Weekend Wind-Down

Here's another new entry from our newest contributor, Fat Daddio...he'll be posting about once a week or so, and I'll be posting something on Wednesday...

Enjoy!

-- Pitt's big three of DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Levance Fields held up their end of the bargain at the dance. But every game was a struggle, in large part because Tyrell Biggs, Juan Dixon, and Brad Wannamaker didn't show up. If we have one bit of advice for Jamie Dixon next season, it would be to trust Ashton Gibbs a little more and Wannamaker a lot less.

And give Agnus Berenato lots of love. Her team is risen with a bullet, and unlike Dixon, she took over a program with no tradition and fewer players. Her girls may be in over their heads in the NCAAs now, but she's put them on the map.

-- And some props should go to Duquesne's Ron Everhart and Suzie McConnell-Serio. They're single-handedly dragging basketball back to prominence on the Bluff. We can't wait to see the City Game regain the edge it had when the Mike Rice and Tim Grgurich teams got it on.

-- The Pens are amazin'. Sooner or later, all that penalty time is gonna catch up to them, but right now their guys are playing pond hockey as well as it can be played. Our only question is whether or not their legs can stand up to the pace, especially in the every-other-day Stanley Cup format. But what a difference Sergei Gonchar, Chris Kunitz, and Billy Guerin make on the ice. Ray Shero has reinvented the team.

-- Pitt is getting ready to step out in football this year, but they still have a lot of question marks. Can the linebacking come together? Will a running back step up? And most importantly, can Tito Sunseri wrest the QB job from Billy Stull? Wanny has some players now, but he still doesn't have the depth that a Top-Ten team needs.

-- The Pirates start on April 6th against the Cards. Does anybody care? Hey, they should be better this year, but they'll go as far as the rotation takes them. Paul Maholm looks like a hoss, but will Ian Snell rediscover his nasty stuff and can Phil Dumatrait rejoin the staff before it's too late? The answer best be yes if the Buccos want to avoid their historic 17th straight losing season.

The cavalry is on the way, with Pedro Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen, and Jose Tabata all looking ready to join the show in the next season or two. But the minor league pitching hopes hinge on Altoona starter Brad Lincoln and Lynchburg's Bryan Morris, and that's not exactly what you call depth.

But as long as you've got bobbleheads and the Zambelli Brothers...

Quickie for yinz...

So how bout them Steelers? Scoring 14 points in a 24 second span is a good way to begin a playoff push, is it not? Thankfully Deshea Townsend CAUGHT the ball when Tony Romo threw it his way, or else this could be a completely different conversation...

So down to the specifics...

The offense once again struggled until it mattered by throwing up three-and-a-half quarters of abismal football - luckily, Nate Washington figured out how to catch the ball and Santonio figured out how to get open at just the right time. That last seven minutes is how the Steelers have to win games; ridiculously good defense and timely playmaking. Let's face it, we're not the Steelers of Jerome Bettis anymore. Hell, with the way Fast Willie has been running, we're not even his team anymore.

So that's about all their is to say about the offense - they may not be very good, but at least they score when they have to...

(Pic from knbr.com)

Ben can score alright...

Now the defense, that's a completely different story. Those crazy bastards are all over the place, and if James Harrison doesn't win Defensive MVP I may have to smack somebody. He reeks havoc with every snap, and I have yet to see an offensive tackle who can stop him without holding (really NFL, if you're going to fine everybody for everything you really need to tell the refs to watch the holding on him. It's crazy how often it happens.).

And even the secondary played well, with Troy grabbing his league leading seventh interception, Ike "ooopps I dropped the ball" Taylor snagging one and Deshea coming thru with the game winner. All in all, a pretty damn good day for the defense...

Oh, and did I mention they STILL haven't allowed 300 yards of total offense against them this year - just something to ponder...

Of course Sunday's game with the "men who wear purple" will be a huge one - I personally want to see Ray Ray Lewis leaving on a cart for all the hits he's dropped o n us, but I'll settle for a win...

(Pic from sportsillustrated.com)

Yeah, he's a thug alright...

And in other sports, the Pens have lost 2 in a row, and they kinda look like crap right now. But it's still early, we're still in the playoffs and we have the 2 best players in the game...We'll be fine.

And finally, Pitt is still undefeated and ranked number three in the country, and the Pirates still stink and haven't added a damn thing to the roster that's even worth mentioning.

Until lata...

Go Steelers...

What's up everyone? Sorry for the long wait, I didn't give up again already (as I know many of you thought), I've just been rather busy with the Turkey Day events and a visit from the little brother. Anyway, enough of that crap, onto the sports...

So how good did the Steelers look yesterday? Their defense is playing like the Steel Curtain of the 70's and the offense, well, God bless them they're trying. Ben's been playing better, and the running game actually mustered over 160 yards yesterday, but having to settle for four Skippy Reed field goals kept the game alot closer then it should have been. But I guess I'm really nitpicking when I pick on a unit that dropped 33 on the pretty decent Patriots defense.

And as for our defense, all I can say is wow. James Harrison has to be the defensive MVP in the NFL, no questions asked. He has 14 sacks, has forced 6 fumbles and seems to be in on every big play this big play defense creates. And let's not forget his partners in crime, Woodley, Potsi Farrior, Timmons and Foote, who are all having sensational seasons. They are the meanest SOB's in the league and have shown the ability to take over games when needbe, which is something nice to have up your sleeve in case the on again off again offense has an off day.

Last but not least, I can't forget the defensive backs, namely our safeties (sorry CB's, yinz get hurt too much to know who to write about, so I'll just say Ike, you're playing good but ya gotta learn to cath the ball buddy). Ryan Clark is an unsung hero, as he's been delivering crushing hits (ask Wes Welker what his name is today - I bet he still doesn't know) and playing an overall excellent safety, allowing his counterpart, Troy "Tazmanian Devil" Polamalu to do his thing. And for those of you that don't know, his thing is making 6 interceptions and countless other big plays and tackles for losses. If it weren't for Silverback, I'd be saying Taz should be the MVP; he's been that good this year.

(Pic from pittsburghsteelersjersey.net)

Gotcha!

On a that note, all this talk about Kris Jenkins and Al Haynesworth being MVP is absolute crap; all they do (for the most part) is stuff the run. Funny, I don't remember anyone saying Big Snack Hampton or even Joel Steed being mentioned for that honor, and I'd venture to say they both were as, if not more effective then those two. Defensive MVP should go to a game-changer, and Silverback is most certainly that.

So overall, I'd say the Steelers are looking good with a 9-3 record and heading into big matchups with Dallas and Baltimore (screw you Ravens). Go Steelers!

Our other boys in black and gold, the Pens, have been playing well recently, completeing a 9-2-1 month of November, which has them near the top of the Eastern Conference. Geno Malkin is leading the league in scoring, with Sid closing in on him, which is always a good sign. Even our much maligned defense, struggling a bit without Sarge Gonchar and Ryan Whitney, is playing better. I still think a trade to acquire a left winger (Illya Kovalchuk anyone?) would be wise, but for the time being, all things look pretty good in Mario's world.

And finally, Pitt is off to a 7-0 start and won some little tourney in New Jersey, which is good, and they're ranked in the top 5, so all's well there. Sam Young looks to be a superstar and Levance Fields will be getting healthier and healthier as the year goes on. With Blair and Dixon playing well, this team could finally be the one that cracks the Elite Eight or even Final Four, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. We'll see how they do in the toughest conference in the country before we start annointing them as the best Pitt team in recent memory.

Until lata...

Why Hello There

Hello boys and girls, it's been a long, long while, I know, but Snack is back and I'm hoping to post a few times a week from here on out. Sorry for the leave of absence, I've been trying to find a job and we all know how that goes (FYI I'm still looking so if any of you guys have a job offer email me)...

So without further ado, here's a couple things that have been going on recently that I feel should be addressed...

First off, how about them Pitt Panthers? They killed Louisville today, moving to 7-2 and locking up a bowl bid for the Stache'. Just imagine if those clowns would have beat those pesky powerhouses Rutgers and Bowling Green - we could be complaining about how Pitt should be playing for a national title. And to think, we're doing all this with a QB who throws worse then me. Not too bad boys, not too bad...

(Pic from fansonly.com)

Speaking of not too bad, the Steelers are doing suprisingly well considering Ben's been getting killed and Willie Parker and Rashard Mendehall have been pretty much useless all season. That defense though, is tough as nails. Even with starters such as Big Snack Hampton and Bryant McFadden out, the Steel Curtain has been the most dominant defense in the league.

Tomorrow's game against Indy isn't nearly as intimidating as it was at the beginning of the season, and my guess is, if we win 4 of our remaining 8 games, we should make the playoffs. But that's still a long ways off, so for now I'd say just sit back and watch the coolest mofo in Steelers history (Coach Tomlin) unleash the hounds (or Silverbacks in James Harrison's case) on Peyton Manning...with an injured Indy O-Lline it should be like shooting very slow fish in a barrel..

(Pic from bleacherreport.com)

Is Silverback the next Gregg Lloyd?

The Pens are off to a quick start, but it seems like they're missing Sarge Gonchar and Ryan Whitney more then we all thought. PNA used to be a big fan of the USS Gill, however it's becoming more and more apparent that Big Snack can skate faster then him, and judging by the way he got his teeth kicked in during his only fight this year, I'm willing to bet I can throw a meaner right hook too...

(Pic from foxchapelhockey.com)

I think this bird could beat up Hal Gill

And of course, losing Hossa hurts, but he obviously feels playing with those tools in Detroit was better for him, so I say screw him, I hope we see him in the Finals again this year, and maybe my boy Goddard can bring a little "small town justice" to Hossa's face (I know it won't happen but a guy can dream eh?).

And finally, I guess I should mention our minor league baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. My God, could they suck any more? Once they traded away Nady and Bay, which let's face it, they had to do, they couldn't score (sound familiar guys?...hahaha). And then Pedro Alvarez/Scott Boras held us hostage for about $500 k or some other crappy little amount because Boras has daddy issues or something (I'm sorry but I personally think he's just about the worst human being on Earth - he makes GM's lives miserable over the huge amounts of cash he asks for mediocre players like Barry Zito).

It's gonna be a long time until we're competitive again, but hey, at least these jagoffs in the front office realize Joe Randa and Derek Bell aren't the keys to us winning, which is more then can be said for previous management.

So there ya go, that's Snack's take on all things Pittsburgh sports right now. Look for another update after the game, prolly on Monday...

Until lata...

And PS - Snacks would like to thank his old man for telling him to start writing again...good look old timer, and make sure you guys check out his blog, The Green Weenie.

Link's N'at

Looks the already shorthanded Penguins (Talbot, Sykora, Hossa, etc) will be hurting even worse tonight. Pens captain Sidney Crosby will miss tonight’s game against the Sabres with pain in his right ankle.

It is definitely a little premature to think about this considering he hasn’t even played a full game for us yet. However, Scott Taylor from the Canadian National Post is already asking, does Hossa have a future with the Pens?

Pitt looks for redemption tonight against Cincy at 7 PM (and throughout the Big East tournament for that matter) as they play at their home away from home, Madison Square Garden.

More Big East awards for Pitt hoops players. Sam Young has won most improved player, Dejuan Blair won rookie of the year, and Ronald Ramon won sportsmanship award.

Ex-baseball star Lenny Dykstra is a Wall Street tycoon worth about 150 million. How does that work? According to Dykstra himself, he doesn’t even like to read because it “hurts your eyes” and “makes you think too much”. Did Lenny go to Pgh public school?

Everyone is Irish on St Patty’s Day, except for Luke Ravenstahl that is. St Patty’s Day (parade is this Saturday) is one of the few times it actually pays off to live in Pittsburgh, and that little punk, Luke Ravenstahl,is trying to ruin that. It’s ok for him to go to country music concerts and party in publicly owned vehicles, or be drunk and disorderly at Steelers games, but when the rest of us wanna do it he tries to put a stop to it. You suck Luke, fun ruiner! I am pretty sure Bob O’Connor or Tom Murphy never woulda done this nonsense.

(Pic from blog.kreedphotography.com)

Hater of the Irish and Jagoff of the Week here at PNA...

Monday Morning Hangover...

Note from Snack - Sorry it's a day late, Diego got it to me on time, my fat ass just fell asleep after work yesterday so I didn't get it posted. My bad. But enjoy, all the links are still relevant, and I think it'll be a nice lil addition to your Tuesday...

It is March again which means two things for Diego, March madness NCAA hoops and St Patty’s day drunken mayhem. Neither are quite here yet, but both are on the horizon. This weekend wrapped up the regular season of NCAA basketball, so that means that this week is conference tournament week. I also got a chance to see Pitt live this weekend so lets start the Hangover with some hoops talk.

Pitt gives the DePaul hoops team a chance to enjoy their spring break

Pitt finished its season yesterday with a 98-79 victory over Big East team DePaul, at home at the Pete on senior day. The loss for DePaul means they will not be making an appearance in this years Big East tourney at Madison Square Garden. This was the last home game for seniors Ron Ramon, Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook (out with injury), and Maurice Polen.

(Pic from post-gazette.com)

Introducing the newest members of the Pittsburgh XPlosion!!!

After losing three in a row, the Panthers have bounced back to win three of their last four games to end the season. It was mostly all offense on Sunday at the Peterson center, as Pitt managed to score 98 points (their 2nd highest point total all year) with six players kicking in to score double digits (all 5 starters plus Gilbert Brown). DePaul stayed in the game due to freshmen Dar Tucker who scored 23, and gave the Pitt defense trouble all game long.

The balance of the offense was key in the victory for Pitt, but their defense is still suspect. Allowing a team like DePaul to score almost 80 points is never a good sign. Still the Dixon led Panthers will be making the big dance for the 7th straight season, which is an impressive accomplishment. It is easy to complain about Pitt never making it past the sweet 16, but this basketball team stunk for so many years (in the 1990’s) it’s good to see that they have turned the program completely around.

-Levance Fields is feeling better, finally. Fields had his best game since injury, and arguably best game of the season yesterday. He had 9 rebounds, 9 assists, and 11 points. Fields was looking very Jason Kidd like hustling, making plays on both ends, and leading the Pitt offense.

- Dejuan Blair is a monster. I know I have been saying this all year, but this kid has game. He snatches up every rebound near him, and just looks bigger and stronger then his opponents. He plays psychical and I like it. I’ll keep the NBA comparison’s going and say he’s got some Elton Brand game for sure.

- There are times when Sam Young is unstoppable out there. Young is a gifted scorer and playmaker, if he doesn’t take his talents to the NBA next year, Pitt may have a candidate for not only Big East player of the year, but player of the year period.

*** Pitt’s Sam Young has been voted to first team All-Big East team, while freshman Dejuan Blair received honorable mention (aka he got shafted).***

NCAA and Conference Tourney News

Pitt has Cincinnati in the first round of the Big East tournament Wednesday at 7 PM.

Robert Morris lost Mt. Saint Mary’s 83-65, killing their chances of a NCAA tournament bid.

Duquesne has a first round match with LaSalle also on Wednesday in the A-10

Penguins- Time to get down to it.

For once we are on point here at PN@ and have already posted a recap of yesterday’s Pen’s action, so here is just a few thoughts about the team…

-Fleury is the man. The Penguins higher up’s have shown that their allegiance lies with the Flower. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with this as he is our franchise goalie. On top of that, Fleury’s ego is more fragile then Conklin’s is so it's better to give him his PT (playing time) so it won’t mess with his head.

-There has been debate about what to do with the power play lines once Hossa returns from injury. I like the idea of splitting up Malking and Crosby, and giving each their own PP line. It seems Malkin plays with more confidence without Crosby by his side. Also, keeping the two separate will drive opposing coaches crazy, as they try to match up their top penalty kill units against each superstar’s line.

Goodbye Wire

In un-sports related news, the series finale of The Wire aired last night on HBO. The Wire is my favorite TV show of all time and after 5 seasons, it concluded in true Wire fashion, conveying the message that the more things changed, the more they stayed same. I won’t snitch as to what happened, but if you haven’t seen it already you need to get on demand and check it out ASAP. The Wire will be greatly missed here at PN@.

(Pic from hbo.com)

Is it Slim Charles' time to shine?

(Pic from hbo.com)

Or is Cheese in charge?

(Pic from flowtv.org)

Or is Marlo still the man?

Until lata...