Smug Is As Smug Does

What a great day to be a Steeler fan/Boardwalk Empire junkie.  Within just hours of witnessing Mike Tomlin snub Ravens' coach John Harbaugh, the biggest ass in football not named Belichick, we all got to tune in to HBO and SPOILER ALERT: see small screen bully Gyp Rosetti meet his ungoldy maker in the ending of another outstanding Boardwalk Empire season. 

Since this blog is devoted to sports, I can't comment much about the affairs of Enoch Thompson and the Atlantic City Boardwalk, other than saying that I can't wait until next season.  As far as Handshakegate, well, that's another matter altogether.  It amuses me immensely that Harbaugh, the man who simply defines the word smug, can find any slight in Tomlin's driveby handshake.  Harbaugh's arrogance seems limitless as he actually felt justified in demanding a proper handshake from a veteran, Superbowl winning - mind you, head coach. Harbaugh manages to add insult to injury following any Ravens' triumph, with both his gleeful antics or his condensing, patronizing comments. When you say things "the Steelers played their hearts out" or "the tougher team won", you should understand why the opposing coach would have a healthy dislike for you.

 Check out the Youtube clip.  It's going to be the talk of the week, although it really is much ado about nothing.

Charmed in Charm City

In what has been a season laden with plot twists, turns, highs, and lows, the pendulum of irony took another big sweeping arc on the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday, as the men of steel rode out of town with an unlikely 23-20 victory over their arch nemesis, the Baltimore Ravens. Matching up against the heavily favored Ravens, the undermanned Steelers gritted out what may be remembered for years to come as the most electrifying regular season win under head coach Mike Tomlin.

Perhaps those words are overstated, but simply consider that the Steelers were again playing behind the geriatric backup quarterback Charlie Batch, and now without cover corner Ike Taylor who was lost early in the contest. Couple this with Maurkice Pouncey making his first NFL start at guard, a few spots over from rookie Kelvin Beachum, a man drafted at #248, five picks away from the notorious "Mr. Irrelevant" award, who was giving it a whirl as the Steelers' third right tackle.  Oh, and all this while playing the Ravens at home where they've won their last 15 contests, and to re-state, without the only man seemingly qualified to beat those Ravens, Big Ben Roethlisberger.  In the Las Vegas Bookkeepers' Wikipedia page, the link to "underdog" simply shows the team's lineup card from yesterday.

But as Coach Tomlin often reminds us, "it's not what you're capable of, it's what you're willing to do"...or perhaps the fitting quote should be the oft overused Chris Bermanism: "that's why they play the game".

Behind a resiliant and rejuvinated Batch, the Steelers got A games from tight end Heath Miller and the patchwork offensive line, while tailbacks Jon Dwyer and Isaac Redman did their share in running hard and protecting the ball.  There was even a Mike Wallace sighting, as Wallace made a few big snares during the critical closing drive.  The defense was once again stellar, and for another week, kicker Shaun Suisham extended his nearly perfect season.

Maybe yesterday was a case of the desperate team syndrome, maybe Batch's manhood and pride were that bruised last week, maybe it was bad karma for Ray Rice, as he unwisely enlisted into the ranks of Terrible Towel desecrators a few weeks back.  Maybe it was finally just shoving a fist into the crotch of the overly arrogant and annoying John Harbaugh.  You decide.  For me, this is a victory to savor, reminiscent of that snowy day on December 11th, 2005.  You remember the game, against the Bears?  The one that transformed a lost season into something that seemed...charmed.

Bucs Get Their Man

Two words for you - holy shit!!!  The Pittsburgh Pirates wasted no time in their attempts to eradicate their 2012 catching woes by inking veteran backstop Russell Martin tonight.  Don't be tainted by the haters who will stress over Martin's gimpy .211 BA this year.  He's a proven commodity yet still south of thirty years old, a three time all-star, a gold glover, hits for reasonable average with some pop, and above all else, he maintains a respectable 30% runners caught stealing percentage for his career.  As far as intangibles, Martin has vast playoff experience in comparison to the Bucs' current roster, and by extension will bring a lot of seasoning to a club that desperately needs to learn how to play through the pressure of late summer games.

Again, the haters will be all over this, but in my opinion, this move comes with little downside.  Martin is clearly an appreciable upgrade at the position that has most troubled the Pirates over the past few seasons, even at his 2012 numbers.  Martin was the biggest catching name still available.  The ability to actually go head to head with the normal MLB price setters and lure home a quality name is something that the Bucs are not known for, and something that GM Neal Huntington should be lauded for tonight.

Here is Martin's Baseball-Reference.Com link.  Again, the numbers don't lie.  The Bucs signed a decent catcher tonight.  Kudos.

C.O.Y. for B.O'B.

I'm going to buck tradition and deviate slightly off of my all things black and gold mission path with this post.  I'd like to give a well deserved shout out to Penn State head coach Bill O' Brien, as he earned the 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.  In a year when nearly every applicable sports governing body (including the Big Ten) took a shit on the Penn State football program, warranted or not, it was really nice to see a fitting award for a job well done.  This blog will not delve into any off-field Penn State football matters, and let's face it, there's no need to.  I just wanted to post a little blurb about something Happy in the Valley today.

Unleash Hell, Volume 2 ???

Let's just start by saying that it ain't a good day to be an agent for former Steeler offensive starters Mike Wallace or Rashard Mendenall.  Yes, I did say former as head coach Mike Tomlin demoted both highly skilled players in a new found level of testiness yesterday. Tomlin evoked memories of 2009 when he delivered the ill fated Unleash Hell promise along with his 'some heads are gonna roll/the standard is the standard' type jargon.  In '09, the only unleashing was that of the fury of Steeler Nation as the team staggered to a 6 win, 7 loss mark before finally finding it's pulse.  Along the way, practically no heads rolled, or even turned for that matter, as Tomlin's benchings were notional at best.

2012 may smack a bit differently, as Tomlin has reasonably proven commodities, such as Emmanuel Sanders and Jon Dwyer, to help him his hold line.  One take home message that can be derived from Tomlin's newly sculpted depth chart as that time is now officially running out on Mendenhall, a former first round pick.  His demotion to third string, his questionable health, his renewed willingness to put the ball on the ground, coupled with his zany and inexplicable social media gaffes, all work together to build a reasonably sound case that #34 ain't in the Steeler for Life category. 

As far as Wallace, well, as this blog delights in pointing out, that fat contract is on the Atkins Diet right now, and shrinking with each game.  I have to believe that Wallace would have to muster up an epic December/January for the Steelers to even consider either:  1) offering a contract that he finds remotely suitable, or 2)  ponying up the $10 mill + for the franchise tag.  Both scenarios seem far off at this point.  The cold reality for Wallace fans is that the game of musical quarterbacks that the Steelers are playing at the moment has been dramatized by the absence of Antonio Brown, the true #1 receiver, the true go-to guy.  Wallace could have stepped up over the last few weeks to help carry the load, the fact is that he didn't.  Don't think for a moment that the Steeler top brass will forget these past few games when negotiation time draws near.

We were assured in the summer that Wallace's holdout was strictly NFL business, and that since he was such a true professional, it would never be a distraction to the team or even to him personally.  Perhaps it's a focus issue,or perhaps Wallace simply doesn't want to risk injury on the eve of big money, but the man is playing at a level beneath him and the proverbial standard.  Time will tell on this one, as well as with Mendenhall, but methinks that some #17 and #34 jerseys will be available on the discount racks very soon.

Mistakes by The Lake

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the holiday season with the spirit of giving yesterday, as they gave away the ball, the game, and virtually any remaining chances of the AFC North title.  Let's hope that they haven't given away the season with their blunderous play.

For the second straight week the Steelers suited up with a reserve quarterback at the helm, needing a complete unified effort from all other areas of the team to seal a victory.  For the second straight week, only a portion of the order was fulfilled.  Despite another stalwart defensive grind against the Brownies yesterday, the offense managed an unfathomable eight turnovers, thus eliminating any prospect for victory.  After a nifty and splashy pick six by Lawrence Timmons only moments into the contest, the Steelers resumed last week's script as soon to be exiled tailback Rashard Mendenhall fumbled away his second carry of the game.  Mendenhall would quickly acquire roommates in the dog house as all three remaining tailbacks would put the pig on the carpet at some point in the contest.

There isn't much more for me to add here.  You all saw it.  Eight turnovers = loss.

CHEERS AND JEERS:


CHEERS

• Lawrence Timmons - Timmons was once again driving the wrecking ball truck as he blew up plays all over the field while equaling the Steelers' entire offensive output.
• Jason Worilds - the guy just played plain nasty yesterday as Lamar Woodley took his usual spell on the trainer's table.
• Heath Miller - he tried, yes sir, he tried.
• James Harrison - is this a mirage, or is the ornery old Silverback getting close to his old form?

JEERS

• The Steelers Front Office - for still clinging to this flawed and arrogant notion that Charlie Batch is the no-brainer solution for the 3rd QB spot.  Quoting MP - "Charlie Batch - he just shouldn't be playing in the NFL."  Enough said on that...
• Rashard Mendenhall - the 'veteran' in the backfield?  Really?
• Mike Wallace - what would my blog be if I couldn't give #17 a jeer.  At this point, I truly hope he has gotten back his deposit on that Caribbean island he was hoping to buy with his Larry Fitz money.  This guys has had a critical role in at least three losses this year.  For all the big plays he makes with his feet, he seems to double them with bad plays with his hands and brain.

Bucs Get Their Thanksgiving Pie

In a week dominated by news and rumors of news that accompanied the bevvy of roster moves made by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the other North Shore guys wouldn't be outdone in the crafty personnel moves department, as they inked a notable deal of their own yesterday.

No, not Josh Hamilton or Justin Upton, nope, not even close. The Buccos locked in on journeyman Felixe Pie, a middling outfielder last seen languishing in the Braves farm system.  As if the Pirates didn't already have an ample reserve of career minor league outfielders and/or reclamation projects, GM Neal Huntington felt just one more dive into the proverbial MLB dumpster might yield this year's Xavier Paul.

Pie, a zero tool player who seems to fit the mold that the Bucs gravitate to, lacking both power and speed, turned in his best season in the bigs in 2009, when he mustered a whopping .763 OPS as a fourth outfielder/utility guy for the Orioles.  I'm not quite sure why this deal actually happened, but part of me says that Huntington simply wanted to employ a man named after a pastry dessert.

Look for Pie's name to begin surfacing in late May as all of Bucco Nation is clamoring for the lynching of both Jose Tabata and Alex Presley.  Also look for Pie to join Tabata, Presley, and a host of other stiffs who will be royally pissing you off by mid June.