I'll be outta town this weekend, but I should only miss one or two days of posting...Little Snack is finally graduating college!!!
Anyway, the plan for the rest of the day includes writing something during the game tonite; not sure if it will be a live blog, or posting something after the periods or game or what, but rest assured, there will be a post tonite and it will be all about the Pens beating the snot out of the Canadians tonite.
Go Pens!!!
Until later...
UPDATE!!!! - Well it's 7:24 and I've been out boozing with Diego and Bobinkle Von Meathead for the game. I'm not hammered mind you, but it may be in everyone's best interest to wait until tomorrow to post again...We'll see, but in the meantime GO PENS 1-1 WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sarge is the man...lol
UPDATE - 7:36 in the pm, and Jordan Staal knocks another power play goal in..2-1 Pens!!! Oh, and that's one more power play goal then the Canadians let up the entire seven game series with Washington...Just throwing it out there...
UPDATE - 8:09 pm, Sid the Kid makes an incredible power play pass to Kris "Pootie" Letang making it 3-1 Pens. Amazing pass, just as good of a finish. Look for this one on SportsCenter...
UPDATE - It's 9:04 and we are officially kicking the tar out of the Habs. Crosby is killing it, our D is scoring at will and our powerplay is 4 for 4. This will be the final update unless something ridiculous happens, but for now all you need to know is if this is any indication of how the rest of the series goes the Habs need to worry.
Go Pens...
Until lata again...
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
On to Montreal...
So those crazy Canadians bested the Caps to get the right to face us; I know, I'm as shocked as you are. But as much as I would have liked to have seen us beat the hell out of Ovy and his crew of "skilled" players, I think this is just about the best possible match up the Pens could have asked for.
Montreal is one of those teams that doesn't do anything poorly, but also doesn't do anything extraordinary. They're an OK offensive team, with Mike Cammalleri leading the way, and some of their forwards are pretty darn good two way players, guys such as Dominic Moore (former Pen). But they're certainly not on the same level as the Pens skill or speed wise, so you'd have to give the edge to the good guys.
Their defense is also unspectacular, but former Pen Hal Gill has proven to be a very tough opponent, and his size and strength are something to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for the Habs his pairing is the only one you could really call a "shut down" pair, and unlike Washington, we have two (or three depending on who you talk to) lines that can score, so one strong defensive pairing doesn't bode well for our neighbors to the north. Once again, advantage Pens.
While Gill may compete with Brooks Orpik as the best defensive defenseman in this series, the firepower of the Pens offense has a chance to overwhelm the Habs. Our defense isn't much better then theirs, but the way we spread our offense around and all of the talent we have certainly point to us winning this battle.
The goaltending matchup would tend to lean towards the Pens, just because Marc Andre Fluery has so much "big game" experience and his counterpart has been a part time starter. But don't sleep on Jaroslav Halak. He's been very, very strong the past three games, and is pretty much the sole reason the Habs are where they are. The only problem is he, much like the Penguins themselves, can be maddeningly inconsistent. He actually got pulled from Game 3 of the first round series, gave up a three goal lead in Game 2, and didn't even start Game 4.
So give the nod to The Flower, but remember that Halak is standing on his head right now and if that continues it will certainly be hard for the Pens to put the biscuit in the basket.
Let me be very frank with you - the Pens should win this series. We are by far the more talented and experienced team. But as we learned in the Canadians' last series, skill and talent will always lose to heart and will. The Pens better play desperate, desperate hockey or they could find themselves on the wrong side of this series.
Go Pens!
Until lata...
Montreal is one of those teams that doesn't do anything poorly, but also doesn't do anything extraordinary. They're an OK offensive team, with Mike Cammalleri leading the way, and some of their forwards are pretty darn good two way players, guys such as Dominic Moore (former Pen). But they're certainly not on the same level as the Pens skill or speed wise, so you'd have to give the edge to the good guys.
Their defense is also unspectacular, but former Pen Hal Gill has proven to be a very tough opponent, and his size and strength are something to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for the Habs his pairing is the only one you could really call a "shut down" pair, and unlike Washington, we have two (or three depending on who you talk to) lines that can score, so one strong defensive pairing doesn't bode well for our neighbors to the north. Once again, advantage Pens.
While Gill may compete with Brooks Orpik as the best defensive defenseman in this series, the firepower of the Pens offense has a chance to overwhelm the Habs. Our defense isn't much better then theirs, but the way we spread our offense around and all of the talent we have certainly point to us winning this battle.
The goaltending matchup would tend to lean towards the Pens, just because Marc Andre Fluery has so much "big game" experience and his counterpart has been a part time starter. But don't sleep on Jaroslav Halak. He's been very, very strong the past three games, and is pretty much the sole reason the Habs are where they are. The only problem is he, much like the Penguins themselves, can be maddeningly inconsistent. He actually got pulled from Game 3 of the first round series, gave up a three goal lead in Game 2, and didn't even start Game 4.
So give the nod to The Flower, but remember that Halak is standing on his head right now and if that continues it will certainly be hard for the Pens to put the biscuit in the basket.
Let me be very frank with you - the Pens should win this series. We are by far the more talented and experienced team. But as we learned in the Canadians' last series, skill and talent will always lose to heart and will. The Pens better play desperate, desperate hockey or they could find themselves on the wrong side of this series.
Go Pens!
Until lata...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Bring on the Canadians!!!
Just a quick note for those of you who were living under a rock, but the number one seeded Washington Capitals just lost 2-1 to the eighth seeded Montreal Canadians. This means Pittsburgh is guaranteed to have home ice advantage until the Stanley Cup Finals at the least, and will face the aforementioned Canadians in round two.
The series will start Friday, but of course I'll have a preview of what to expect posted tomorrow...
Go Pens!
Until tomorrow...
The series will start Friday, but of course I'll have a preview of what to expect posted tomorrow...
Go Pens!
Until tomorrow...
Pens Report
As I get ready to watch the Capitals-Canadians game, I figured I'd make a little post about what I see as the Pens' biggest strengths and weaknesses going into the second round. It'll be a short and sweet post, but give me a break, there's not much to write about until we know who we're facing...lol
Anywho, I see our biggest and most glaring weakness as our maddening inconsistency. Some periods and stretches we look absolutely unstoppable, with Crosby and Malkin flying through the neutral zone and our third and fourth lines back checking like crazy and disrupting every attempt by the opposition to clear the zone. These are the times that remind people why they won the Stanley Cup in the first place, but the problem is this used to be how they played all the time, not part of the time.
There are times now where the Penguins aren't the fastest team on the ice, and with the talent and overall team speed they have that's completely unacceptable. They always play hard, if not desperate, and as we all know desperate is how you have to play if you're planning on lasting long in the playoffs. The sense of urgency with them seems to come and go and really doesn't get turned on until they're in trouble, and sometimes that's too late.
The biggest strength of the offense has been that we're getting contributions from people of all sorts, including Matt Cooke scoring two goals in game 6 and Pascal Dupuis scoring the game winner. Obviously Crosby and Geno run the show offensively, and they are both playing well (Crosby on a record setting pace in fact), but the fact that everyone has been chipping in is a great sign for the rest of the playoffs.
Our defense is good on one side of the ice, not so good on the other. Losing Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi were bigger hits then most people expected, and Jay McKee has been an adequate but not exceptional replacement for them. There are certainly times where our lack of another bruising defenseman to help punish people in front of the net really hurts us, and those two were very good at clearing out the garbage. We also seem to be moving the puck more side to side as opposed to the up the ice style that we have favored since Disco Dan Bylsma likes, which is causing more turnovers and better scoring chances for the opposition.
On the positive side, our defense has never been better in the offensive zone. Sergei Gonchar has been his usual skillful self, and Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski have shown why they were prized prospects. Letang and Go Go could certainly be better in the defensive zone, but their offensive skills have certainly helped the team thus far this season. And let's not forget the skills of Jordan Leopold, who missed most of the last series with a concussion. He's an excellent two way player and will certainly be a boost over McKee when he comes back into the lineup.
Finally, our goaltending has been adequate, but not stellar. The Flower has been solid, and has really limited his soft goals, but there are still games where he gives up 3 or 4 goals and those games are very difficult to win. But overall he's been very good about not letting things get out of hand and has always kept us in the games, which in the playoffs is definitely a good thing. Plus his big game experience and the relative lack of quality goaltending left in the Eastern Conference playoffs certainly point to him being a strength.
So overall, I'd say we're not at the top of our game but we're getting better. I think our offense is a force to be reckoned with, and our defense is coming along. And having 2 of the 3 (or possibly all 3) teams seeded ahead of us getting knocked out has to make us the odds on favorite. Hopefully these guys won't get complacent and get so far behind that we can't come back, but luckily for all of us, even when we're down by three goals you can't count these Penguins out.
Until tomorrow...
PS - Go Canadians...hahahaha
Anywho, I see our biggest and most glaring weakness as our maddening inconsistency. Some periods and stretches we look absolutely unstoppable, with Crosby and Malkin flying through the neutral zone and our third and fourth lines back checking like crazy and disrupting every attempt by the opposition to clear the zone. These are the times that remind people why they won the Stanley Cup in the first place, but the problem is this used to be how they played all the time, not part of the time.
There are times now where the Penguins aren't the fastest team on the ice, and with the talent and overall team speed they have that's completely unacceptable. They always play hard, if not desperate, and as we all know desperate is how you have to play if you're planning on lasting long in the playoffs. The sense of urgency with them seems to come and go and really doesn't get turned on until they're in trouble, and sometimes that's too late.
The biggest strength of the offense has been that we're getting contributions from people of all sorts, including Matt Cooke scoring two goals in game 6 and Pascal Dupuis scoring the game winner. Obviously Crosby and Geno run the show offensively, and they are both playing well (Crosby on a record setting pace in fact), but the fact that everyone has been chipping in is a great sign for the rest of the playoffs.
Our defense is good on one side of the ice, not so good on the other. Losing Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi were bigger hits then most people expected, and Jay McKee has been an adequate but not exceptional replacement for them. There are certainly times where our lack of another bruising defenseman to help punish people in front of the net really hurts us, and those two were very good at clearing out the garbage. We also seem to be moving the puck more side to side as opposed to the up the ice style that we have favored since Disco Dan Bylsma likes, which is causing more turnovers and better scoring chances for the opposition.
On the positive side, our defense has never been better in the offensive zone. Sergei Gonchar has been his usual skillful self, and Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski have shown why they were prized prospects. Letang and Go Go could certainly be better in the defensive zone, but their offensive skills have certainly helped the team thus far this season. And let's not forget the skills of Jordan Leopold, who missed most of the last series with a concussion. He's an excellent two way player and will certainly be a boost over McKee when he comes back into the lineup.
Finally, our goaltending has been adequate, but not stellar. The Flower has been solid, and has really limited his soft goals, but there are still games where he gives up 3 or 4 goals and those games are very difficult to win. But overall he's been very good about not letting things get out of hand and has always kept us in the games, which in the playoffs is definitely a good thing. Plus his big game experience and the relative lack of quality goaltending left in the Eastern Conference playoffs certainly point to him being a strength.
So overall, I'd say we're not at the top of our game but we're getting better. I think our offense is a force to be reckoned with, and our defense is coming along. And having 2 of the 3 (or possibly all 3) teams seeded ahead of us getting knocked out has to make us the odds on favorite. Hopefully these guys won't get complacent and get so far behind that we can't come back, but luckily for all of us, even when we're down by three goals you can't count these Penguins out.
Until tomorrow...
PS - Go Canadians...hahahaha
Jonathan Dwyer
I know I'm skipping a couple of rounds here, but I think Jonathan Dwyer may have been the steal of the draft for the Steelers, so I'm going to talk about him next. Hope you don't mind, but I really can't see anyone other then Pouncey making as big an impact as a rookie as this guy can, so let's see what makes him tick.
Dwyer left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the NFL Draft after running for 1395 yards in each of the past two seasons. He was actually projected to be a first or second round draft choice which is why he decided to leave school early. But obviously something had to happen to make him plunge to the sixth round, didn't it?
My understanding is that he fell for two reasons; he failed a drug test at the combine and he worked from an option type offense in college (ie. not the pro style offense a Pitt or Alabama run). As for the drug test, he let teams know he was on something (Adderal?) for ADD and that he would more then likely fail the drug test. I don't really see where this would cause him to drop, but apparently some teams were confused or didn't understand why he failed, which could explain some of it.
The other reason, and probably the biggest reason in my eyes, that he dropped is because he played in a triple option offense, which meant he didn't line up in your typical half back position. This could certainly be cause for concern, but my major problem with this rationale is that it seems to be randomly applied to certain people and not to others.
Case in point, look at this year's number one overall draft pick, QB Sam Bradford. He not only missed 90% of last season due to injury, but he played in a spread offense, where he rarely if ever had to take a snap from under center. Last time I checked, the NFL hasn't turned into a shotgun only league. That is certainly as big, if not a bigger question mark then Dwyer's history in an option offense. I'm sure things change for a running back, but I would imagine the switch from spread QB to pro QB would be a much bigger leap.
So what is it about Dwyer that intrigued the Steelers enough to draft him? They certainly couldn't look past his productivity, averaging over 6 yards a carry last season, but it is his running style that definitely added value to this pick. He is a classic Steeler running back in the mold of Jerome Bettis; he's big (between 225lbs. and 235 lbs. depending on where you look), he's a bruiser, and was described by running backs coach Kirby Wilson as "a workhorse-type of running back". Not to mention his speed, while not elite, is certainly good enough to break off a home run or two if he can get into the secondary. If that doesn't instantly make you like him I don't know what will.
Anyway, please don't get the impression I'm calling this kid the next Bettis. There's no way he's the starter this season unless Rashard Mendenhall gets injured, and he will primarily be used as a backup and short yardage specialist, which is something we desperately needed. He's a big body who can hopefully make those third down and one situations a little bit easier, and he should be a fixture for a couple years at least if the expectations match the talent.
Selection Grade - A
Until later today...
Dwyer left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the NFL Draft after running for 1395 yards in each of the past two seasons. He was actually projected to be a first or second round draft choice which is why he decided to leave school early. But obviously something had to happen to make him plunge to the sixth round, didn't it?
My understanding is that he fell for two reasons; he failed a drug test at the combine and he worked from an option type offense in college (ie. not the pro style offense a Pitt or Alabama run). As for the drug test, he let teams know he was on something (Adderal?) for ADD and that he would more then likely fail the drug test. I don't really see where this would cause him to drop, but apparently some teams were confused or didn't understand why he failed, which could explain some of it.
The other reason, and probably the biggest reason in my eyes, that he dropped is because he played in a triple option offense, which meant he didn't line up in your typical half back position. This could certainly be cause for concern, but my major problem with this rationale is that it seems to be randomly applied to certain people and not to others.
Case in point, look at this year's number one overall draft pick, QB Sam Bradford. He not only missed 90% of last season due to injury, but he played in a spread offense, where he rarely if ever had to take a snap from under center. Last time I checked, the NFL hasn't turned into a shotgun only league. That is certainly as big, if not a bigger question mark then Dwyer's history in an option offense. I'm sure things change for a running back, but I would imagine the switch from spread QB to pro QB would be a much bigger leap.
So what is it about Dwyer that intrigued the Steelers enough to draft him? They certainly couldn't look past his productivity, averaging over 6 yards a carry last season, but it is his running style that definitely added value to this pick. He is a classic Steeler running back in the mold of Jerome Bettis; he's big (between 225lbs. and 235 lbs. depending on where you look), he's a bruiser, and was described by running backs coach Kirby Wilson as "a workhorse-type of running back". Not to mention his speed, while not elite, is certainly good enough to break off a home run or two if he can get into the secondary. If that doesn't instantly make you like him I don't know what will.
Anyway, please don't get the impression I'm calling this kid the next Bettis. There's no way he's the starter this season unless Rashard Mendenhall gets injured, and he will primarily be used as a backup and short yardage specialist, which is something we desperately needed. He's a big body who can hopefully make those third down and one situations a little bit easier, and he should be a fixture for a couple years at least if the expectations match the talent.
Selection Grade - A
Until later today...
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Maurkice Pouncey
So I figured since we have a long time until training camp starts I'd take a look at each one of the players the Steelers drafted this season, and try to give some pros and cons ala Mel Kiper Jr. and let you know what the PPB thinks of each one. Seeing as Pouncey was the first pick, I figured he'd be the logical place to start.
Pouncey, taken 18th overall by our boys in black and gold, left Florida a year early to enter the NFL Draft. It's a decision that Pouncey made mainly for money, and on the surface that can look very bad. But he really did leave early for all the right reasons.
I won't steal the PG's thunder, but let's just say he's seen his fair share of woe in his young life, and his turning pro is not just to help pay the bills, but also to help his twin brother achieve his dreams of playing in the NFL too. Oh yea, and the fact that his step-father lost his leg on the job the week before one of the biggest games of his life played a bit of a role too.
All said, and keep in mind none of us have seen him play on the pro level yet, I like the makeup of Pouncey and sure hope he can be one of the better centers in the league for years to come as so many have predicted.
And what is it that made him such a high pick? First off, he's known as a tough inside blocker and with our renewed emphasis on the run and with an aging center this was a no brainer. But his coach at Florida mentioned that he is "an energy giver" on the line, and I have to admit at first I didn't really realize what he meant by that, as I certainly don't remember anyone shooting me with some kind of magical go go juice when I was playing high school ball.
Then I realized what he meant; he's the type of player that other players look up to, the type that can be an emotional and physical leader. His physical gifts are amazing, as they would have to be to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation't best center, but I think the Steelers drafted him as much for those intangibles as they did for his talent.
Look for him to start at right guard this season and to move over to center when Hartwig moves on. He should be an instant upgrade over the patchwork of guards we used last year, and with Kemoeatu on the other side our short yardage game is bound to get better (the addition of 6th round pick Jonathan Dwyer helps a lot too, but we'll talk about him later).
So overall I think this was about as good a player as we could have gotten at number 18, although I was very intrigued that Brian Beluga was still available at that selection. He may have been an interesting pick for the Steelers, but obviously management is more comfortable with their starting tackles then their interior line, and as such, this was definitely the right pick to make.
Selection grade - A
Until next time...
Pouncey, taken 18th overall by our boys in black and gold, left Florida a year early to enter the NFL Draft. It's a decision that Pouncey made mainly for money, and on the surface that can look very bad. But he really did leave early for all the right reasons.
I won't steal the PG's thunder, but let's just say he's seen his fair share of woe in his young life, and his turning pro is not just to help pay the bills, but also to help his twin brother achieve his dreams of playing in the NFL too. Oh yea, and the fact that his step-father lost his leg on the job the week before one of the biggest games of his life played a bit of a role too.
All said, and keep in mind none of us have seen him play on the pro level yet, I like the makeup of Pouncey and sure hope he can be one of the better centers in the league for years to come as so many have predicted.
And what is it that made him such a high pick? First off, he's known as a tough inside blocker and with our renewed emphasis on the run and with an aging center this was a no brainer. But his coach at Florida mentioned that he is "an energy giver" on the line, and I have to admit at first I didn't really realize what he meant by that, as I certainly don't remember anyone shooting me with some kind of magical go go juice when I was playing high school ball.
Then I realized what he meant; he's the type of player that other players look up to, the type that can be an emotional and physical leader. His physical gifts are amazing, as they would have to be to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation't best center, but I think the Steelers drafted him as much for those intangibles as they did for his talent.
Look for him to start at right guard this season and to move over to center when Hartwig moves on. He should be an instant upgrade over the patchwork of guards we used last year, and with Kemoeatu on the other side our short yardage game is bound to get better (the addition of 6th round pick Jonathan Dwyer helps a lot too, but we'll talk about him later).
So overall I think this was about as good a player as we could have gotten at number 18, although I was very intrigued that Brian Beluga was still available at that selection. He may have been an interesting pick for the Steelers, but obviously management is more comfortable with their starting tackles then their interior line, and as such, this was definitely the right pick to make.
Selection grade - A
Until next time...
Don't forget Pitt!!!
I almost forgot to mention our favorite college team, the Pitt Panthers. I'll be dishing on the Panthers as it comes into season as as news warrants it, but for now all you need to know about Pitt was the defense looked fantastic during the Blue - Gold game, while the offense looked a little bit sluggish.
New QB Tino Sunseri claims the offense was very watered down, and in games like this where the defense actually scores points for things like tackles for loss and 3rd down stops it's very hard to judge everything.
One thing that did stand out was everyone raving about how Sunseri has been very good about not turning the ball over throughout spring ball. The Pitt offense is loaded with talent, so if he can just get the ball into the receiver's and running back's hands without turning the ball over I think we'll be in excellent shape.
That's it for now on the fightin' Panthers, but like I said, there will certainly be more to come about the football and basketball teams.
Until later...
New QB Tino Sunseri claims the offense was very watered down, and in games like this where the defense actually scores points for things like tackles for loss and 3rd down stops it's very hard to judge everything.
One thing that did stand out was everyone raving about how Sunseri has been very good about not turning the ball over throughout spring ball. The Pitt offense is loaded with talent, so if he can just get the ball into the receiver's and running back's hands without turning the ball over I think we'll be in excellent shape.
That's it for now on the fightin' Panthers, but like I said, there will certainly be more to come about the football and basketball teams.
Until later...
Odds and Ends
So where to begin. The Pens are on to round two of the playoffs, The Pirates are doing their usual disappearing act (you know, the one where they disappear after the first week of the season and don't reappear until they're close to 100 losses), and the Steelers are in the papers for anything but football. I think we all know where I gotta start...
Big Ben, what the hell were you thinking fella? I know this topic has been beaten into the ground, so I'll keep it short for ya. But basically Ben reminds me of that old creepy guy who shows up at your fraternity house and gets way too drunk for his own good and ends up creeping out every girl there. He acts like he's still in college, getting hammered with the youngin's, which in and of itself isn't a crime.
But it certainly shows that some people will be jackasses regardless of their station in life. He can have anything money can buy, and can probably get away with murder in Pittsburgh, and yet this moron has to go and raise some hell in a little backwoods Georgia town who would love nothing more then the pin his rich pelt up on their wall.
So yea, I think the suspension was warranted, if for nothing else then to teach him that you can't act like a drunken frat boy all the time, especially when you're in such a high profile position. So grow up jagoff, and be thankful that wasn't a Pittsburgh girl you tried that with or someone woulda kicked your ass already.
Santonio's situation was different, just because I think he was sent away not because of how horrid his actions were but because someone needed to go to save face. Even IF he did what that woman is accusing him off, while not acceptable or condoned, is much less of a crime then a sexual assault. Hell, I've been hit in the face with liquor glasses more then once, and I never sued anyone (although in hindsight...lol). All said, he probably deserves the third or fourth chance more then Ben, but we all know football is about winning and we can win without Holmes, not without Ben.
The other big story for the Steelers, besides the draft (which I'll cover in a later post) is the return of several former Steelers to the happy hunting grounds of Heinz Field. Antwaan Randle El is back, as is Bryant McFadden and Larry Foote, all parts of previous Super Bowl winning teams. Obviously this move serves two purposes; first, it brings much needed depth to positions of need, and secondly, I think it's a way to bring some of that old Steeler swagger back.
Those three players exemplify what the Steelers have always stood for, which is toughness, skill and a certain confidence in themselves. Even though McFadden is the only one expected to start, I really think these additions will help calm the seas in the locker room, and look for Randle El to be a big addition in the passing game. He was out of place in Washington, and I think being the number 3 receiver here will do wonders for his career.
And even though I wouldn't hold my breath, there's rumors of a return by Alan Faneca. I don't really see this happening as our scouts and evaluators thought he was washed up two years ago, but if we're truly returning to a run-first offense then he would be a very welcome addition, especially with Baltimore adding Terrance "Mount" Cody to their defensive line. Jeff Hartings, while definitely serviceable, has shown that he has trouble blocking the big noseguards of the AFC North, and have an interior line of Faneca, Chris Kemoeatu and newly drafted Maurkice Pouncey sounds alot better then what we have now.
The Penguins on the other hand are riding high right now. They just finished beating Ottawa in a hard fought six game series, and are waiting on the results of the Washington/Montreal series to see who they play next. The really good news for the Pens is that New Jersey has already been eliminated, and because of Buffalo's loss to Boston we have zero chance of seeing Washington and their snaggle-toothed superstar Alex Ovechkin until the Conference Semifinals.
We haven't necessarily played our best hockey yet in the playoffs, which is either a really good thing or really bad thing. Time will tell, but with Sidney Crosby absolutely dominating and the Pens getting key goals from the likes of Pascal Dupuis I definitely like the way this is unfolding. And having two of the three teams seeded higher then you eliminated (with Washington in real trouble, having to play a game 7 versus Montreal tomorrow) is definitely a good sign.
I'll have more on the Pens as we get closer to the start of round two, so definitely stay tuned....
As for the Bucco's, they're currently getting their tails whipped by Milwaukee so we're just not even gonna discuss them until Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln come up, because let's be honest, this team we have right now is nothing more then a glorified AAA team who is running out of arms to use at an alarming rate. There's certainly hope for the future, but until the future is the now, I'll pass on boring you with that stuff.
Hope ya like the new format, and if you have any ideas or comments you want to send my way, shoot me a message at my old email, pierogisnat@gmail.com...Yea, I'm too lazy to check two emails...what of it?
Until later tonite...
Big Ben, what the hell were you thinking fella? I know this topic has been beaten into the ground, so I'll keep it short for ya. But basically Ben reminds me of that old creepy guy who shows up at your fraternity house and gets way too drunk for his own good and ends up creeping out every girl there. He acts like he's still in college, getting hammered with the youngin's, which in and of itself isn't a crime.
But it certainly shows that some people will be jackasses regardless of their station in life. He can have anything money can buy, and can probably get away with murder in Pittsburgh, and yet this moron has to go and raise some hell in a little backwoods Georgia town who would love nothing more then the pin his rich pelt up on their wall.
So yea, I think the suspension was warranted, if for nothing else then to teach him that you can't act like a drunken frat boy all the time, especially when you're in such a high profile position. So grow up jagoff, and be thankful that wasn't a Pittsburgh girl you tried that with or someone woulda kicked your ass already.
Santonio's situation was different, just because I think he was sent away not because of how horrid his actions were but because someone needed to go to save face. Even IF he did what that woman is accusing him off, while not acceptable or condoned, is much less of a crime then a sexual assault. Hell, I've been hit in the face with liquor glasses more then once, and I never sued anyone (although in hindsight...lol). All said, he probably deserves the third or fourth chance more then Ben, but we all know football is about winning and we can win without Holmes, not without Ben.
The other big story for the Steelers, besides the draft (which I'll cover in a later post) is the return of several former Steelers to the happy hunting grounds of Heinz Field. Antwaan Randle El is back, as is Bryant McFadden and Larry Foote, all parts of previous Super Bowl winning teams. Obviously this move serves two purposes; first, it brings much needed depth to positions of need, and secondly, I think it's a way to bring some of that old Steeler swagger back.
Those three players exemplify what the Steelers have always stood for, which is toughness, skill and a certain confidence in themselves. Even though McFadden is the only one expected to start, I really think these additions will help calm the seas in the locker room, and look for Randle El to be a big addition in the passing game. He was out of place in Washington, and I think being the number 3 receiver here will do wonders for his career.
And even though I wouldn't hold my breath, there's rumors of a return by Alan Faneca. I don't really see this happening as our scouts and evaluators thought he was washed up two years ago, but if we're truly returning to a run-first offense then he would be a very welcome addition, especially with Baltimore adding Terrance "Mount" Cody to their defensive line. Jeff Hartings, while definitely serviceable, has shown that he has trouble blocking the big noseguards of the AFC North, and have an interior line of Faneca, Chris Kemoeatu and newly drafted Maurkice Pouncey sounds alot better then what we have now.
The Penguins on the other hand are riding high right now. They just finished beating Ottawa in a hard fought six game series, and are waiting on the results of the Washington/Montreal series to see who they play next. The really good news for the Pens is that New Jersey has already been eliminated, and because of Buffalo's loss to Boston we have zero chance of seeing Washington and their snaggle-toothed superstar Alex Ovechkin until the Conference Semifinals.
We haven't necessarily played our best hockey yet in the playoffs, which is either a really good thing or really bad thing. Time will tell, but with Sidney Crosby absolutely dominating and the Pens getting key goals from the likes of Pascal Dupuis I definitely like the way this is unfolding. And having two of the three teams seeded higher then you eliminated (with Washington in real trouble, having to play a game 7 versus Montreal tomorrow) is definitely a good sign.
I'll have more on the Pens as we get closer to the start of round two, so definitely stay tuned....
As for the Bucco's, they're currently getting their tails whipped by Milwaukee so we're just not even gonna discuss them until Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln come up, because let's be honest, this team we have right now is nothing more then a glorified AAA team who is running out of arms to use at an alarming rate. There's certainly hope for the future, but until the future is the now, I'll pass on boring you with that stuff.
Hope ya like the new format, and if you have any ideas or comments you want to send my way, shoot me a message at my old email, pierogisnat@gmail.com...Yea, I'm too lazy to check two emails...what of it?
Until later tonite...
Day One...
Well guys and gals I'm back...
I know, I know, I've said that many times before, but recent developments in my life ( I won't bore you, I promise) have made me realize that I need to get my act together, much like our beloved Bucco's do. So I figured why not go back to what I do best? And what is it that I do best? Talk sports, make outlandish predictions, and cut up on any and everybody.
So enjoy the site, posts will start this evening and will certainly be an everyday thing, if not multiple posts a day...Oh yea, this isn't going to be exactly like my old site, there's going to be alot more opinion posts rather then just linking up to the PG and Trib. I certainly won't hesitate to bring you a link if it's relevant, but just posting links won't be part of the Penalty Box.
And to quote the best WWE tag team of all time, Degeneration X, "If you're not down with that, I got two words for ya..."
Until tonite...
I know, I know, I've said that many times before, but recent developments in my life ( I won't bore you, I promise) have made me realize that I need to get my act together, much like our beloved Bucco's do. So I figured why not go back to what I do best? And what is it that I do best? Talk sports, make outlandish predictions, and cut up on any and everybody.
So enjoy the site, posts will start this evening and will certainly be an everyday thing, if not multiple posts a day...Oh yea, this isn't going to be exactly like my old site, there's going to be alot more opinion posts rather then just linking up to the PG and Trib. I certainly won't hesitate to bring you a link if it's relevant, but just posting links won't be part of the Penalty Box.
And to quote the best WWE tag team of all time, Degeneration X, "If you're not down with that, I got two words for ya..."
Until tonite...
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