Blame it all on Burress

In another blatant attempt to fan the flames of the so called feud between Big Ben and Hines Ward, the Post Gazette's very own instigator, Ed Bouchette, ponders aloud the impact of losing Plaxico Burress. Let me paraphrase Ed's underlying message...the Giants are in the Superbowl and the Steelers are sitting at home for one reason - the free agency loss of Burress. Yeah, right. You all remember Ed Bouchette, he's the guy that fueled the great Anthony Smith "guarantee" controversy.

I, like many, believe that we took a big step backwards with our receiving corps after losing Burress, and I think the addition of Ced Wilson was really not a good replacement since Wilson is more a Ward/El type slot guy, and not a big downfield weapon. However, we must first remember that we actually won the Superbowl without Burress, or any other tall wide out, for that matter. We must also remember that had we retained Burress, we probably would have lost Ward through free agency, we would have passed up Wilson, and we most likely would not have opted to trade up to draft Santonio Holmes.

Let me further complicate the debate, by throwing another what-if at you. Let's say the team breaks open Dan Rooney's pigg bank and manages to extend the contracts of BOTH Burress and Randle El in the summer of 2004, then opts to let Ward move on after 2005. The team then decides to draft Holmes to fill the loss of Ward in 2006. This leaves you with a corps that looks like this: Burress, Holmes, Randle El, and Nate Washington. This quartet would seem pretty dangerous, although it would lack the sure handed clutch guy.

I think this debate will rage on throughout the summer, or at least until the Pirates throw out the first pitch. Then the Post Gazette will have a new target to overly scrutinize.


like any good journalist, Bouchette asks us to ask ourselves "what if???"

Words Can Hurt

Big Ben can add a few more items to his wish list; a dozen roses and some fancy chocolates to send to his scorned and sullen receiver, Hines Ward. Ward, commonly regarded as the NFL's toughest wide out, showed his deep sensitive side by taking offense with Ben's public coveting of a tall receiver.

Insiders close to the team suggest that this is not the first time that Ben has shown a bias against the vertically challenged. Some sources claim that part of Ben's pre-game ritual is to repeatedly listen to Randy Newman's "Short People". Ben has also been known to throw parties in which entrance is restricted to those 6'3" and over. More on this newest Post-Gazette induced Steeler melodrama as it unfurls.


Ben is in favor of height discriminating signs like this posted throughout Heinz Field

Cedric...I Understand

Cedric Wilson is my newest favorite Steeler. Why? Because of those 20 yearly receptions? No, I love Ced because he has a girlfriend zanier than my ex-fiance! When Big Ben said that he wanted more weapons in his receiving corps, I don't think he was referring to the 9mm that Ced stashes in his sock drawer!

Have you ever gotten stuck in the middle of a dispute with a waiter or a salesperson because of your woman's constant quest to be right? Imagine a bitch that gets into a 12 hour stand off with the local SWAT team. Now, that's the girl to take home to Momma.

We all wish Cedric the best of luck during his stint in the Protection From Murder by Angry Bitch Girlfriend program (PFMBAB)


If you look closely, you'll see the bullet resistant Kevlar re-inforcement on Wilson's helmet and body armor.

Welcome Back

After four long months, I am finally back out of hiding. Where did I go? Well, lets just say that being a Pittsburgh sports beat blogger opens one self up to living life underground. Actually, I jest. I just got really lazy, and I completely underestimated the toll of being the Steeler season ticket holder yet living in eastern PA. Let's just say that most of the last four months is blurry.

So, where are we now? Let's see, Steeler Nation is bitching about a promising season gone wrong, the Pens hopefuls are hailing the surge of a team cresting behind their franchise forward and an overachieving journeyman goalie, and the Pirate faithful are, well, quietly optimistic about this year's bobbleheads. Yep, sounds like 2001...or is it 1998? Maybe just 12 months ago.

I guess the most commonly hashed topic in Steeltown sports these days is the sudden ending to the Steelers 2007 season. Lets keep faith and chime in with our opinions.

2007 Pittsburgh Steelers - team opens with new life as the Mike Tomlin era begins. Big Ben is out to show the haters that: (1) 2006 was an anomaly, (2) that he is, in fact, no longer suffering from brain trauma related to vehicular accidents, and (3) that the offense will do just fine with the Whiz off in Arizona. Questions surround James Harrison's ability to replace veteran assassin Joey Porter, Bruce Arians' "expect a reduced role from Danny Kreider" concept is unveiled, Colbert shocks the world by trading up to draft a punter, and the perennial "Alan Faneca's pissed off about something thing" remains a constant...

END RESULT - despite surging out of the gate to records of 3-0, 7-2, and 9-3, the Men of Steel fade in the end and finish 10-6. They lose several close games to inferior teams, and lose a few core players to the IR down the stretch. They win the AFC North (barely), but make a painful early exit out of the playoffs at the hands of their new kryptonite, the Jax Jags.

Before we all cast ourselves off the Clemente Bridge, let's look at 2007 objectively, and hone in on the goods and the bads.

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

-Tomlin was a good pick. Ok, so he's not fire, spittle, and man-on-man kisses. So he doesn't charge after hapless refs and shove pictures into their pockets. So he doesn't say "special" in every other sentence. He did manage to get his team right back into the playoffs, create a climate for his franchise QB to blossom, and allow his team leaders to be leaders. Reality is that this team was only a few plays away from winning 12 or 13 games, and one first down away from the second round of the AFC Playoffs. He'll take the bumps and bruises and learn from 2007.

-Big Ben returns to form...and then some. Large Benjamin uncorked a statistically awesome season, with a 104.1 rating, and shattered mostly all single season team passing records. Only Shady Brady, during his hall of fame season, produced better numbers. The naysayers can say what they want about Ben's inflated rating due to 'eating' the ball and taking sacks. The fact that he produced a 104 rating with a somewhat shallow and often injured corps of wide outs, a ho hum offensive line, while playing in no less than five games of adverse weather should tell you that this guy is for real. Time for Mr. Rooney to write that check with lots of zeroes and a few commas.

-Santonio Holmes' development. Ok, so maybe he ain't Torry Holt yet, as I predicted, but Santo H really blossomed down the stretch this year. His big plays against Baltimore and Jax jettisoned two near comebacks. Hate hearing that word "near"???

-I Like Ike. Who was everyone's favorite goat in 2006. Ok, next to the bitch that wanted Ben's face as a hood ornament...Ike Taylor was under constant scrutiny in '06, but he completely rebounded in '07. The Steeler corners were the pleasant surprise of the season.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

-The Sean Mahan Experiment. 1000 great bloggers have already crucified Mahan, please record me as 1001. The Rooneys don't often dabble in free agency, but when they do, they usually find the right fit for the need. (Farrior, Batch, Hartings). This one was a major step backwards. Mahan single handedly undid what 35 years of excellent Steeler centers achieved before him. Ok, yeah, that's over the top, but this guy stunk royally. Mahan was consistently undersized, outworked, and over matched, and by Week 10 every defensive coordinator knew to just load up inside on us with their biggest and orneriest guys. Watching Big Ben get clobbered by rogue nose tackles became routine in the Steel City this year, and the inside running lanes were less trafficable than the Parkway East on a Monday rush hour. One can only wonder what this season would have been like had the ageless Jeff Hartings returned for one mo' season. Somewhere in Western PA, some kid is trying to sell his Chucky Okobi jersey on E-Bay.

-Lack of depth in the stable. Over the last few years we've all read about the genius of the Steelers' talent acquisition philosophies, particularly that of the running back. We all know the Willie Parker story forwards and backwards. We all know that the Steeler brass rarely spends a Day 1 draft pick on a running back, and we all know that the Rooneys don't often go on free agent spending sprees. So how does a team acquire and replenish it's stable of runners? We all remember when Tomlin brazenly stated that "we will run Willie until the wheels fall off"...well, they fell off, Mike, literally. So what was the next move? Najeh is a decent role player, and a versatile compliment to any team...but he's also the dude that blew out his foot on a stairmaster. The fact of the matter is that he is not, nor has he ever been, an every down back. If Garry Russell was the team's plan as a third stringer, then why did he rate seven whopping carries on the regular season. One day in the distant future, you will be at a sports bar on trivia night, and you will be asked to name the four running backs that suited up for our 2007 wild card game. Shock the world with your answer: Davenport, Carey Davis, Russel, and Verron Haynes. No, not quite the Four Horsemen. Simple truths prevail here. Of the teams that had success in the playoffs this week, all of them had multiple backs who could move the ball. A Michael Turner would have looked really good last Saturday night. Would you still have drafted Matt Spaeth over Tony Hunt now? The Steelers no longer have the luxury of sending in Jerome Bettis or a Fu or even a Duce Staley to acquire those 10 close out yards, and it showed. Lights out.

-The return game. This old horse is beaten, bloody and wobbly, but I'm going to pile it on. In recent years, there has been no greater factor in adverse outcomes during big Steeler games. Tomlin now blames the players. LEARN HOW TO TACKLE!!!

-The Injuries. Great teams overcome injuries. The great Steeler teams of 2001, 2004, and 2005 all found ways to overcome injuries, right? I think a line is drawn somewhere. Maybe it just couples with our lack of depth this year. Season enders to Aaron Smith, Ryan Clark, Dan Kreider, Willie P, Marvel Smith, Max Starks, as well as nagging injuries to Polamalu, Holmes, McFadden, and even Ben really slowed the train this year. I can't remember a year when this many core players finished on the IR. One can only wonder if the Anthony Smith guarantee saga would have even played out had Ryan Clark not been mourning his lost spleen. Oh, remember when you all blasted me for stating that Aaron Smith will be remembered as one of the Steelers greatest defenders...2 wins minimum was the cost of losing him.

FINAL WORD: Every blogger, beat writer, commentator, and fan has an opinion about the Steel collapse, and they are entitled to them. After all the arguments about O line and D line, the depth, the poor draft, the running game, the playcalling, Tomlin's lack of emotions, and Ben's sacks, it all comes down to one word - execution. The Steelers were a play or two away from victory in several losing efforts, to include the wild card game, which now stands as the definition of the season. For whatever reason you care to list, the Steelers just didn't quite finish it this year. They just didn't quite make the play or block or tackle that they needed when it was on the line. They just didn't get it done. In summary, this version of the Steelers was a stark contrast to the team of 2005. In '05, they made these plays, they made these stops, they got it done.

But don't take my word for it, send in your comments.

happy days will return to the North Shore

Fifteen for Fifteen

Today's post is dedicated to my friends at Double Dumbass who recently inspired me to analyze the Pirates inept personnel management skills over the recent years. After some fairly intensive research, and a lot of beer, I was able to compile a list of about two dozen intriguing moves (or non-moves in some cases) during the 15 year tailspin following the 1992 NLCS. I pared that list down to my top 15. Careful when reading this, as your emotions will range from amusement to bewilderment to complete and utter disgust. In seriousness, this list illustrates what my friend pointed out in his article...this team has no frigging clue how to maintain any stream of talent.

15. Tony Armas - I put A.A., Jr at the bottom of this list, because I really don't have a major problem with him, as most Pittsburgh media does. The 2007 acquisition of Armas typifies a tactic that the Pirate front office employs on a yearly basis, with generally less than favorable results. To understand this tactic, one most simply remember the acronym STIFF, short for Second Tier Investment For Free agents. Basically, STIFF represents the annually acquired journeyman player that the Bucs tout as a big investment, but is generally regarded in every other city as a role player, a cast off, or a STIFF. You will see a lot of these players on this list, and although they were generally obtained for much less cash than the front line guys get, they almost always result in a waste of money. I believe that some folks refer to this practice as "penny wise, dollar foolish." This off season the Bucs knew they needed a solid veteran arm to compliment the quartet of quality young starters. So, instead of spending the 7 to 8 million on that decent middle of the rotation guy, the PNC Park penny pinchers spent a whopping 3 million on Armas, who showed the ample return on investment by winning 4 games and posting an era of over 6. In typically Pirate ironic fashion, Armas did log 3 straight quality starts down the stretch, which the front office rewarded by sending Armas back to the bull pen. Armas' club option will not be exercised, thus closing this chapter as a 3 million investment netting 4 wins.

14. Barry Bonds. Ok, before the purists call for my immediate banishment from BlogLand, let me finish my thought. By the spring of 1992, we all knew that Barry was heading to the west coast, but my question here is why didn't the team make an all out effort to re-structure him into a long term deal after the 1990 MVP season, before he was free agency eligible. The net result here is that the Pirates let arguably the greatest player since Ted Williams slip out of town without a fight.

13. Cesar Izturis. This one really pissed me off. I think the only acceptable logic here was that this acquisition was to prep us for the trading of Jack Wilson. Since the team had already conceded any attempt to strive for 82 wins, one can only ask why prospect Brian Bixler was not the choice here. Oh, Wilson was never traded, in fact he was the hottest hitter in the majors for the final six weeks of the season, so for the most part, Cesar got paid the prorated portion of 3.2 million to sit next to Jim Tracy and re-live the fond memories of their Dodger days.

12. Matt Lawton. In November of 2004, the always frugal Buccos decided that they needed to trade Arthur Rhodes for Lawton and his 8 million dollar paycheck. Obviously, they felt that this 33 year old outfielder with the .267 career BA would be a cornerstone in the most current re-building process. Lawton was traded 7 months later for Jody Gerut, a man would only tally 4 more hits in entire career. Now that's 8 million dollars well spent.

11. and 10. Joe Randa, Episodes 1 and 2. This one takes some setting up, but you're going to love it.

EPISODE 1: The story begins in the winter of 1996, as the Bucs acquire a young third baseman named Joe Randa from the Royals in a multi player deal involving Jeff King. Randa earns the starting job on the '97 team, and leads the Battlins' with a .302 batting average while wielding a decent glove, and most importantly, only costing the team a meager $220,000. Now that's the kind of player the Pirates covet, right? WRONG! The Pirates reward Mr. Randa by leaving him unprotected in the expansion draft, losing him to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks immediately trade Randa to Detroit for 5 time all star, Travis Fryman. Meanwhile, Randa eventually migrates back to the AL, where he logs 8 decent seasons as a starter, averaging around .290 over that time frame. And who was the Bucs' opening day third baseman in 1998, you ask? Doug Strange and his .173 BA. Yes, Strange indeed.

We aren't done yet, it gets better...

EPISODE 2: In the winter of 2005, the Pirate management group, now realizing the error in their ways, decide to make amends with Randa and re-acquire him at age 36 for 4 million, or to put it in perspective, around 20 times what he made in '97. Randa struggled with injuries and eventually lost his starting job to Freddy Sanchez during his incredible break out season. Ironically, and in typical Pirate bone headed fashion, GM David Littlefield maintained that although Sanchez was hitting .360 in late May, and playing centerstage in the best baseball story in Pittsburgh in years, the starting job would go back to Randa when he was healthy. Only after several hundred death threats, did Littlefield go mute on the re-instate Randa campaign. The Pirates would get 28 RBI's from Randa in exchange for that 4 million. Mind numbing...

9. Jose Hernandez, part 2. Remember this name, you will hear it again. Hernandez was brought back to the North Shore in 2006, because I think the front office just couldn't find a shittier way to drop $850,000. Don't take my word for it, check out his career stats. We're talking 200 more strikeouts than hits. Think Dave Kingman, without the power. Really? Was there no one else out there???

8. Derek Bell. Ah yes, Mr. Operation Shutdown himself. Bell defies rational thought. I think he was the poster child for greedy immature sports figures, until he became the poster child for felonious, prison bound sports figures. Once again, the Bucs were so intent on getting the STIFF, that they disregarded any homework in terms of analysis. Sources say that any background search would have revealed that Bell was an arrogant, unsavory bum with diminishing skills. Well done, guys, another 5 million down the Allegheny.

7. Chris Corn. Who??? Ok, in 1996, the Pirates selected Charlie Hayes to be their STIFF of the year. The front office plunked down 1.8 million on Hayes, which is on par for Pirate spending, since most free agent corner infielders were had for about 7 million a season in the mid '90s. Hayes threw up marginal numbers, prompting the Bucs to trade him in August, for a prospect. The prospect was a young arm in the Yankees system named Chris Corn. Corn was just coming off of a 12-4 season with the Tampa Yankees, and was generally regarded as a decent prospect. The Bucs, being the Bucs, try to convert Corn to a relief pitcher with disastrous results. He was out of baseball within 5 years. At last check, Corn was an assistant manager of a drywall supplier in Delhi, Ohio. Charlie Hayes shines his 1996 World Series ring every Sunday morning. Another great story in Pirate baseball...

6. Tony Womack. In 1999, Womack was coming off of his second straight season with at least 175 hits and 50 stolen bases. Publicly, the Pirates expressed concerns for his fielding, privately they fretted over another escalating salary. The Diamondbacks came a-callin' and swept Tony away for young pitcher Jason Boyd and prospect Paul Weichard. Boyd would make 12 relief appearances for the rest of his career. Weichard never saw the majors. Womack would go on to score over 90 runs 4 out of the next 6 seasons, and help the D'Backs win the 2001 World Series. Another great trade.

5. Jason Schmidt. This is another one that should just piss you off. The Bucs had a true ace in Schmidt, but as the re-building concept says, he had to go. Littlefield sent him off to the Bay area in exchange for Armando Rios and Ryan Vogelsong. Schmidt would go on to become a dominant starter, earning 3 trips to the All Star game. Rios would whack 3 more homers (for his career) and Vogelsong would join the overly crowded stable of young and mediocre Pirate pitchers. At last count, Vogelsong was languishing with a 10-22 career record. Move over, Sandy Koufax...

4. Matt Morris. I think we will be recalling this one as the David Littlefield thumb up our collective asses for years to come. Why in God's name would a last place team trade for an aging, overpriced, high mileage STIFF, like Morris, at the trade deadline? Did Littlefield feel like we still owed the Giants something after gift wrapping Jason Schmidt 4 years earlier? This boggles my mind. The saddest thing to consider is that Littlefield may have actually believed that this trade was going to save his job. Time will only tell, but I can't imagine how Morris will come close to earning the 9 million we are committed to for next year. More sound investing.

3. Jeromy Burnitz. David Littlefield need only read Burnitz's 2006 bio to remind himself of why people like me ridicule him in writing. We spent 6 million on this bum, and we in return we got 49 RBIs, a .230 BA, and a completely shit head attitude. This 6 million coupled with Joe Randa's 4 million could have been used on a quality starter or outfielder. No, we can't think that way in Pittsburgh.

2. Pat Meares. Good ole' Pat Meares...one of the biggest assholes to ever don the Black and Gold. We dropped about 14.5 million on a guy who saw 240 total games over 3 seasons. Check his stats, this guy was never anything above average. Oh, and Meares is just another guy on this list whose last career stop was the 'Burgh. Any correlation here?

...and finally...

1. Aramis Ramirez. Yep, the deal that topped all Pirate deals. In the summer of '03 the Bucs offered the Cubbies a 25 year old emerging slugger/third baseman for The Unsinkable Jose Hernandez (see # 9), Bobby Hill, a minor leaguer, and a $25 voucher from the Al Capone gift shop . When the Cubs balked, we threw in Kenny Lofton for good measure. It goes to show you, there really is no measure to what some teams would part with to acquire Jose Hernandez.

1st Quarter Grades

Reporting time is here again, and I have enlisted a few of my lovely teacher friends to help us grade the Men of Steel through Week 4. Now, as I have stated numerous times throughout the summer, these reviews are based on personal opinion. Feel free to comment with your own thoughts if you disagree. Better yet, start your own blog, so I can bust your balls. It's been a tough week, sorry...

I broke down the team into the following categories; quarterbacks, running backs, receivers/tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, special teams, and coaching. Yeah, I know, I copycatted the guy from the Gazette.

Ms. Davis says grades are forthcoming

QUARTERBACKS:

This has been the Ben we expected last year, prior to the Evil Knievel shit. I'm very impressed with his improvisations and game management. Only 3 ints through his first 100+ passes is a stark contrast to last year. It would be very nice to see Ben develop his game into Pro Bowl form. I can't give him perfect marks, as he has missed some plays and has made a few forced decisions as he tried to do too much.

GRADE: A-

RUNNING BACKS:

Fast Willie has been huge through the first three weeks. Week 4 was a let down, although it didn't appear that anyone could run on the Cards. If his health holds up, I expect Parker to wind up with some huge numbers. Of course there are still those out who want to compare him Barry Sanders and tell you that he's not our style of runner. (Tony, does Nanna read this blog?)

GRADE: A-

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS:

This group is improved, but they could be better. The absence of Ward last week showed us that we are short in possession guys. San Holmes continues to develop into a big game breaker,

and has the upside of a potential Isaac Bruce or Terrel Owens type guy. Nate Washington is still a middle of the road guy to me. Sometimes he makes a play, sometimes he drops the ball. He's been hit or miss since last season. Ced Wilson has vanished after a great exhibition. The tight ends are an emerging bunch, and appear to be poised to play a significant role in the Arians offense, especially when the cold air starts blowing in off the Allegheny.

GRADE: B-

OFFENSIVE LINE:

This group seems troublesome. The Steelers success over the last 30+ years has been predicated on dominance at the O line. This isn't science, great teams generally control the trench warfare, on both sides of the ball. The line seems to run block quite well, but the pass protection has been shoddy and sporadic. Frankly, a less mobile QB is probably looking at 15 sacks through the first four games. That's not going to cut it when we start playing teams like the Ravens and the Pats. Expect changes here.

GRADE: C

DEFENSIVE LINE:

A good bunch. Quietly underrated. Aaron Smith continues to play the unheralded workman on the end. Just so we are all straight here, Aaron Smith is one of the most solid, well rounded, and team oriented football players to ever grace the North Shore. Outside of Pittsburgh, he's one of those 'best players you never heard of' type guys. Casey Hampton continues to devour runners and pizzas (in Pro Bowl fashion with both), and Brett Keisel is emerging into one of those Cowher-esque defenders that just wreaks havoc on the field.

GRADE: A

LINEBACKERS:

Every sports writer in America took shots at Steeltown's lack of linebacker depth during the summer. The Joey Porter exodus was doomsday for us. Timmons and Woodley were overvalued. Well, I think someone deserves an apology. James Harrison has blossomed into the ruthless baby killing stud that sickens your opponent with fear. I think you need to go the whole way back to Greg Lloyd to find a guy that plays angrier. The inside guys (Foote, Farrior) are just as solid as ever, and the rooks like ok.

GRADE: A-

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

These guys have really stepped up their game thus far. Well, really, the step up is really the recovery of Ike Taylor. Troy Polamalu is the diffference maker when healthy. Townsend is steady as always.

GRADE: B+

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Clearly the most improved area on the team. Coverages are better (excluding the gaffe last week) and returns have been solid with few mistakes. The rookie punter looks like he may be a Northshore staple for years to come, and Jeff Reed is 100% in field goals, and more noticeably, his kickoffs have gotten deeper.

GRADE: B+

COACHING:

Now that the media is done telling you how Whiz beat us last week, we can take a reality check. We have a new coach with a handful of new assistants, and we are 3-1 while playing some exciting football. The playbook is wider now, and the team has a re-newed focus. The coach seems poised and very much in charge of his team. The nuances still need tinkering,...challenges, etc. On a whole, I like this guy and his staff.

GRADE: A-

TEAM OVERALL: A-

Ms. Smallbush says 'keep it up'

The House Cleaning Continues

As Wall Street anxiously awaits third quarter employment figures, Metropolitan Pittsburgh just witnessed their jobless numbers sky rocket by another half dozen. In another move that pronounces the utter disgust with the Battlins' perennial calamity, manager Jim Tracy and a host of operations guys have been shown to the door today. Along with the skipper, the axe fell on Brian Graham (Director of Player Develop), Ed Creech (Scouting Director), and Jon Mercurio (Director of Baseball Operations). The cuts ran deep, and the street rumors were that even Silvia, Head of Administration/Office Skank, was getting the boot. These rumors were greatly over reported, however, and Silvia is safe for another year.

Silvia's improved work ethic and renewed enthusiasm saved her job, sources say

When you factor out summertime casualties Kevin McClatchy and David Littleclue, there are few remaining survivors from the brain trust that has (mis)guided our beloved club to the mecca that we like to call 6th Place. It sort of reminds me of that segment in Goodfellas when DeNiro is clipping all of his guys that were part of the big heist. (If you didn't see the movie, disregard the reference.)

ousted skipper Tracy and GM Littlefield discuss the carpool arrangements to the Unemployment Office

So where does this leave us? New GM Neal Huntington seems like the man with a plan, although that plan appears to be a complete purge. Numerous times in his short employment with the Pirates, he has used the phrase 'culture of winning'. For a team that is almost 300 games under .500 over the last 15 years, it's going to take a boat load of firings to get that culture. Insiders have overheard the young GM stating that even the PNC beer vendors aren't safe right now. One can only imagine that these cuts are eventually going to find their way to the locker room, as Jason Bay has already predicted.

Dylan wrote "These Times, They are a-changin' "...Ron Burgundy never heard that song...