Pens Stay Hot

Despite another night without team leader, Sid Crosby, the Pens earned two more critical point by beating the Black Hawks in Chi Town last night. As the flightless pigeons desperately try to mount an epic spring surge, the new pieces are chipping in.

Newly acquired Chris Kunitz tallied a goal and a helper as the Pens won for the fourth time in five games. As a recurring theme, Geno Malkin once again comes up big when #87 is on the trainer's table, by scoring the deciding goal.

By my tally, the Pens probably need at least 25 points in the final 19 games to gain that 8th seed. Should they turn this swing into an all out surge, as history suggests they can, it wouldn't surprise me to see them slide all the way up to 6th.


Kunitz getting involved quickly

Unguarded

Just when it was all starting to make a little sense, the suits up in the North Shore front offices confounded us all once again this afternoon with the termination of Mr. Kendall Simmons. Simmons, although often plagued by various ailments, has been a mainstay at offensive guard for the last seven seasons.

Simmons' career in Steeltown was steady, yet unremarkable. As a first round pick, one could say that he underachieved, given the history of other recent Steeler first rounders. I will point out that during his rookie year, in a Wild Card game against the Browns, Simmons did throw a key block on a crucial touchdown run. In the defense of the Auburn product, the affliction with adult diabetes in 2003 more than likely tied a hefty anchor around his ankle, preventing him from ever attaining greatness.


Our last memory of Simmons

With Simmons' departure, the team is now left with just the overachieving yet underqualified Darnell Stapleton as the only experienced guard under contract. At this point we must make a few assumptions: 1) the James Harrison contract is coming along, yet at a steep price 2) the team is actually working hard towards retaining big man, Chris Kemoeatu 3) the Jeff Saturday rumors may be legit 4) Kevin Colbert fully intends upon drafting a guard in the first round 5) plans are being made to convert a current roster tackle to guard (Willie Colon ??) 6) Bruce Arians plans on fielding lots of death threats this year as the run game manages to actually get worse.

I'm guessing a combination of #1, 2, and #4...and maybe a bit of #6.

One last note on Simmons before we let him vanish into the mist of Steeler history...let's never, ever forget that he made the all dumbass team for suffering from frostbite after falling asleep with an ice pack on his foot. Hopefully, wherever Kendall and his sore feet re-surface, the ice packs will all have timers and alarms.

MVP Gets His Day in Court

For the first time in the last three weeks, Superbowl XLIII hero Santonio Holmes will be answering questions about grass that's not found in a Tampa endzone. Courtroom precedings will now begin for Holmes' fabled October marijuana possession incident.

For those of you that have already taken a hit from Mr. Holmes' bowl this morning, perhaps you'd like to entertain the "Jeff Saturday as a Steeler" rumor mill. Once again, nice work by JD to break the news, but I think we need to exhale a bit before we start buying the black and gold Saturday jersies on eBay. It appears that this may be no more than some positioning by Mr. Saturday's agent, as most online reports are relegated to the blogosphere. Regardless, Saturday is more than capable of helping any offensive line, although he may be in the twilight of his career. Something tells me that the dollars just won't make sense in the 'Burgh.

QUICK HITTERS:

• Before all the corrections Nazis come out of the woodwork, I know that I've been mispelling Kemoeatu. Just too many vowels for my spell checker.


• So, does anyone really buy into Leftwich returning as a backup?

On Empire Building

It appears that it's down to brass tacks now for the Steelers front office in terms of contract negotiations. Numbero uno on every radar is the goal of extending the contract of resident superhero linebacker, James Harrison. Given the variables of Harrison's potential worth, his age, the CBA murkiness and the tightness under the cap, these negotiations will prove to be very taxing for gurus Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan.

With Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington almost surely out the door, it's evident that the team is focused on finding enough loot for Harrison and guard Chris Keomatu. Here are some of the events that seem to be essential over the next few weeks if the Steelers are to get their way:

• Work out a long term deal for "franchise" guy Max Starks. This will reduce Starks' cap hit from around $8 million for 2009 to about $3 million.
• Re-structure Hines Ward's 2005 deal. This will lower the 2009 cap figures and ensure that #86 stays under contract thru 2011.
• Re-work or cut Larry Foote. (hate saying this, since he's one of my favorites)...He's become expendable with Timmons surging.

Me and My Big Mouth

So much for my media politicking for Pitt's #1 seed. In less than 36 hours after being voted the best squad in the land, the Panthers immediately invited doubt into all our minds with an embarrassing upset at the hands of the Providence Friars. Let's face it, when you lose to a team named after fat, drunken Olde English clergymen, you have more issues than worrying about a top seed.

Along those lines, the team now needs to buckle down and win at least two of these three final regular season games, and then make a strong showing in the Big East tourney if they still wish to grab a top seed. Victories against UConn and Marquette would quickly bring atonement for
this sin.


a worthy foe

Pitt is It...Again

Late February is the doldrums of Pittsburgh sports reporting. Without the distraction of an NBA franchise (sorry, Pisces), the expanse between the end of the Steelers season and the beginning of the Buccos annual crusade for 73 wins is generally occupied by the Penguins. Since the 'Guins are working on one of the NHL's greatest all time horror stories this season, the prettiest gal at the dance these days seems to be that hoops squad from Oakland. Today is another great day in a season of great days for the Panthers, as they re-claim the #1 spot in the weekly polls.

With four regular season games remaining, and then the Big East tourney, the PF stats guys tell me that the "magic number" for a #1 seed in the NCAA's is no greater than five. Meaning; should Pitt sweep these four regular season games, they would need no more than a quarter final victory up in Madison Square Garden to basically assure themselves of that elusive top seed. Any losses down the stretch would need to be offset with additional victories in New York, which, let's face it, never seems to be a problem for these guys. As a side note, let's remember that due to the format changes in the Big East Tournament this year, the top four seeds each draw two rounds of byes,...meaning that's it's essential to Pitt's overall plans that they avoid complete meltdown over these last four games.

The real challenge here is not the regular season, nor the Big East tourney, but whether Jamie Dixon and crew can finally stave off early extinction in the NCAA's. Anything short of the Elite 8 will probably be remembered as a major disappointment. Another baby step can be taken tonight, with a game up in Providence. A victory just puts the Oakland kids that much closer to greatness.

Is McFadden McHistory?

It appears to be a collective opinion by the writers and readers of this venue that the Men of Steel will (or should) drop two of their three Day 1 draft selections on linemen (preferably one on both sides). It's been this writer's not-so-humble opinion that the team may want to consider losing a second or third rounder as part of a trade-up scenario in order to land a more marquee linemen, like, perhaps, the monster road grader from Oklahoma, Duke Robinson.

The plan may prove a little more difficult, as the subtle rumors coming out of Steeler Central not so subtly suggest that corner Bryant McFadden is probably a goner via free agency. Just reading Kevin Colbert's "quietly optimistic" tone in recent articles should give you that all too familiar feeling in your belly...the team is going to extend a noble offer sheet, but our man is probably headed out for a windfall payout. Let's face it, a starting corner being fitted for his second Superbowl ring while playing for the stingiest defense in recent memory,...this is the kind of stud that GMs break piggy banks over.

without Foote and McFadden, who will play the great bubble gum in the 'fro joke

The suggestion now is that the Steelers may invest a Day 1 pick into a good cover corner, which would probably make tons of sense if McFadden bolts. Other than the lines and perhaps the receiving corps (expecting the loss of Nate Washington), the CB's are probably the only thin position. I would also expect to see a lot more of William Gay very soon.

Now, I'm not the genius here, so I don't know exactly how the tag system works, but methinks that the team could still assign the "transition" label to McFadden to retain him for one more season. If any of you know the facts behind whether a team can have both a franchise player and a transition player, and if McFadden would even qualify for transition, and if it would even make sense for the team...just drop me a comment or a link.

I think McFadden will have quite a few dance partners soon

Panthers, Blair Keep Rolling

The Pitt Panthers and their star big man continued their spring rampage through the Big East last night. DeJuan Blair once again proved to be the unstoppable force as the Panthers grabbed win #25 in a route of the mediocre Midwesterners, DePaul. Blair tore it up with a gaudy 20/18 night as Pitt most likely placed themselves back at the #1 spot in the weekly polls. With four remaining games and then the Big East Tourney, the Oakland squad has all but assured themselves a #1 or #2 seed in the NCAA's. Conventional wisdom says four total losses or less and a berth in the Big East finals (or better) and the Panthers will have a #1 seed in the bank.

As for Blair, the Big East Player of the Year Award seems to be looming larger and larger as the monster sophomore continues to drop double/doubles while making key defensive plays when his team needs them.

Blair looking more and more like Big East POY

Pens Steal Two Big Points in Philly

They say that the desperate team wins, and you don't get a lot more desperate than the Pittsburgh Penguins. Thanks to some MVP caliber play by captain Sid Crosby and a fluky play towards the end of the game, the flightless birds skated out of the City of Brotherly Love with two critical points. With four points in two games, perhaps we are now seeing the beginning of the Pens playoff run...

Steeltown Dominates ESPN Rushmore

For those of you fellow couch potatoes who just can't enough meaningless sports reporting, I hope you've been following ESPN's Mount Rushmores of Sports, brought to you by writer/personality Rick Reilly. This week Reilly announced the Pennsylvania Rushmore as a top five finalist. The four chiseled faces: Joe Paterno, Wilt Chamberlain, Mario Lemieux, and Roberto Clemente.

The most humorous bit about the PA Rushmore was the amount of votes that fictional icon, Rocky, garnered. So if Philly was voting for Rocky, where were the votes for Smarty Jones and Vince Papale. Once again, we all know where the sports town in PA is located.

Another honor for a non-fictional icon.

Max Starks - FRANCHISE PLAYER

another ring and some more bling

As the Steelers' front office believes that by paying offensive tackle Max Starks like a blue chip lineman, he will perform like a blue chip lineman, the team dropped the Franchise Player tag on big #78 last night. By doing so, the team will commit approximately $8.4 million to the often underachieving mountain of a man for 2009. As the franchise tag is one of the numerous points of confusion in NFL labor bargaining, these are some bullets from my perspective regarding the overall impact to the team:

• The tag gives the Steelers the comfort of knowing that they have an experienced left tackle watching Ben's $102 million fanny for 2009, WITHOUT locking up big dollars long term.
• This move will help the team part ways with popular, yet chronically unhealthy, Marvel Smith.
• With the "non-exclusive" modifier placed on Starks' tag, the Steelers can dangle Mount Starks like a 400 pound carrot to other teams. Should any other GM be dumb enough to sign Starks, he would forfeit two first round picks to the Steelers...a serious win for the North Shore.
• Consider that Starks was probably the best overall Steeltown lineman in the playoffs, and the trivia guys will remind you that he was a starter for two superbowls, perhaps Max can finally get his crap together and earn a long term deal.
• The fact that team correspondent, JD McNugent, texted my ass at 1:00 am to break this news should tell you that the sun never sets on quality blog journalism.

Ultimately, Starks is not one of key bricks to lay in this busy off season of empire building. This move simply initiates a master plan that gurus Colbert and Khan will now attempt to execute.

Lions Eyeing NCAA Tourney

Move over Jamie Dixon and Pitt, we have another pack of predator cats looking for some March Madness as the Penn State Nittany Lions knocked off #16 Illinois in Champaign last night. It's not often that a PSU team pulls off a winning score of 38-33 without the involvement of Joe Pa, but the hoops squad outlasted the Illini in a melee of offensive futility. With another quality win, and an overall record of 19-8, the Lions are now officially a bubble team. Look for the March 5 rematch with Illinois (in Happy Valley) to be a major event in determining which tourney the Lions get invited to.

Quick Hitters:

• Astonishingly, with this victory, the Lions tied their all time single season record of three road wins...three!!
• Another couple of regular season wins and at least one win in the Big Ten Tourney could have the Lions garnering NCAA's support.

Bradenton!

Hope sprang eternal this morning, as Bucco camp officially opened. Some interesting press came out of the team over last few days, as the front office continues to make strides forward by locking up core players long term. As Neil Huntington continues to employ the strategy he learned in Cleveland, by locking young guys up long term in their pre-free agency years, he continually avoids the big problem: the team is still lacking that big free agent slugger that the line up can be built around.

With a projected payroll around $50 million, the Bucs can surely afford an increase of $15-20 million to get that one blue chipper. Of course, I run a free blog, not a professional ball club. All in all, it appears that the front office is targeting 2010 to be "the season"...HURRAY another 68 wins this year!

Quick Hitters:

• At what point is a high profile athlete no longer allowed to use the "I was young" excuse for a bone headed screw up (ala Michael Phelps, A Rod). If a 25 year old working class stiff attempts to argue out of a DUI by saying he's young, he'll get an extra bitch slap on his way to the slammer.
• Who will be the next Steeler to wind up in the post Superbowl police line up?
• Isn't Jamie Dixon a friggin' God sent?
• How many of you power back on the brain swammis are secretly wishing the Steelers would sign Fred Taylor. Actually, if it could work (it probably can't), he'd be a great asset off the bench.

The Blair Bitch Project

If you missed the clinic that future NBA stud DeJuan Blair put on last night during Pitt's memorable beating of top ranked UConn, then shame on you for six weeks (in the voice of Mike Lange). Oh yes, to work this joke I must add that UConn coach Jim Calhoun didn't know whether to cry or wind his watch...

To say that Blair was a man amongst boys last night is like saying that Casey Hampton enjoys milkshakes. To think that he threw down a 20/20 against 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet should have emails scurrying amongst NBA scouts this morning. To add insult to injury, Blair's WWE-esque suplex on Thabeet was hilarious.

Therrien Gets Pink Slip

In the latest chapter of the NHL's rags to riches to rags real life drama, the Penguins canned skipper Michel Therrien yesterday. In Therrien's brief tenure behind the Pens bench, he oversaw one of the NHL's greatest improvement projects followed by one of it's most abrupt declines. Regardless of the stream of excuses that can be offered for the Pens '08-09 slide, this roster is far too talent laden to be lurking around .500, flirting with an early summer vacation. Hopefully, this change is what the doctor has ordered for our ailing flightless birds. As I have said in earlier posts, Pittsburgh is just too small of a city to have two teams splitting media wrath in the springtime.

Lest we forget, Therrien's leadership style and strategies, although often in question, played a large role in the Pens memorable playoff run last year. Fare thee well, Mr. Therrien...

Monster.com or Careerbuilder.com, that is the question...

Skippy "kicks off" post-Superbowl Misconduct Frenzy

In his newest effort to become the NFL's most outrageous kicker, Jeff Reed was cited for a recent meltdown in a Westmorland County Sheetz. After pummeling a defenseless paper towel dispenser, Reed then directed his aggression (and his potty mouth) to the $8 per hour cashier. Reed did, however, pay for (and consume) three Sheetz Dogz with extra chili and relish while waiting for the local police to arrive. Rumor has it that the store owners have already listed the towel dispenser that Reed battered on eBay as sports memorabilia.

Despite his immense popularity amongst Steeler Nation, Mr. Reed forgot one of the 10 Commandments of Western PA..."thou shalt not disrespect the M.T.O."

allegedly, Reed was still angry about being rejected as the Sheetz new "4 Dollar Foot Long" model.

Take These Broken Ribs

Greetings! For the few of you that actually noticed my absence last week, I will simply say that there was nothing I could write that you hadn't already read.

Since I will quietly ignore A Dawg's advice to move on to the Penguins, I will continue to harp on about a team that actually wins. Let's face it, I can only bitch about one frustrating Pittsburgh team every spring, and the Buccos have that niche locked up.

So anyway, what are your thoughts on Big Ben's broken belly bones? I know that a certain reader is continually confounded when the Large One issues his own medical reports. I want your feedback and your answers in my newest poll.