Finally Elite

Another typical night of texting for me and A Dawg. Another typical scenario. A Dawg reclined in his living room throne in suburban Pittsburgh, me relaxed in my newly finished basement in suburban Philly. The scenario was the same, The University of Pittsburgh men's basketball squad locked into a seemingly unnecessary tussle with an overzealous upstart, from a school that is probably a seven hour bus ride from nowhere. Tonight it was the Xavier Musketeers. The opponent never really matters, the story line always reads the same way.

Clock ticking low, finger nails getting even lower, our texts move to small talk to break the tension. "How's the cat?", he'd ask..."how's the baby?", I'd inquire. The clock was getting lower, the sands were slipping through another hour glass. We just went through this four days ago. Wait, we just went through this a week ago, against a lowly #16 seed! As a man who possesses a fairly robust frame, I've never been a fan of the David vs. Goliath story. Now three times in a week? Under three minutes now, down by two. It was going to come, we knew it, just be patient.

Another silly turnover, as the clock ticked lower, ouch...I'm into cuticle. "Is this how Pitt chokes, once again, in the Round of 16?" It was going to come, surely it was going to come, it always comes. More small talk texting "Pens having a great week"..."yeah, you got your Steelers tickets yet?" Under 90 seconds, it was going to come, right? At times like these one starts pondering the origin of expressions like "it's now or never" or "up against the wall"...really, what wall? Almost down to one minute, still deadlocked.

Is it going to come? Under a minute, down by a deuce. Ok, start moving past denial and towards acceptance. Another great season. Just can't quite get over that hump. These upsets are common in the NCAA. Still have the Penguins, right? Steelers training camp in four months, right? If only it had come...

And then, BANG! IT CAME! In a scene practically scripted for Hollywood, it came. The "it" being another timely deliverance of salvation from Oakland's resident (and often tardy) superhero, Levance Fields. For a guy who can be an unremarkable everyman for the first 90% of a game, he surely knows how to step it up when the drama is peaking.

Should they ever make an action movie based on Fields' heroics, here's a tip: stay in the parking lot and drink beer, enter the cinema about three minutes before they roll the final credits. You won't miss a thing. The Clark Kent portion of Fields' game is just not worthy of mention. But wow, when he dons that cape...

Fields' crazy, off balanced three pointer from way downtown was the most recent in his season of late awakenings. Of course, it didn't hurt when he thrust the dagger further into his opponents' breastbone, as he raced for two more off a Dejuan Blair poke steal a few seconds later. Game, set, match. It came, like it always does.

The texts became light hearted and jovial once again. We savored our customary electronic victory hug, and then bid each other a good night. Until we text again. Such is life for a Pitt basketball fan. For one more night, it came.

Broadway Bound

So what PA basketball squad named for a large predator cat has a ticket in hand for a weekend tourney in the Northeast? Well, let's add the PSU Lions to that list, as our boys of Nittany made gator skin boots out of the University of Florida, in Gainesville, to qualify for the NIT semis.

The Happy Valley squad once again flicked a boogie at the NCAA Tourney Selection Committee while garnering their 25th win. Let's hope this rolls on for two more wins!

Another Sticky Sweet Sunday

Hey Sweet 16...

For the fifth time in eight years, the Pitt Panthers have earned a trip to the NCAA tourney third round, with their strong second half showing against the spunky Oklahoma State Cowboys yesterday. In another see saw nail biter which has become the norm this spring, Sam Young showcased some future NBA skills, while floor general Levance Fields reminded us all that when the game is on the line, his blood runs colder than the Ohio River in mid December.

Fields getting healthy for his trip to Beantown

Kudos to coach Jamie Dixon as he became the winningest coach in NCAA history through the first six seasons of a career. Hopefully, he'll widen that margin by two or three more wins!

Heaven Gets a New Organist

Sad news fell upon the Pittsburgh sports scene as long time stadium organist, Vince Lascheid passed away yesterday. For those that have attended Pirates or Penguins games in the 70's, 80's or 90's, you've definitely sang along to Mr. Lascheid's key tickling. Once more, a little piece of our youth moves into life's scrapbook.

Lest we forget the eternal trivia question "Who's the only person to play for the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins?"

Along these somber lines, I'd like to extend some heartfelt best wishes to MP and his family, as they mourn the loss of Papa Don, a truly great man, mentor, veteran, and Pennsylvanian.

Taking Flight Part II

Wow!!! As if the drama could get no higher than Sid the Kid and MAF stunning the Big O in a shootout thriller, the arctic pigeons amp it up a few more pegs by besting the playoff hungry Panthers in another shootout. This is almost too much for the old ticker to take.

all smiles these days

With eight out of the next nine games in the Igloo, the Pens are the pesky front desk men serving waking up calls throughout the overbooked hotel we call the Eastern Conference playoff race. Just how far does this thing go??? MP says five seed, A Dawg says four,...stay tuned for the newest sports drama in the 'Burgh.

More Free Agency News

Well, so much for hoping that Nate Washington would be our only key defector. As announced this morning, Bryant McFadden is now officially a Cardinal.

The day is not so bleak as the team also announced a recent visit from aging speedster, Joey Galloway. Just the other day, JD and I had a small discussion about bringing in an affordable, vet wide out, similar to our signing of Terrence Mathis in 2002. A guy like Galloway might be a great addition in terms of depth.

will Galloway be flexing this bicep in Heinz Field?

My 100th Post!

Wow, what a sports week, and what a way for the writers and readers of PittsburghFan to celebrate reaching the century mark together! As the Pens and the Pitt Panthers tussle over who's the hottest ticket in the 'Burgh these days, we also get an occasionally pleasant report from the Boys in Bradenton.

Later this week I plan on unveiling my gallery of best pics of 2008, mostly submitted by readers. For now here are some quick hitters:

• With Pitt's clobbering of Marquette and UConn, the Panthers are all but a shoo in for a #1 seed in the NCAA's. Ironically, they are actually a lowly #2 seed in the upcoming Big East Tourney.
• Thanks to some MVP caliber play from Geno Malkin and some stellar numbers by MAF, coupled with some timely acquisitions, the Pens are red hot and threatening to make a strong run for upper seed posturing. A win against the Caps today would just be icing on a great cake.
• Should Bryant McFadden return to the North Shore, the Steelers would have survived the first phase of free agency with minor scathing. Rumor has it that Philly and Miami have extended some interest in McFadden, however.
• In a classless fashion that only he can muster, T.O. manages to insult the fan base in Buffalo in his first press conference as a Bill. Hey T.O., anytime someone drops $6.5 mill on your troublesome ass, avoid statements like "this may not probably be the most ideal place for a lot people..." regardless of how true it may be. Of course, we should give Owens a few freebies by already crowning the Bills "North America's Team."

And the Train Kept A-Rollin'

It ain't a bird, it ain't a plane, it ain't Super Mario,...it's Chris Kunitz, the newest hero in a city of heroes. On another night when Kunitz's Penguins needed two points, he came up big again, helping the team extend it's current hot streak. With last night's pasting of the Tampa Lightening Bugs, the Arctic Birds ran their winning streak to four games, and six out of the last seven.

Kunitz scored a pair of rebound goals last night, and Marc-Andre Fleury continued to demonstrate his newly re-gained poise as the Pens tallied points #71 and 72 with 17 games remaining. My grade school arithmetic tells me that the over/under for moving on into the second season should be around 92 to 93 points. Given how the team is playing now, I still believe that 6th or even higher is clearly a potential.

Dulac Projects Trojan Moala

is Moala our man?

One Post-Gazette writer indicated his thoughts on the upcoming Steelers' draft today on the NFL Network's "On the Clock" segment. Staff writer Gerry Dulac stated that the team is in an excellent situation with no immediate starters needed in the upcoming draft. Dulac feels that depth at the defensive line is the overall biggest need, and that the team may be looking for a sleeper pick,...a guy that shows upside but is not ready to start. His indication was that USC defensive tackle Fili Moala is that guy, and a perfect fit for the team, as an eventual defensive end (converted).

Dulac also likes PittsburghFan pick, guard Duke Robinson. Dulac additionally stated that he is still smarter than fellow PG writer Ed Bouchette.

Nate Drops Out

Assassin Ryan Clark can add another profile to his target book for the 2009 season, as wide out Nate Washington becomes the Steelers' first major free agent defection of the season. Washington will take his impressive speed and occasionally questionable hands to Nashville in exchange for $27 million.

Nate bracing for a text book drop

One must consider that Nate the Great may join Yancey Thigpen as another Steeler receiver who took the Chattanooga Choo Choo to Tennessee for a caboose full of money only to be eventually regarded as a bust. Washington leaves the team with no hard feelings, as the writing was on the wall that cap money was going towards James Harrison. The master plan states that second year wide out Limas Sweed should step up to replace Washington as the #3 guy. Nate leaves the North Shore with not only some fond memories, but also a pair of Superbowl rings.

All joking aside, this is football business. By not making a truly legitimate offer, the Steelers had quietly acknowledged that Washington was a casualty that they were willing to take. Although Nate garnered a fair helping of scorn due to some buttery finger gaffes, we should also note that he was the primary deep ball receiver on the team. Considering the amount of long passes he snagged in 2008, (adding in two long TDs erased by Willie Colon holdings), and Nate compiled a pretty impressive resume for 2008.

All in all, we wish Nate the best luck, all the stick 'em that 27 mill can buy, and a fair warning to keep his eyes on #25 when the Titans next meet the Steelers.

QUICK HITTERS:

• Washington now joins Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons as 2008 opening day regulars that are no longer with the team.
• The clock continues to tick on corner Bryant McFadden as he also tests free agency.
  
  

Taking Flight

So Sid Crosby gets injured and Evgeni Malkin leads the team on timely winning streak...sound familiar? Well, roll those clocks back and then forward again as a white hot Geno leads the Pen to their fifth win in six games as our flightless birds swim into the eighth seed yesterday with a battering of the Dallas Stars.

The Eastern Conference should take collective notice of this swell, as the Pens continually present the potential for an extended winning streak. Let's not forget the stellar week turned in by netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, who's save percentage is sitting at a lofty .943 during a three game win streak.

As stated here before, a sixth seed or better is not unrealistic for a team as talent laden as the Pens.

QUICK HITTERS:

• So during the great Jeff Saturday ruse, we discovered one falsehood. When agent Ralph Cindrich stated that Saturday was a "Rooney kind of guy"...well, I'm not quite sure that the Rooney family covets players that leek false claims to the media in an effort to hold their team up for contract dollars. I hope Casey Hampton collapses Saturday's knee this year.


• Countdown is officially on for PittsburgFan posting #100.