

In my past couple Pirates posts, i've mentioned my excitement for the Pirates' newest addition to their lineup-Andrew McCutchen. Finally, after trading Nate McLouth [cue weeps] the Pirates have called up their top prospect in McCutchen. Some are still growling about the Pirates supposedly throwing away their chances at winning in 2009, but this is the real reason why the Pirates had the {base}balls able to trade their center fielder-an overhyped but likeable guy hitting a mere .256. The Pirates have a center fielder. He happens to be the key to any possible championship in the Pirates near [within 10 years] future. This is the Andrew McCutchen story.

Waiting patiently in AAA Indianapolis, as the star player in the Pirates' top farm team, Cutch has finally gotten his chance to show his talent, speed, and overall ability to contribute to the Bucs. Drafted by the Pirates in 2005 with the 11th overall pick in the MLB draft, McCutchen is perhaps the best pick Littlefield and company have made in their dismal draft history. Already he is surpassing the accomplishments of the Pirates' 2002 #1 OVERALL pick in Bryan Bullington [yuck]. McCutchen has shown several sparkles in his time with the Pirates' various farm teams.

1. Killer speed.

The Cutch and Willie Parker would have quite the competition. In his second MLB game, McCutchen hit a ball that would be considered a sliding double for any other player, but turned the play into a stand up triple. Let me, boldly, say that again. standing triple. The FSN broadcasters were nearly speechless, and appropriately so. They went so far as to create a video for the next game of a side-by-side comparison of McCutchen and Deon Sanders. They were nearly in sync running the bases, with one exception-Sanders hit lefty and had a head start. His stolen bases seem effortless and he breaks up a double play like facebook tagging breaks up relationships.

2. Powah.

Usually a kid with Cutch's speed has a small build and makes a career out of hitting infield singles and 1 base floaters. Not this kid. In his few starts, McCutchen has shown his ability to drive the ball into the gap, and hit his first Major League home run last night with a blast. I'm talking power people. This ability, combined with his speed turns into a double and triple machine for the Bucs. The aforementioned triple was followed by another triple later in the same game. In his second game, McCutchen hit two triples; that's an accomplishment that few Pirates have accomplished in their entire careers. This speed/power leadoff combo is followed by the speed of Nyjer Morgan, creating a tag-team that can score runs quicker than ovaltine. In his 13 starts, he's already touched home plate 10 times.

3. (Mc)Clutch Factor-

Let's face it, this kid is clutch; it's in his blood. When he's up to bat late in the game with RISP, he's already proved his ability to get the big hit to score some runs. He's got 9 RBIs, he's slugging .492, and batting .339. This is a rookie, people. He's got 20 hits, 4 with extra bases.

Saying that this sexy leadoff is a triple threat is an understatement-he is so much more than a threat. I didn't even mention the potential he has to improve his defensive skills to become a top-tier fielder. He can already cover mega-grass with his speed and has given glimmers of his diving ability-he's not afraid of the grass. Furthermore-he's got a decent arm. In Tuesday's game against the Twins, he zapped one to the cutoff, and got a Twin caught at home plate-runsaver extraordinaire! [no, a twin does not count as two outs, although it really should].

In the spirit of Reading Rainbow, "Don't take my word for it," check him aght!

This is Pittsburgh's other kid-the summer kid for a change. "McCutch the Clutch," maybe? It doesn't have the ring like "Sid The Kid", but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Now you tell me why you want Nate McLouth, who, since he's been with the Braves, is hitting .240 with 12 hits in 12 games. And that RBI machine that he's been described as in passing? He's got 2. He's likeable, I guess he's got that going for him. uh.

While i'm waiting for an answer, i'm going to watch the Pirates, and their new player. I've heard he's a boss.

Does it Shock You Anymore?

News broke earlier this week of another former MLB star who managed to cheat his way into the record books. Sammy Sosa, whose home run hitting prowess helped save baseball, tested positive for steroids in 2003. He was involved in the same drug test as Alex Rodriquez.

One year ago this news would have meant so much more and it would have stung a lot deeper. Now, however, baseball fans are immune to these kind of headlines. Two of the games biggest stars (A-Rod and Manny Ramirez) have gone done within the last six moths with steroids that a name like Sosa just does not shock you to the core anymore. In fact it was more a matter of time for Sosa's name to be officially linked to steroids; he had been caught with a corked bat earlier in his career.

I for one hate the idea of performance-enhancing drugs. One thing that makes baseball so special is the fact that you can compare players across generations of athletes. No sport is soaked in history like America's pass-time. Every time a player takes steroids he spits on that tradition and it makes me cringe. Well it used to...

Now it has gotten to the point where I'm just not surprised anymore. There does not seem to be a star-veteran out there who has not been linked at some point in their career and it has come time that we put this issue to rest. It was a part of the culture. Accept it and move on.

You know who really dropped the ball on this one? Major League Baseball. We should be blaming them for the mess in the game. Steroids were rampant in the 90s and even the early 2000s and everybody knew it. Major League Baseball, however, was not about to step in and take away their biggest attraction; the home run. It is not the players fault. They were competing for their jobs in many aspects. The pressure to succeed was immense and these guys cracked. Their careers should be tarnished, without a doubt. They cheated and they have to accept the consequences but they are not real villain here; it is the MLB.

So when do we escape steroids and officially put this era to rest? In my mind it is over the day some player (clean of course) breaks Barry Bonds home run record. When that day comes baseball will be healed.

The Penguins Offseason Moves

With the news of the Penguins signing their top defenseman in waiting, Alex Goligoski, to a three year deal, I think it's time to address the Penguins' offseason potential and practical moves.

On his radio show yesterday, Mark Madden did a decent job at evaluating Pittsburgh's needs, and I agree with him on some things.

Goligoski is definitely going to start next year, and that will be in place of either Hal Gill or Rob Scuderi. The way this top line produced this past year, one of them will be getting overpaid by another team, and honestly, we have the talent in Goligoski to fill one of their spots.

As much as I love Scuderi AKA "The Piece", I think he's most likely to go elsewhere because of his performance in the postseason. Even as a stay-at-home defenseman, he found a way to make it on the big screen with big plays almost every game. Other GMs were watching, and there are a lot of teams that would love to see him on their roster. I could see him going to the Capitals, because they recently lost two of their top players in Sergei Federov and Victor Kozlov to the Russians, and have the cap room to afford such a defensive presence that we all observed them in need of this past season. But hey, maybe Scuds is Pittsburgh tried and true, and will take a drastic drop in pay to stay for another chance at the cup. All we can do is wait.

I think Goligoski and Gill will end up playing together, and Letang will move up to play with Mark Eaton. These will still be some great pairings.

Philip Boucher is not worth keeping. Although he helped us this season, especially during our 7-man defensive rotation days, he's not worth the price especially if he isn't starting every day.

On to the offense. Because of their lack of production in the season, Sykora and Satan are not worth keeping. They've proven that they've hit a wall, and unlike Guerin, are not refreshed by playing with top players; Crosby just makes them look worse.

Fedetenko stays. He's been a great help, especially in the postseason, but he also proved that he can be consistent in the regular season. He also makes Malkin even better, and has the speed to keep up with him. Every time Malkin drops a fancy puck between his legs, Fedetenko is there to slap it through the net. Plus his baby-face is just too cute-what? Fedex will continue to deliver,

Guerin is a guy that i'm really shaky on. Will he take a one year deal, will Shero give him two years, or will we let him go? The fact that he hasn't bought a house in Pittsburgh, and has been living away from home this entire half of the season, i'm not sure if he's sold on staying here. He's such a great asset, so I think Shero might be tempted to give him those two years. Who knows, maybe we'll stick the one year out there, and he'll take it. I'm trying not to get attached, but it's oh so hard.

I think Luca Caputi and Janne Pessonen have chances to start this upcoming season. They're both attractive prospects that could have breakout years.

So our top lines are looking like

Crosby-Kunitz-Guerin?
Malkin-Fedetenko-Talbot
Staal-Kennedy-Cooke
Dupuis-Caputi-Pessonen
maybe Zigomanis

with defensive pairings
Gonchar-Orpik
Letang-Eaton
Gill-Goligoski

who else is excited?

champs

Pittsburgh Article(s) of the Week

This is a new feature that i'm trying out. I read as many Pittsburgh sports blog and news articles as possible and I usually have a couple favorites. I'd like to share these articles with you, because good journalism needs to be celebrated and promoted. We can't turn into a Sportscenter buzznews/drama world where we get instant one liner updates and overdramatic Brett Favre news. The great journalists bring sports, personality, and humanity together in their writing. These are guys like John Buccigross, Bob Ryan, Rick Reilly, and Mike Lupica. In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook is my personal favorite, although he's often controversial and, well, odd.

Considering Pittsburgh had such a great week, there are two great articled i'd like to highlight from the sports journalism world.

The first is Jay Marrioti's "Yinz Should Admit It: Pittsburgh Rules"

In this article, Marrioti pieces together the true magnitude of Pittsburgh's accomplishment this year, as a small city getting two championships in one sports cycle year. I don't really like his writing on the Pirates, but that's taken care of in the next article:

That is Ron Cook's "Pirates' GM rolling the dice for future"

Cook gives a valiant effort at tackling the Nate McLouth trade to praise the GM. He's not completely on board, but I kind of like his 'on the edge' tone. That's the only way he's not going to be completely ostracized by the rest of Pittsburgh's sports community. No journalist in their right mind will completely support the Pirates; it's too soon to take that risk, because a big fall could make one look very, very silly.


In other non-sports related news, check out the new Dave Matthews Band album "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. It has some of his best work. "Shake Me Like A Monkey," "Seven," and "Why I Am" are amazing jams.

The People's Championship comes back to the People's Course

As we speak the worlds best golfers are assembling in the shadow of Gotham to prepare for the biggest golf event on the PGA tour calendar.

The U.S. Open is unlike any other golf tournament of the year. It requires accuracy off the tee, precise irons and a magic putter. Above all else it requires patience. The ability to pick your spots and attack at the right times is what makes the difference between winning and losing.

This year's open has the makings to be truly great and what separates this Open from all others is the golf course and the fans who will line the fairways.

Bethpage Black, in Farmingdale New York, is an absolute bear of a golf course. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast, one of the greatest designers of all time, it is one of the most difficult tests of golf on the planet. The Black course is known for its' length, cavernous bunkers and tricky greens. It is a difficult but fair test of golf (although the absurd length becomes a bit of a controversy).

But what makes the Black course so special is that it is truly a course of the people. In 2002 the Black course became the first actual public course to host a major championship and it left nothing to be desired. When we say public were not talking about a Pebble Beach resort course that costs $500 to play but rather a muni where your average-joe can tee it up for $60.

In 2002 only one player broke par at the Black, Tiger. The tournament also set new records for attendance. The New York crowds turned the course into a zoo, practically making it a stadium. They marched around the course as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson squared off in a classic David vs Goliath match. The outcome, atmosphere and most importantly, the setting made it unlike any other golf tournament.

This year's Open has all the necessary plot lines to provide the hair-raising drama that only the open can provide. Tiger Woods is peaking just at the right time, some young guns are rounding into shape and Phil Mickelson is bouncing back from some hard personal times and looking to capture that elusive U.S. Open.

No matter who hoists the trophy at the end, however, will not matter because the true star will be the people and their golf course.

Meet You At PNC Park; We've Got Baseball to Watch

Pittsburghers-

You have no excuse. The Penguins season has come to a close, the Steelers Latrobe camps haven't started and let's face it-you're watching The Bachelorette to keep you busy at nights. I propose a much more entertaining alternative.

There's a park down the road, next to the river, right off Ft. Duquesne and Veterans Bridges. This park is touted as one of, if not THE best park in Major League Baseball. It has a beautiful skyline of the city of champions, with comfortable seats and great food. They sell your Iron City, your Primanti Bros. cheeseteak, and your "Lemonade here!". They even have all the food your heart could desire if you're willing to chip up a little extra. Not only that, but if you pay 9 bucks at the door, you can look down and see a competition. A match between two professional major league baseball teams, and one of them, I guarantee you, will be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This team has great pitching, fast runners, and some decent hitting. Hell, you might even catch a souvenir ball hit by your favorite athlete. You can see home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts. You can yell at umpires, dance around to goofy songs, and collectively stretch with the rest of the audience. And the way the Pirates have been playing recently, there's a good chance you'll leave that ballpark basking in that feeling; that victorious tingle of goodness.

Look Pittsburgh fans, I know I'm patronizing you a bit, but I really think this is the time of year when the Pirates really could use our support. I was happy to see a big crowd these past couple games while the Stanley Cup Buzz was in the air. But I think that the team really plays great when the seats are full, and I know that if the seats start filling up, and the Pirates continue winning, things can change quicker than your milk when you put Nesquik cereal in it. Filling the stands will
1. Motivate the Pirates
2. Give the organization more money to spend on players
3. Give Pittsburghers the summer pastime that we all desperately need.

Don't resist because of this nate mclouth apathy. Instead, how about we rally around the fact that we have one of the MOST EXCITING players in baseball right now in Andrew McCutchen. And Pirate hopefuls, we have him for 6 years. There's a different feel for this year. I know, people say that every year. But when was the last time we had this kind of solid pitching, this kind of young promise, this kind of owner? This year feels great, and we can be a part of the change. Right now is the time to go, the time for support, and the time to have fun at our amazing ballpark.

The next home stand is from the 23rd to the 30th of June, when the Pirates play the Indians, the Royals, and the Cubs respectively. If you go on the 25th, you'll get a free t-shirt!

It's 9 bucks. For a night of family fun or time with the friends. Grab your peanuts, get that glove, put on that Brian Giles jersey [it's also acceptable to wear a penguins or steelers jersey]. I'll see you at PNC, and let's go bucs!

PBurgh and the NBA Finally Meet!; The Big Fella

I'm not a huge NBA fan. Particularly because the NBA is a players' league, and there was never a player I grew fond of enough to watch their team day in and day out. Of course, I followed the season, respected the stars, and had opinions on the controversies, but never have I passionately experienced an NBA game. Friends, a change is gonna come, and soon. Dejuan Blair is coming, and wherever he goes, I go with.

I've followed Blair since the Schenley High School days-when he was doubted to become a Division I starter, when he almost single-handedly stunned a powerhouse Dematha team with 32 points and 20 rebounds. When he helped bring his team to a #11 ranking in the nation.

They doubted him at Pitt too. How could he start as a 6-7,270 pound guy? How could he compete against the monsters in the Big East. The Luke Harangodys, the Roy Hibberts, the Hasheem Thabeets. He won co-rookie of the year in the Big East. The following year is history. He dominated the frontcourt, wrestling Thabeet to the floor and willing his team to a #1 ranking for the first time ever.

Now he's touted as the draft's best rebounder. He's the guy that does the dirty work, and won't leave the paint until he gets the ball in his "suction cup" hands. He has a 7'2 wingspan and a new slim, yet muscular build. At the start of the draft buzz, he was thought to be drafted in the mid to late first round. Now he's a possible lottery pick. Draft predictions will come soon; but right now, I'm basking in the Blair. I can't wait until this kid gets in the NBA. He's the Pittsburgh connection that I've been waiting for.

Steph Curry a Knick?

As the NBA draft fast approaches the New York Knicks are sitting in the #8 slot pondering their pick.

Coach Mike D'Antoni favors guards that can shoot, as well as run and pass and the Knicks currently lack such a player. Stephen Curry is one hell of a shooter, he proved that in two years at Davidson where he lead his underdog squad within a missed three-pointer of the final four two years ago.

Curry is also an extremely smart player and has an excellent basketball IQ as coaches like to say. He can pass and run the floor and anticipate on defense. Being the son of a former NBA standout helps. It's these kind of attributes that D'Antoni drools over.

Curry, however, has some key faults in his game. He lacks the elite athleticism that many NBA players have. He is not as quick or as agile as players like Chris Paul. He also is undersized for the NBA and point guards take a beating in the NBA.

The Knicks, who have been the laughing stock of the league for the last few years, need to get this pick right. There are other guard options out there such as Jeff Teague of Wake Forest and Ty Lawson from UNC. Both guards are extremely athletic and can run the floor as good as any player in the draft, Lawson practically flys. They do not have Curry's sweet stroke, however.

So the question becomes do you take the kid who can shoot lights and hope his scoring can translate into the NBA or do you take the freak athletes and hope their shot progresses to hopefully rival Curry's?

Oh and don't forget Curry is close friends with Lebron and we all know how badly the Knicks want Lebron.

Celebrity Golf; that's a kneeslapper

Between Penguins games this week, the headline story in Pittsburgh was that Ben Roethlisberger hit an 81 stroke at the Bethpage Black US Open Challenge in his celebrity golf debut. Ben beat his fellow golfers Michael Jordan and Justin Timberlake, and also topped the event best 84 set last year by Tony Romo.

Although i'm always in favor of beating Tony Romo, I'm the anti-fan of celebrity golf. I don't understand it, especially when golf is taking these athletes away from workouts and minicamps. Ben skipped a (voluntary) team workout to attend the event, and i'm not saying he should have been at the workout, but usually when players skip team events, it's because they're too busy getting in shape with individual workout plans-See Troy Polamalu.

Also, i'm just not a fan of watching these guys golf, especially with handicaps. If we're going to watch these guys golf, these athletes that we admire for their incredible abilities, at least let us make fun of their lack of skill in other sports. Don't hide their inabilities with handicaps, and praise their 'skills' and tell them they "look more like a US Open Participant." Vomit-how's that for disrespect to the professionals that actually play the sport for a living. Apparently Ben has a "lovely putting stroke," according to his caddy. I might understand if the event was advertised as a charity event, but I couldn't find one article talking about any sort of real benefit from the challenge.

All the media, all the praise, all the handicap; it's all sucking up. Leave the praise for his super bowl championship. Leave the handicap to when Ben is retired with a bad back-when he doesn't have a workout to be doing, when he doesn't have a season to get ready for. Hell, if we're dishing out handicaps in sports, lets throw a bone to the Detroit Lions. What'dya say, should they start the game with a 7 point lead? Nah, it's best we give them at least 14.

Zach Duke and the Run Support get the "W"

Zach Duke continues to show improvement and promise on the mound for the Buccos. This season, he has been the Pirates' best pitcher in the starting rotation by a long shot. With a record of 8-3, he is 5th in the National League in wins; he also has a decent ERA of 3.10. Not bad after 13 starts. If he had gotten more run support in a couple of his games-such as his effort against the White Sox, giving up 2 runs in 8 innings with the support of a whopping 0 runs from the Pirates offense, or maybe his pitching against the Reds, giving up 1 run in 7 innings only to take the loss 4-0-he might have 9 or 10 wins at this point in the season.

Duke has giving up a maximum of 6 runs, twice, and both against the Atlanta Braves. If Zach is going to have a weakness, better it be the Braves, with whom the Pirates play much less often, than maybe the Brewers or Cardinals. The only reason why he doesn't lead the league in wins right now, is the Pirates run support when he's on the mound. He's even taken it into his own hands, hitting an extraordinary .231 BA (that's only .025 away from the Pirates cleanup hitter, the one and only Adam LaRoche). Duke doesn't show any signs that his stellar start to the season is a fluke. His control is superb and his poise is impressive. After giving up a solo home run in the first, Duke went on to give up only 2 more runs, on only 7 hits.

In his outing against Detroit, the Pirates finally showed some support for their pitcher's effort. After going down 1-0 from the previously mentioned solo HR, they tied and rallied to score 4 runs from great baserunning, clutch hits, and a long ball from Adam LaRoche. Impressive, Pirates, impressive. Freddy Sanchez sealed the deal with an extremely rare home run. Did I mention it was a grand slam? Clutch Freddy, clutch.

The Pirates are continuously showing their ability to battle back after lossses. Even after losing two games here and there, they find a way to stop a losing streak in its track and battle back. Remaining at 4 under .500, they show the potential to rise above very soon. With the return of Ryan Doumit coming in the next few weeks, the Pirates will boost their already impressive team batting average of .261 (yes, that went up after McLouth left the line up), which stands at 5th in the National League right now. Getting clutch line drives from the exciting Andy LaRoche and Jason Jaramillo, the Pirates are playing fast ball and driving in runs easily. With the speed of Andrew McCutchen and Nyjer Morgan at the top of the line up, RBIs are coming easy to the middle of the lineup.

With controlled pitching, smart and fast baserunning, and clutch hits, the Pirates' combo of Zach Duke and Co. is a matchup to watch out for.

When Do We Get to the Exciting Part?; The NBA Finals

Maybe it's because the last two championships involved Pittsburgh teams winning, but these NBA finals just haven't really lived up to the hype.

After the 7 game Bulls/Celtics series, with 4 games going into at least OT,

After the Rockets/Lakers series, with the emergence of Aaron Brooks and a Rocket team fighting without their top center to game 7,

After Carmelo Anthony's game winner, or was that an uncalled intentional foul?

After the Magic/Celtics series, with the Big Baby shot (soon after pushing a little orlando fan), and the debacle between Stan VaGu and Superman,

After watching Lebron James and the Cavs DESTROY their first two series,

After the Cavs/Magic series, with Lebron fighting for his team's chances with desperation shots, and the absolute EXPLOSION of Dwight Howard in game 6,

It just doesn't look like the climactic finish that this playoffs deserves. First of all, Dwight Howard isn't playing well, and Paul Gasol is not an exciting player in any respect. When there's a boring (and very, very ugly) player smothering the only exciting Magic player, that just doesn't make the series popcorn-worthy.

Furthermore, I think most people are sick of the Kobe drama. "He should pass the ball more," or "No he shouldn't, hes Kobe!"

I'd rather have Lebron. Even with all the commercials, the media, the hype in general. At least the matchup would live up to Finals material.
As much as I love Dwight Howard, this series just doesn't provide a good matchup for him.
Varejao and Gasol would make for an unnatractive matchup that no one would look at, and all the focus would be at the top of the key, where the Kobe/Lebron show would actually do this playoffs justice. But when was the last time the NBA Finals was exciting? With a team like the Spurs dominating the past decade, a team without the superstars or a fanbase, the NBA Finals just aren't the climax. But hey, there's still time, and as we've learned from last year's Finals, "Anything's POSSIBLEEEEE." yikes.

Sanchez Contract Show Flaws in System (again)

The Jets have a new 50 million dollar man and hes never taken a snap in the NFL.

This past week Mark Sanchez, the former USC star signed his big time contract in rare and timely fashion. You can tell the Jets want Sanchez as their opening day-starter and they did what it took to make sure a long and pointless hold-out did not derail the season. It is good to see the Jets are stepping up to the plate but it shows some very big flaws in the system.

The NFL needs to step in and cap rookie salaries... fast. No wonder drafting, especially QBs, is the most nerve racking process in the NFL. Basically you are staking the future of your organization on a college kid. You are sinking millions of dollars into speculation. Think about the Ryan Leafs and Kyle Bollers. Its not just QBs but really any top-10 draft pick now-a-days (see Charles Rogers). Teams are expected to make a huge financial commitment to a player who nobody really knows how they will turn out. Ryan Leaf set the Chargers back 7 years to the point where they one of the worst franchises in sport. The 49ers aren't doing so hot after drafting Alex Smith.

I'm not saying these guys should not be compensated for their work but it needs to be restricted. The #1 draft pick may be the most overvalued assets in sport. The Jets are staking millions of dollars and the future of their team on the right arm of a kid. The Lions are doing the same. If it works out great. You have an absolute stud and a face of the franchise but if it fails be prepared to wait out the storm.

Now personally I love Mark Sanchez. Coming into the draft I thought he was the best QB in the draft. Sure Stafford had the howitzer arm but Sanchez has the athleticism that is so important for a QB. He can make plays with his feet, not running, but mobility. You don't need to be Michael Vick back there to be effective with your feet. Look at Roethlisberger, he buys time with his legs and it is a huge asset to his team. Sanchez brings that to the Jets, who have never really had this type of athlete at the QB position. Should be interesting; for the sake of the future of our franchise let's hope it all pans out.

Goodbye, My Lover; The Nate Mclouth Trade

People in Pittsburgh really needed that Stanley Cup win. They've been weeping about the Nate McLouth trade for the past week. Weeping and whining, and finally a glorious victory has enabled them to push their grief away. Dear Pittsburghers of all kinds-if you haven't already, please cease the negative. Yes, McLouth was a decent ballplayer. Yes, he was in his prime. Yes, he was a great guy. And finally yes, I AM sad to see him go. But Neal Huntington knows what he's doing, and it's time to realize that Nate Mclouth is not going to win the Pirates a championship.

The best comparison I can find to a past Nate Mclouth is my favorite Pirate Player, Brian Giles [R.I.P.] Giles made some great catches, hit some clutch homers, and had a mean batters stance. I idolized him throughout the painful late 90's and early 00's, but after the Pirates traded him to San Diego, leaving me sobbing, I came to realize that Brian Giles never got the Pirates a winning season!! Even with the beloved Jason Kendall and Jumpin Jack Wilson, the Bucs were pitiful. The Buccos ended up keeping Giles much too long, staying below .500, and getting not enough return with Jason Bay, Oliver Perez, and Corey Stewart. These three players are also known as our new "let's try to get to .500" guy, an inconsistent pitching bust, and who?, respectively. Maybe if the Bucs had traded Giles a little earlier, accepting that he was just not championship material (he's done a lot with the Padres, huh?)Basically, trading our favorite below .500 guy in his prime is the only way the Pirates organization has a chance to win.

Trading Mclouth in his prime enabled the Pirates to get Charlie Morton (hopefully to eventually replace either the inconsistent Ian Snell, or the bland Jeff Karstens in the Pirates Rotation), Jeff Locke (a pitcher with great outlook), and Gorkys Hernandez (a speedy OF with great upside). Finally, these prospects will make our starting rotation and bullpen significantly better, because they will create competition amongst the pitchers (Ian Snell is already pitching for his life).

If the return from this trade isn't enough, lets look at the Pirates real needs. Lets be honest, the Pirates have several prospects that have much better potential than McLouth. Andrew McCutchen (feature coming soon!) is already proving his prime championship caliber material, and Jose Tabata is another quality OF hitter to add to the line-up next year. Why would the Pirates keep Nate for much longer if they have these quality prospects? Instead, the Pirates need pitching, and need it now. That is why this trade shows that Neal Huntington knows what he's doing.

I gush when I think of a potential core 2 years from now.

Andrew McCutchen OF
Nyjer Morgan OF
Pedro Alvarez 1B
Andy LaRoche 3B
Jose Tabata OF
Neil Walker 2B
Tony Sanchez C
Gorkys Hernandez OF


with a starting rotation looking like
Zach Duke
Paul Maholm
Charlie Morton
Brad Lincoln
Tom Gorzelanny


These are the guys you need Buccos fans. Not Nate McLouth (he was hitting .256, come on). So stop weeping, and start looking towards the future. It's gonna happen Pirates fans. McCutchen is only the beginning.

Injuries Are Biggest Problems For Mets Right Now

Forget dropped fly balls and late game rallies; the biggest problem for the Mets, what could derail an entire season, is injuries.

Everywhere you look the Mets have a scrub starting. It all began with Delgado earlier in the season who went down with his hip problems. Then came Oliver Perez (although he wasn't pitching so well leading up to the DL-stint). The big blow came when Jose Reyes came down with a hamstring tear and J.J. Putz went in for elbow surgery. Now John Maine has found his way on the DL with shoulder pain. Talk about ripping the nucleous out of a team.

It is not just the key guys who are getting injured but their backups are going down. Alex Cora, Reyes replacement, has gotten banged up. As well as Ramon Castro, who is filling in for the injured Brain Schneider behind the plate.

The Mets have been searching for plugs all over the place. Livan Hernandez, their preseason #5 starter is #3 in the rotation. Alex Cora is their regular starter at short. 20 year old rookie Fernando Martinez is getting time in the outfield. Bobby Parnell is playing set-up man. And the Mets are getting their money's worth out of the 40 year old Gary Sheffield.

Shef, who has been in the majors since 1988 said that this is the worst injury problem he has ever seen on any of his 8 ballclubs. Unfortunetly, help doesn't seem to be arriving anytime soon. Even when these guys comeback it is not like flipping a switch. You can't just all of a sudden start winning ball games. The Mets just have to try and stay afloat... somehow limp their way to when these stars start coming back.

Castillo Costs Mets the Game

You will learn quickly that I am indeed a Mets fan and not a Yankee fan (although I appreciate good baseball) so when Luis Castillo blows a game like he did last night it makes me want to crawl up in a hole and watch women's basketball or something.

So lets set the stage for this absurd blunder. David Wright, who is absolutely carrying the Mets this year, hits a clutch double in the 7th to give the Mets a one run lead. K-Rod, Mr. Celebration himself, is on in relief in the 9th inning. Things get hairy with two runners on and A-Rod at bat. But with two outs K-Rod gets the juicer to pop up to Luis Castillo. Routine fly... game over... right?

Ya not with Luis Castillo out there limping around the infield. He botches the play and the Jeter and Teixeira come around to score. Give credit to Jeter and Tex for running the ball out and scoring on the play.

It is rare that you can actually put 100% of the blame on one player but in this case Luis Castillo lost this game for the Mets. It was all but over and he couldn't make the routine play. Say whatever you want about lights, wind, pressure... but bottom line is that you are paid to make plays and when it came time to catch a simple fly ball; Castillo couldn't do it.

It is these kind of senseless losses that the Mets have racked up the last few years. Choke artists?

Get in the Fast Lane Grandma; 2nd Time's the Charm

What a win. What a series. What a playoffs. What a

Team: The Pens finally get to hoist that beautiful, shiny, glorious, magnificent, coveted, this beer tastes like metal, cup. Amidst all the hype blabbing about the Penguins needing Malkin and Crosby to step up, this team proved that they are the quintessential team. Of course everyone worried when Crosby limped off the ice in the second. But the team was already at full speed, blasting pucks, smashing boards, and blocking shots. Not to mention Fleury-good GOD Fleury-was a wall in front of the net. The whole team-guys like Eaton, Orpik, Letang, Kennedy, Staal, and of course the night's star Max-Out Talbot-gave incredible efforts to take this game.

That being said, here are my 3 biceps of the game

Max-Out:
If you aren't a pens fan, you probably don't know much about Talbot (that might be why the Wings had such trouble dealing with him). But if you have watched the Pens in the last 4 seasons, you shoudn't be surpised that Maxime put in those 2 goals, especially in a game 7, where the players that give the most effort amongst the tired and breatheless get rewarded. From puck drop, Max was all out. On the boards, on breakaways, his stickwork, bodybanging, and skating were all outperforming the entire Red Wings team. He pretty much proved that if you want the cup bad enough, you can win it with will. You're jealous that I have a Talbot shirt, and i'm wearing it all summer.

Flower Power: Fleury was quite the puckstopper. From the first Detroit chance, he proved he was focused, and ready to handle the infamous and troublesome Detroit live boards. Don't get me wrong-Osgood played fantastic as well. However, Fleury is THE reason that we won this game. Detroit was attacking like little kids at the chuck-e-cheese prize table in the third, but the flower defended his soil, and erased a possible detroit come back. And the picture to the left, that's Lidstrom saying "Damn, you kind of stole our cup." Lets be honest here, if Detriot scores to tie, they probably take the game, at home, in overtime. After all the media was on his balls about his play in Detroit, he sprayed them off like bug repellent at a picnic. You're jealous that I have a Fleury shirt, and i'll also be wearing be wearing that all summer.


Special Teams: The first shift of the Pens first power play was one of the best Power Play shifts i've seen them execute in the last 2 years. I know, I know, they didn't score. But because they were able to move the puck around so well and so fast, they tired out the Detroit PK, and the Red Wings defense in general. After the penguins power play got moving, the Red Wings seemed to be chasing them for the rest of the game, even when it was scoreless. It provided motivation, and got the Pens thinking that they had the upper hand. I'm convinced that the first power play was a main key to the night, but don't forget the Penguins penalty kill! If Detroit converts their power play chances, they obviously win the game, but the PK-provided by Scuds, Gill, Eaton and company-made the Wings look better off playing 5 on 5 ice. Amazing job clearing the puck and blocking shots by the dirty fellows.


Gotta love it.

We've got the penguins players that played their cabooseys off in this game, but what about the Detroit guys?

Time for our goat of the game. And this one is as easy as apple p-
hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooossa. (you don't even deserve a clear picture)

come on. you leave us to try and win the cup? didn't you just get to the stanley cup finals? If there's anythign these two teams need to remember, it's how truly hard it is to reach the finals. The NHL playoffs are the hardest series of elimination competitions in any of the 4 major US sports. Its not win or go home, its play 7, hope you win the most, pray you aren't injured, and go sacrifice for 7 more. repeat 3 times if you're lucky. I know this has been said, but it just feels so good to write it. Dear Hossa, you're an idiot. Not only do you leave a team with a legit chance to return to the finals, on shaky terms at that, but you don't even perform in the finals against them to prove yourself right! This is a tragedy for the red wings, and as Hossa has shown an bodybuilder's dose of hubris, Hossa is your tragic her-i can't say it- GOAT. I'm glad you left buddy. Not only did we get to sign Malkin to a 5 year deal (thus enabling me to purchase his jersey) and Orpik to a long-termy, but we got to beat you bad. Two years in a row you lose on your home ice. In the words of Bananarama: "It's a cruel summer." That song must've been written about a the NHL offseason for the SCF losers.

I only covered this game, and there is surely more to come about the Pens season. We haven't even gotten to Crosby, Malkin, Guerin, Scuderi, Letang, Staal, the list goes on. Postseaston and season recaps to come.

If you were on Forbes Ave last night, I'm sure that I gave you a high five. Especially if you were in a car. Yeah, that kid waving his 71 Jersey. And most assuredly if you were a police officer. Those nightclub nudges didn't feel so good.

CITY OF CHAMPIONS.