Keep Wavin' Those Towels

I'll take the good with the bad; Well, when the Steelers win the game, that is.
The game was as nailbitten as any season opener can be, and the defensive fistfight between the Titans and Steelers seemed almost inevitable. The game was really sloppy, and no team had a perfect drive, but I think we all can agree that we saw two very talented teams on the field. Be afraid AFC, be very afraid. Here are my thoughts on the main storylines of the night.
The Good.

Ben: BBR was very much himself. The clutch QB looked sloppy at times, but when he got things rolling, he was essentially impossible to stop. Yes fellow Steeler Fans, I know it feels odd to have so much trust in our passing game. But when one has an elite QB hooking up with two Super Bowl MVP wide recievers, one can't really complain. It's becoming a trademark of Ben's to convert 3rd down passing plays like he's eating peach rings-and in the 4th quarter nonetheless. I'm also getting to the point where I'd rather see the ball in Ben's hands in shotgun on 3rd down and 2, rather than put the conversion into the hands of our offensive line's run blocking capabilities.

WR's: Mike Wallace made a clutch play, and a great move to get open. Hines Ward was incredibly clutch-yes, even with that fumble. And I have a strange feeling that Hines is going to spend the rest of the season making up for that drop-even though we won the game. Oh, and Santonio Holmes was ALWAYS THERE. I don't think i've ever been this excited for our wide recieving corps.

D: The run defense had a shaky start, but they really clamped down after the first half. Keyaron Fox looked right at home, and looks like a very solid backup. He had a fumble recovery after James Harrison's destructive tackle of Bo Scaife. The pass rush didn't get to Kerry Collins enough, but Farrior had a crucial sack to take away field goal range, and KC was rushed often into making some bad throws. BIG SNACK was absolutley tearing it up out there. The secondary was hurting out there, and I'll get to TP a little later, but they pulled it together to stop some crucial drives late in the game.

Special Teams: Isn't it nice to have some talent in our special teams? Stefan Logan looked like he could break out into a TD run at any point in the game. Jeff Reed made the clutch kicks. Sepulveda BOOMED the ball, and Aaron Smith blocked a field goal that proved to be the difference of the game. What more can I say?

The Bad:

Troy:Most guys would put Troy's injury in the ugly, but we're talking about the Steelers. Injuries aren't excuses, they're opportunities for other guys to step up. Troy will be out 3-6 weeks, but he'll be resting and possibly fully energized to take on the post-season if it comes to that. Also, Tyron Carter is one of the best back-ups on the team. He has incredible energy, veteran smarts, and makes big plays. I may be overthinking this, but I think teams underestimate the defense when Troy is out. That gives the Steelers a leg up to catch their opponents sleeping. There are still great playmakers. But boy, the way Troy was playing in the first quarter, I cannot wait for him to get back.

The Ugly

Running Game: There is no way I'm blaming Fast Willie for this running attack. As i've said from the end of last season, the run blocking is the worst element of this Steeler Team. I don't know what the coaches can do, but they need to take some action. The line needs to make opportunities for Willie to run; it was utterly embarrassing to see WP caught in the backfield repeatedly. That being said, Willie needs to break the first tackle. There were times when a little hole was there, but his ankle got caught and boom, there goes that run. The one shining light was Mewelde Moore's runs in the 4th quarter; he can be a real slimy dude when he wants a first down. With that on the table, let's remember that the Titan D-Line is one of the best, even without Hayneworth.

Overall, I wasn't dissapointed with the team in the least. There is definitley room to improve, but they just got one of their toughest foes knocked off the schedule, and got away with a mark in the win column. Although the Bears are a tough team, the matchups really benefit the Steelers. Baltimore will be the next game that could be as tough as this one. Let's all hope that Troy will be back and in great shape for that one.

Here's to the start of another great Steeler season.

Towel Stomper, or Titan Romper? Steelers Titans Preview;

This year's season opener is already proving to be a goodie, and kickoff is still more than a day away. Just thinking about it give me the tingles, and there are some great story lines that are bound to play out.

Unfinished Towel Business: Ever since Lendale White and company laid their dirty, blasphemous cleats on the towel of glory, Steeler fans and players have been itching for some payback. Thinking back to TJ Shoebomber's stomp o' the towel in 05, the B n G got their payback soon after-defeating them in the AFC wild card game, and eventually winning the Super Bowl (insignificant tidbit). But the Steelers didn't get a stab at the Titans in last year's playoffs. they got beat before we got to them. we wont the biggie. ouch.

So now's our chance. The time to say "hey, that towel is our glory rag, and you really need to eat crow." By crow I mean losing the 1st game of the season-never a great start to a team that has already lost its best player, has a deteriorating quarterback and a suicidal backup, and a depleted recieving corp in which Nate Washington can rise to the very top in a matter of weeks.
just sayin.
Lendale White wants to stomp on it again. Let's just see to it that he leaving the stadium with a white towel over his head, and a check in the loss column.

O-Line
Everyone is making nonsensebuzz over Darnell Stapleton being out. Given, he was decent last year, and has great potential, he's not the core of the O-line. It will be interesting to see how the line operates, though. Big Ben certainly looks himself, so hopefully they can hold back the Defense just long enough.

Joystick
Stefan Logan, nicknamed "Joystick," could start for kick and punt returns this week. We all saw what he could do in the preseason against first, second, and third team special teams. If he lights it up in any similar form, the Titans better watch out. The steelers did a great job at finding and picking this kid up. A dangerous return man is just what every other team is fretting-pretty much the only thing that can instantly improve this Steeler team.

Foxy
Keyaron Fox is starting in place of Lawrence Timmons at inside LB. He's been great in special teams and second team defense since he put on a Steeler uniform, and I expect no less from him this week. This is his chance to prove that he deserves to be the go-to-guy in terms of LB reserves. ie. what tyrone carter has done year in and year out for the secondary.

Washington
Nate Washington may not play in his game due to a hamstring injury, but if he does, i'll be excited to see what he can do. He's never been the number one or two reciever, and given the oportunity, he could become a dependable guy. He's always had the speed, but never the talent to rise up in the Steeler system. The Titans really like him, and I hope he gets an applause if he starts. He played some solid years with some clutch catches for Pittsburgh.

There are so many other story lines-the Pittsburgh running game, Kerry Collins, Titans D Line, Chris Johnson. But the aformentioned are my favorites.

The season has really snuck up on us. Here We Go.

[Lebeau]tiful

Dick Lebeau has finally been nominated for the Hall of Fame. He's now being taken into consideration for a seniors' spot in the class of 2010. His role, however unique, deserves a spot in the Hall.

No man has had such an impressive a playing career-7th all time in interceptions and possibly the most consecutive starts for a cornerback-and gone on to change the game as a coordinator. Come on people, he invented the zone-blitz.

Although this nomination is long overdue, it was also easily foreseen. Peter King and Rod Woodson, leading media and player push respectively, are two of the many NFL observers that were shocked by his absence in the Hall.

As Steeler Fans, we've watched his amazing schemes confuse quarterbacks and coaches alike. We've seen him scold and praise players and turn boys into bodysmashing, runstopping, route detecting, o-line rupturing machines. He made the defense a bonded unit that, with ease, touted the league's top achievements for years.

Now his placement in Canton is only a summer's wait away- he's belonged there for quite some time.

Stefan's Speed;Thoughts On Preseason Game 2

Ben was out for this preseason game, and the Steelers got a better look at some of the younger guys-especially against the Redskins' first team. Some guys made a great impression, and some did their job, but no one really made a bad impression this game.

Here's some quick thoughts from yours truly.

*Daniel Sepulveda continues to boom, so I may start calling him "thunder." His consistency will make him a key component to the 2009 team.

*Although Fast Willie ran well, Rashard was definitely more impressive. Mendenhall got several carries against the Redskins first team defense, and he made the most of them. After 2 or 3 carries, he got into a great rythm. More importantly, he was making some great cuts between the tackles.

*Run Blocking, for the second game in a row, was not impressive. Runners are getting the getting the ball only to face a brick wall. We can't expect them to make great cuts every time. They need holes to find if the Steelers want to move out of their embarrasing 23rd rushing offense.

*Mike Wallace continues to impress for two reasons. First-his speed is always lingering as a danger for coverage. He hasn't been covered well downfield in a game yet. Second-he's making great short catches to keep the coverage guessing. He made a great sliding catch and ran decent slants when he was in there. More importantly, he was running routes against first team coverage. No one really expected this guy to come into the league with this much polish. If he had Sweed's height, he'd be the number 3 reciever without question. This WR competition is shaping up to be interesting-->it can only help the team. I'm still giving the 3rd spot to Sweed for now; Wallace will get his chances though.

*Tony Hills needs to get his snap count together. He continued to jump the ball, line up in the wront position, etc. Other than that he protected fairly well.

*Stefan Logan was by far the most impressive player this week. His kickoff and punt returns were the most promising and consistent i've seen since Randel El-->and he wasn't even that great. His cuts and speed make him the danger that we've needed at that position. Although I don't think he'll start at the position, he should make the team if he continues his magic in practice/future games.

*The First Team Defense is full of weapons just waiting to explode. There is so much talent at every position, and all of the guys look like they're in the best shape of their lives. It's really a treat to watch these guys perform for just one quarter. I can't wait until the real deal.

Goodwill Punting

Daniel Sepulveda could be that extra boom the steelers need-->no pun(t) intended.

But seriously, has the return of a punter ever been so celebrated? Now, let's not forget that his first trot onto Heinz Field turf was in front of many drunk and giddy fans, waiting for something to cheer about during a preseason game; but nevertheless, Sepulveda's first boomer was quite the stomach release for a Steeler Faithful. He could be that extra peptobismol dose the team needs to get over the feared super bowl hangover. Let's face it, no one wants to live through a repeat of 2006.

Sepulveda's punting was greatly missed in 2008, as Steeler Fans were enlightened as to how important punting and field position can be in a close game. Mitch Berger's punting in several games cost us either a comfortable win, and in some cases a tally in the loss column. I'm thinking of the week 8 loss to the Giants, specifically. Although the Offensive Line was labeled as the worst unit in Black and Gold, punting is certainly the worst, and most overlooked part of the team. Berger's punting was wretched and put the defense into horrible holes that, usually, they could somehow escape from. But with Sepulveda launching the pigskin deep into enemy territory, the defense will have a lot more room to play with, and alot more freedom to blitz as they please.

The only caveaut I might add is that the Defense seemed to perform at their best when they were under great pressure. When the opposition was at midfield, or approaching field goal territory, the secondary would clamp down, and black and gold sack machines would turn to extreme mode. So, although other teams will be starting much further back than in 2008 with our new addition, the Defense has got to keep that pressure mentality up to perform as well as last year. This is a small worry of mine, because the the additions and improvements in the defense can only make it a better unit this year. And having more breathing room certainly has more benefits than downsides.

Playing the Ravens 2-3 times in a year, a matchup in which field position can decide games single-handedly, I'm certainly relieved to see Sepulveda booming away in the backfield.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

Those of you that read Sports Illustrated, you know that after flipping through the occasional jibber jabber and ad scatter, there is a high quality-well written article that will turn up once in a while. And although I usually appreciate SI more for their online coverage and large printed pictures in their magazine preface, I really enjoy reading the feature articles that SI digs up.

This week's SI Issue had such a great article, that it was a no brainer for Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week. The article, titled "A Gift from Africa," tells the heartwarming story of a South African Pirates' prospect that goes by "Gift"(his middle name and translated first name). The article follows him as he arrives in Bradenton, Florida and goes back to his struggles as a young child. Gift is still a Pirate Prospect and he's got some great potential to hit a major league field one day.

It's just an amazing story. And to boot, Gary Smith does a great job with writing it. I'm not sure i've read a more high-quality sports article in any magazine of sort. The piece is long, but the story doesn't get boring and the writing flows like koolaid in an ice pitcher. Smith is a veteran SI writer, and he's got some other great stuff in his article bank.

Kudos to SI for digging this story.

Whatchutalkinbout, Wallace!?

O.K. all of you fellow die hard Stiller fans, don't get too excited. Don't go buy his stitched authentic jersey or draft him early on in your fantasy league. Don't place bets on his success and definitely don't get a tattoo of his face on your bicep; But Mike Wallace is looking reaaaaal good in camp.

Wallace was only drafted late in the 3rd round, and wasn't perceived as a wide receiver with much polish or mechanics, but boy, he's been quite the unexpected gem so far in workouts. He ran the second fastest 40 at the combine, behind only Darrius Heyward-Bey (that kid that Oakland drafted 7th overall), and scored in the top 5 for jumping as well. But the biggest surprise has been his route running and finish at camp-he's not just using his speed.

This gives us steeler fans some hope that this kid might be more than just a Nate Washington-more than a guy that can get away with using his speed to stay at the 3 spot. But with Hines Ward aging and Limas Sweed looking to step up, it sure is comforting to see some unexpected talent to break coverage. Wallace is already looking like a threat downfield, as Roethlisberger has hit him several times after he beat coverage on every play.

Jim Wexell has already labeled Wallace the fastest Wide Reciever in Steeler History (uhhhhh),
and much as been made of a possible race between the reciever and Ike Taylor, supposedly the fastest man on the team. In fact, Taylor's summer workout man has touted him as the fastest in the NFL (this guy works with Chris Johnson as well). It's really exciting to have such young speed on the team.

Sometimes we Steeler Fans forget that we have Kevin Colbert at the realms. The guy that found William Gay in the 5th round two years ago, and Willie Colon in the 4th round of 2006. These are two dependable starters going into 2009. Super Bowl Champion-dependable starters, that is.

So watch with me on Thursday, as Tomlin shows off his new toy in Mike Wallace. He'll start the game as the kickoff return man; so don't blink-you might just miss him.

That Tomlin Swag

Swag isn't something you can just mimic. It's not easily recreated or transferable through any medium. It's someone's patented and established way of carrying themselves; Of talking, of walking, of acting. But specifically for Mike Tomlin-it's coaching.

Since his emergence into the league as the sultan of swagger, many have tried and failed to mirror his essence, his style, his culture. They've seen those steely eyes when he trots into Heinz Field on game day. They've envied his pat-on-the-back encouragement after first down completions. They've spent nights staring into the mirror, practicing one liners that don't come close to Mr. Tomlin's glorious fire-spits.

Why wouldn't they want to be like him? Tomlin is the leader of the most successful franchise in Football. He won a Super Bowl in his second coaching year, and he became the youngest coach-second ever African American-to win the biggy. The desirous bunch of unaccomplished coaches have plenty reason to follow his every move, but they can't even touch him. Blinded by the reflection off of his pitch-black shades, they struggle to catch a glimpse of Pittsburgh Potentate.

We all understand why teams are hiring these young, defensive coordinators as coaches. We know why they're looking for that guy that doesn't take any nonsense; the man that has a simple plan-one of few words and hard action. Guys like Mike Singletary and John Harbaugh are reasonable attempts for a team's recreation of the Tomlin Aurora. But they fall short in so many ways. Lombardi trophies, like helium, lift Tomlin and the Steeler Organization over the posing potentials.

Singletary proved this past week that he doesn't come close to Tomlin. The main reason?-he tries too hard. His obvious attempt at shooing away Michael Crabtree drama is yet another case of Tomlin mimicry that just doesn't feel right.

Singletary's failed effort sounded like this:
"In terms of Crabtree, when he comes in, he comes in," "Would you love to have him in? Absolutely. You'd love to have him. Do we want him here? Yes, we want to have him in. But until that happens, I just can't sit back and think about the what-ifs. All I can do is concentrate on what is, and control that."

Far too many words Mr. Singletary. It comes no where close to a Tomlin Tag like "Not subscribing to hocus pocus." So much less blabber, yet so much more swagger.

So the posers can pose, the haters can envy, and the hungry can starve. But with Tomlin, "Together we all eat."

His swagger can't be touched.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

This week's Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week might be the last article featuring the Pirates. Given that training camp is approaching, and most have lost interest in the Pirates since the trade deadline, most press has been about them losing, their bad management, or their hiatus until 2011. But after last week's deadline, Jeremy Crasnick, writing for ESPN, featured the Pirates trade moves and movement this year. The article is titled "Pirates 'Clean House' in a very big way."

Crasnick really impressed me with this article-it's the first national article on the Pirates that i've come across that doesn't fully criticize or write them off. He is very much an analyst, rather than an opinion-disher, and he digs deep in his analysis. He goes back several years, reviews the current state of the team, and takes a look at the prospect pool-all with accuracy. It's extremely impressive and refreshing, that a national story on this rebuilding team doesn't have any negative tone or implication.

Check out more of Crasnick's writing here

Top 11 Steelers of the Decade

The decade of the New Milennium has been a momentous one for the Steelers Organization. There have been many highs, lows, changes, and of course, championships. The Steelers Management has a reputation of not overpaying players, and letting guys go when they become free agents. In this decade, it has proven a successful strategy for the team. Relying on the draft has created competition, youth, development, and depth within the organization, but it makes it hard for a player to last. Well, except for the great ones.

These are the players with that Steeler Mentality. The true essence of Black and Gold. The quintessential hypocycloids, if you will. The guys that don't get overpaid, but overperform, so that their contributions lead the team to success year, after year. Based on their attitudes on and off the field, statistic contribution, consistency, and team success while playing, these players have stood out as the best of the BG. Some are gone, some are retired, and some are suiting up as we speak. Given that there are 11 guys on the field for a team at any time, doing 11 guys only makes sense. These guys are the top 11 steelers of this decade.

11. Deshea Townsend-CB
Although not the most talented, nor flashy player on the team at any point in the decade, he made the list because of his hustle, leadership, and most of all consistency. All of these contributions can't be shown through statistics, but he is such a great component to the team because he can be so under-the-radar, yet make big plays at crucial times. Also, his coverage has never been doubted, and the skills he's learned in his 11 years as a Steeler have enabled him to keep up with today's passing game. The skill and leadership that he passes down to younger cornerbacks is unmeasurable.

10. Dan Kreider-FB
Krieder was the player most missed by Steeler Nation, following his release in 2008. The fullback position played a crucial role in the running game from 2000, his rookie year, to 2005. However, Bruce Arians has since devalued the position's contribution. Kreider was a force in front of Jerome Bettis, and his loss hurt the Steelers in the 2008-2009 season, when they suffered the worst running attack since entering the AFC in 1975. Willie Parker was continuously caught in the backfield, and Kreider's blocking skill was hurtfully longed for. Kreider was a tough competitor, who played without recognition. He triumphed when his running attack triumphed-and playing Steeler Football, he got his share.

9.Joey Porter-LB
Porter only played in 7 years of the decade, but in those 7 years he defined himself as a player with significant passion, work ethic, and performance. Talking trash was a large part of his game, but backing the trash up was just as important to Porter. He got into people's heads, then he destroyed them on the field. Porter played a signficant role in the playoff runs of 2001, 2004, and the road to the super bowl in 2005. "Peezy," was the team leader in speeches and motivation of all kinds. Possibly his most influential contributions came when he sacked Peyton Manning twice in a row to smother their comeback attempt, leading the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game. Porter also led the Steelers in sacks in 2002, 2005, and 2006. Although he left the team in 2006 to play for the Dolphins, he will always be remembered as a Steeler.

8. Alan Faneca-OL
Faneca was the Steelers most well known offensive lineman, and most recognized for his tough mentality and nitty gritty playing style. He was a six time pro bowl selection with the B n G, because of his consistency, and ability to run block. His most famous block came in the 2005 Super Bowl XL, when he cleared the hole for Willie Parker to make the longest run in super bowl history. His relationship with the Steelers soured in 2007, when he felt he should be resigned, but the Steelers didn't want to overpay him after his playing peak. Faneca signed with the Jets, and continued to produce pro bowl blocking. Faneca makes the list because he held the offensive line together for the Steelers, and established the run blocking game that enabled them to continously run the ball the Steeler Way. His six pro bowl invites are the kicker.

7.. Jerome Bettis-RB
Bettis has made a case as one the best running backs in Steeler History-behind Franco Harris, perhaps, as second best. "The Bus" was quick on his feet but hard on his hits, and could destroy a defense in the 4th quarter. He could run out the clock single handedly, and rushed for a 5th best 13,662 yards in NFL history. Bettis is only 5th on this list because he retired after the super bowl run in 2005, and only has one ring with the Steelers.

6. Ben Roethlisberger-QB
Roethlisberger joined the Steelers in 2004, and made one of the best Rookie Campaigns ever in the NFL. He won 15 straight games as the "manager" of the steeler offense, and led the team to the AFC Championship Game. Although he only played 6 years in the decade, his contributions to win the team's two super bowl wins in the decade surely make him worthy of the All Decade Team. He's defined the Steeler Offense in the past two years, making clutch plays and "getting it done." Roethlisberger continues to make his case as one of the best quarterbacks in Steeler History. He makes the list above Bettis because he has earned two super bowl rings in the decade.

5.Casey Hampton-NT
As the nose tackle in the Steeler Defense, Hampton held together the core of the infamous 3-4 defense for every year in the decade. His ability to take on double teams and move back the line of scrimmaged enabled continous pressure and run stopping year, after year. "Big Snack" earned 4 pro bowl selections, and made significant contribution to the Super Bowl runs of 2005 and 2008. He is a key component to why the Steeler Defense has been elite throughout the decade. Hampton has two super bowl wins, and has played with the team throughout the decade.

4.Troy Polamalu- S
Drafted by the Steelers in 2003, Polamalu improved the Steelers Secondary instantly with his impact. His playing style enables him to be "all over the field," and he consistently makes plays that are unthinkable, and unexpected. He is a nightmare for an offense. Earning 5 pro bowl selections in only 6 years, he has defined him self as one of , if not the best safety in the league. He earned 2 super bowl rings with the team, and made big plays on both super bowl runs. But he makes the 4th spot on this list, because he transformed a below-average secondary into an elite passing defense through his consistency and big plays.

3. James Farrior-LB
Farrior is the current captain of the Steeler Defense, and his perhaps the best Free Agent signing of the decade for the Steelers. Playing from 2002 to the present after being signed from the Jets, Farrior has consistently led the team in tackles, terrorizing defenses as both a pass rusher on the line and a run stopper in the secondary. Although is one of the oldest members of the team, his ablity to stay in shape has made him the Steelers' most consistent tackler of the Decade. He earned 2 pro bowl selections and 2 super bowl rings, and his role as Defensive Captain puts him above Casey Hampton on this list.

2. Aaron Smith-DE
Smith is the most underrated player in Steelers history. Known perhaps only to Steeler fans, this gritty, hard working, and incredibly skilled defensive end has been the core of the Steeler Run defense for 11 years, throughout the decade. He was most recognized when he was injured midseason of 2007, and the Steelers run defense deteriorated. He has two super bowl rings, and sadly only one pro bowl selection. He is recognized league-wide among players as one of the best defensive ends in Football in the decade. He makes the list at number two because of his play without recognition, his consistency through 11 years, and his ability to hold together the run defense.

1. Hines Ward-WR
Ward is the epitome of a Steeler. His tough playing style, work ethic, consistency, clutch play-making, leadership, and personality make him the best steeler of the decade without question, and one of the best Steelers in history. As a wide reciever he is underrated because of his speed, and as a player he is feared because of his blocking. Ward is one of the best blocking wide recievers in NFL history, and is hated for it by un-expecting cornerbacks and linebackers. Playing from 1998 to present, he has showed no signs of decline, given that his skill at route running makes up for his lack of speed at the position. His leadership on the team and among wide recievers is unmeasurable, and his dedication to the Steelers is a large part of why the team has been so successful in the decade. He was MVP of Super Bowl XL, and although he was injured in the 2008 super bowl, he still played, as well as made significant contributions in the road via in 2008.

Honorable Mention: Ike Taylor, Willie Parker, Jeff Reed, Jeff Hartings Larry Foote, Clark Haggans

Looking to the future: Santonio Holmes, Ike Taylor, James Harrison, Lamaar Woodley, Ben Roethlisberger, and Lawrence Timmons

Cutch Got Tha' Powah'

The Pirates don't expect home runs out of Andrew McCutchen. The fans have come to give him a pass in that respect as well. After all, he could go two months without a long-ball, and still be the most significant contributor in a Pirate uniform. He doesn't have the power to hone home run expectations. He has the speed, quick swing, and poised ballwatching to get around the bases the old school way.

But Boy, did we Pirate Fans just get new-schooled.

Mr. Cutch has the swing to knock 'em out once in a while. By once in a while, I mean hitting three home runs in one night, capping off a 6 RBI 4 hit night for the young buc(k). The humble slugger shrugged it off as a good night where he got his pitches, but it was much more than that. It was surprise slugger party for a team that will take all and any pleasant surprises at the moment.

Surprises like Lastings Milledge hitting in RBIs when it counts.

Like Ronnie Cedeno hitting well at the bottom of the order.

I think we're all beginning to enjoy these stint-series with Nationals.

Let's Go Rebuilders

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

For the Pittsburgh Sports Article this week, I'm going celebrate the build-up to Steelers Training Camp. In past years, Jim Wexell has been the absolute best when it comes to Steelers beat writing. He has the clutch interviews, inside information, and great writing all packaged into one. I also recommend his book "Steeler Nation," about his hilarious travel around the States to Steeler bars, parents, alumni, etc. It's a great read for a Steelers fan.

Although Wexell writes for a payed-subscription online newspaper at Steel City Insider, this article was released for free as a little treat to preview training camp. The article, Camp Points of Interest, highlights a few of the controversies, battles, and expectations heading into camp. I know I can't wait until things kick off.

Please Do Not Say You're Surprised; Pittsburgh Edition

Sorry for the title thievery, but right now, surprises are like crying in baseball, they just don't happen.

From the big shot teams suffering steroid outbreaks-cough Red Sox and Yankees-to the small market teams trading away their money players-your own Pittsburgh Pirates-nothing has really shocked me.

Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, and Ian Snell were traded yesterday from the Pirates. But before you criticize, before you call the pirates a farm team for the big market, and before throw away your Pirate Parrot Bobble Head Doll-please recognize that the Pirates are on the right track.

The Good: The Pirates are in rebuilding mode, and they're following the pattern effectively. These trades brought them some great potential with low cost upside. Of course, we won't see the return until 2011 as Ron Cook points out in his latest column, but if even half of our prospects turn out as projected, the Pirates could be in serious contention in a few years.

thats right-not fighting for .500 with all our pennies on Jack Wilson and Nyjer Morgan coming through-but in contention with established pitching, depth, and hopefully some good hitting. Signing big names or keeping old players would just put the rebuilding process in jeopardy.

I will admit, I wrote an entry earlier this month praising Wilson and Sanchez and begging to keep them, but that was assuming that the return for Wilson would be very small. Somehow, the Pirates found a way to get 3 decent pitchers, a great prospect in Jeff Clement, and a veteran shortstop to cover Jack's hole. They were also able to get rid of the mess that was Ian Snell.
Later in the day, the rebuilders were able to get one of the Giants' best pitching prospects in Tim Alderson for Freddy Sanchez. He instantly becomes the Pirates best pitching prospect in a depleted farm bullpen.

The Bad:
The Pirates aren't going to win much this year. They've already fell out of contention, and have no veteran leadership on their team. Furthermore, the infield will suffer tremendously on the defensive end. Freddy and Jack held together the double play, and although Delwyn Young can hold his own at the plate, flashy plays are a rarity for him. Cedeno is average at best.

The personalities of these guys will also be missed. Jack Wilson's efforts seemed to revitalize some guys, and inspire them to give their all on the field.

The Ugly:
The fans have been dropping like base hits on Ramon Vazquez. People have walked away from this season, as they rightfully can, given that the team is no longer in or trying to become in contention. Players are also speaking out, or are just speechless. That's what scares me. These guys need to recognize just as well that their organization needs to make changes for the future. It is understandable that they fear for their own jobs, but speaking to the media is no way to change that. Hopefully they keep the drama off the field-something they've been able to do very well this season.

Due to the drastic changes within the Pirate Ballclub, I will now refer to the team as "The Rebuilders." This not a negative nor a positive term, just an adequate label to what the team is pursuing at the moment.

Let's Go Rebuilders.

Down with the Vickness

Mike Vick is now free to sign with any NFL team; Well, any NFL team that will take him.

The 29 year old dash-man is well past his prime in the league for several reasons. One being that quarterbacks need to be able to throw with accuracy and composure. With premier safeties and pass rushers dominating league defense in the past couple years-Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders, Ed Reed, Osi Umenyiora, James Harrison, Albert Haynesworth-it's become impossible to rely on throwing the ball downfield and/or attempting to scramble as an adequate game plan.

The second reason is that scrambling through wildcat offense, perhaps the only organized set up that would incorporate Vick well, is so 2008. The wildcat setup like any music downloading program ever created-we're talking Morpheus, Limewire, Napster, Bit Torrent. They're the best, and easiest things to execute since Sega Dreamcast, and then they get hacked, figured out, and full of viruses and become worthless, unusable space on your desktop. However lost in digression this simile has become, the Wildcat offense is easy to stop once you're prepared for it. And because it was all the hype in '08, it's going to be the first thing prevented in 09.

That being said, people still seem to think Vick will land on a team and possible get playing time as a specialist. Some have even gone so far as to put him in the Steelers' laps. Chris Mortensen seems to believe that Mike Vick would fit perfectly with the Steelers Organization, because they have
1. Great Ownership
2. Great Coaching
3. An Established Veteran Locker Room
4. An Established and Leading Quarterback

Let me tell you right now Mr. Mortensen-it is because the Steelers don't take chances on guys like Michael Vick that they have these, forgive the wordplay, a-four-mentioned qualities. The Steelers do have an established locker room, coach, owner, and quarterback-so although it might be the best situation for Vick, there is absolutely no reason for the Steelers to want this guy. They'd much rather help a younger guy develop into a useful player for the future-not a washed up dog torturer that is stuck in the scramble offense of 1998. A guy like Dennis Dixon, who has the same qualities as Vick, but is much younger and has much more time and potential to learn how to win in the league.


Six V. Lomardis doesn't come from dogshit.

The Double Play; Good and the Bad

Getting a double play in baseball is like...

realizing that your ice cream sinks all the way down the cone

getting a superhero figure in your wheaties box

finding money in the laundry

getting free shampoo in the mail

i could go on, and on

The point is, a double play is not only relief, but a pleasant surprise. Seeing a guy on first base disappear-and consequentially their prior hit made irrelevant or, at least, less damaging-is incredibly satisfying, exciting, and relieving.

But, statistically speaking, is turning a lot of plays a good thing in baseball? Although this statistic does imply that your defense is on point and efficient, it also suggests that the defense allows guys to get on first base a lot.

So does leading the league in double plays mean that the team has great shortstops and second basemen duos, or that they don't have the pitching and infield defense to keep guys off base?

let's look at the stats.

The Pirates, with 107 DPs, are tied with the Indians, and second only to the Astros who have turned 109 DPs.

The Pirates, Indians, and Astros are all in the top 10 team fielding percentages in the MLB-the Pirates in 2nd, Astros 5th, and Indians in 8th

However, NONE of these teams are in the top 10 for Pitching ERA

and ALL are in the bottom of the league in On Base Against Average for Pitching-the Indians and Pirates are in the bottom 5, and the Astros are 19th in the league.

These teams are great at fielding, but they let guys on base far too much.

And, although this tendency does translate into a lot of double plays, the earned runs average speaks for itself.

Because so many hitters reach the base with these three ball clubs, and not all of them are stopped with double play groundouts, the pitching ERA suffers drastically, and translates into losing games.

Although the Double Play is certainly a satisfying thing to watch and execute-it's not necessarily a good stat to lead the league in.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

I went to what turned out to be a great Pirates game this past Wednesday-

5 homers, a Brandon Moss walkoff, the Garrett Jones phenomenon continuing, several lead changes, and burnt knees as always at PNC Park. I was a bit confused as to why Mr. Garrett Jones was playing 1st base, until a fellow gamewatcher back-a-row filled me in on the Adam LaRoche trade that happened earlier that morning.

Finding out that the Pirates found someone to take the old slugger actually made the game even better.

Anyways, I was going to blog about the trade, but Pat at WhyGavs wrote a follow up post that said everything there is to be said about Adam LaRoche, management, salary, patterns, trades, etc.-in eloquent bucco fashion. It's a long post, but it reads smooth, even when you're not. like keystone.

Therefore, i've decided to feature that article, titled "Why might the Pirates be dumping salary?" as the article of the week.

Whygavs is a great blog with updates, follow ups, reactions, game recaps, and just about anything else Pirate-ish. And the fact that a Pirate blog can flourish in these days is more than respectable.

So check out this article, and be sure to bookmark the blog.

Like Myoplex, NOW i'm done.

Blair Force Juan

The nickname controversy has been, perhaps, the most elaborate topic concerning Dejuan Blair in the past week. His play, of course, usually speaks for itself. In my last post, Dejuan Blair; Space Eater Extraordinaire I made a pretty good case for his space eater self.

Some suggested "The Black Hole"

For others, is was "Grizzly Blair." This was started at Pitt

His nickname growing up was "Big Fella," and will always be his hometown nickname.

However, spur fandom has seeked a new and fresh nickname. Blair Force One has emerged as the favorite, but let me introduce a marvel of the english language. Hidden in the pronounciation of his first name is, in fact, the sound of "one" in "Juan." Dejuan-->de"one"

whoa. meant to be?

Blair Force Juan* utilizes both his first and last name, while maintaining the integrity of the metaphor.

Feel free to spread the nickname like mom does your peanut butter in the morning lunch prep.

Let's not stop until we get an endorsement for him to do "Honey Dejuan Mustard-->A must for all Big Fella Burgers"

*credit to a Mr. Jules Coulson for the nickname ingenuity.

Big Ben-thats a [w]rap(e)

Here come the rape nicknames

Rape-lessburger
He tried to "force it up the middle"
He "took over in the huddle"
He "rammed it into the endzone"
He wanted his "clock ticked" a little too much.

Whatever you want to call it, Ben is being accused of rape.

This not a kobe-esque circumstance, because there are absolutely no criminal charges against Ben. These are simple accusations, and i'm not saying they're false, but they're definitely not backed.

-And until they are, this is just a desperate girl wanting attention and money. Am I sexist now? yikes. But all things considered, I wouldn't put it past Ben. He's quite the d-bag, a-hole, cocky bastard. And he's been known be a sleezeball when it comes to women. Could be because he's ugly, cocky, has money, has fame or all of the above.

but he's a great quarterback. and she's a gold digger. let's move on.

T(i)rades

Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson talk is floating around like sex talk in middle school computer labs. The duo is being labeled the only proven core of the Pirate Ballclub by some, and a large expense by others.

As far as media goes,

Gene Collier will lose all hope in the Pirates organization if they leave.

Mark Madden will be disappointed if we pay big bucks for the duo.

Both guys have valid arguments-->

Freddy and Jack are incredible defensively, and Freddy is a hit machine when his mole is healthy. But if we keep them, are the Pirates merely wading in the waters of rebuilding? Do they have one foot in, and not have the balls to jump in the cold water. 'Lord knows there could be success in the deep end-or a drowning victim.

I personally would like to keep the duo intact and inburgh.

The D: These guys turn double plays like it's the seventh inning stretch. Their defensive efforts have kept the Bucs in several ballgames, and their limited errors hold together the infield, and have played big part in this year's pitching improvements.

The Bats: Jack Wilson is not a slugger by any means(he's in a bit of a slump right now), but his bat can be dangerous at the bottom of the rotation. Many-a-time he has the extra spark to drive in runs and get the bases moving. Freddy Sanchez is the best hitter on the team. That would be "nuff said," but he is also a master at ball placement. He can put the ball at the right place at the right time to squeeze runs. Hitting the other way, hustling, bunting-you get it all with Freddy.

The Bucks: There is no reason the Pirates shouldn't negotiate with Jack Wilson. Even if based solely on the fact that he is much more valuable to the Pirates than to any other club-Firstly because we have no replacement for him, and secondly because he isn't seen as an above average player to anyone in the MLB. Teams will only look to acquire him for defensive purposes, and the Pirates will not get a sufficient replacement for him from within the organization or from trading him. Freddy's negotiations are much more tricky, because he is worth a lot of money, and teams do see him as a great player-he has a batting title to prove it.

This duo wants to stay in Pittsburgh. It's great to see that from guys, and if you look at the way they play, it's evident. To boot, isn't it great to see Jack Wilson playing so well late in his career?

In the end, rebuilding has its counterarguments, and "unrefuseable trades" can take their toll; but this duo has me convinced that this is one trade that the Pirates should not make.

Mr. Jones, Are You For Real?

Hype is a funny thing. As is rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates

As Pirate fans, we're forced to do two very contradictory things.

1. Remain hopeful, and therefore sane. If you don't have any hope, then there's really no reason to be a Pirate Fan at the moment. And hope is really the only way to convince yourself that you're simultaneously a pirate fan and sane.

2. Deny large hype-->aka we can't get our hopes up, because that will ultimately lead to drastic disappointment, and therefore a downfall, due to not being able to accomplish the aforementioned task 1.

These two tasks beg the question at the present moment-->what do we do with Garrett Jones?

Our Dear Mr. Jones has only played in 12 games for the Pirates. Yet in these 12 games, he's managed to hit 7 home runs. In the past 4 games, he's hit 4 Home Runs. That includes last night, when he hit 2 HRs, one walkoff, that counted for the Pirates only runs.

But you know this.

What you don't know, is whether beginners luck has teased us Pirate Fans yet again.

Well Pirate Hopefuls, I'm here to announce that I know for a fact that...................

he has potential!

I know, classic answer, but really, there's no way to tell if Jones will be able to develop into a true power hitter in the league. The truth right now, is that pitchers just haven't figured him out yet and/or are underestimating him, and Jonesy is taking full advantage of that.

Andrew McCutchen did the same thing, with much less power but more hits, when he went on his 11 game hit streak. Then he struggled for a while after pitchers picked up a little more on him. I think we're seeing Cutch come out of that cycle unscathed and ready to grow even more, but there's no telling if Garret Jones will do the same.

As of right now, i'm going to enjoy is slugger streak; he's certainly earned his starting job, and will perhaps provide some competition for Brandon Moss. But i'm not going to act like I don't hope he develops into a Nate McLouth type contributor. And i'm not going to assume that as fact either.

Because I'm a pirate fan.