15 Aug
published in category: College Sports on Monday, August 15th, 2016 – 10:12 am
Talking Pitt Receivers with WR Coach Kevin Sherman and offensive line with Redshirt Senior Adam Bisnowaty plus recap of the scrimmage and first week and weekend of Pitt Training Camp.
12 Aug
published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, August 12th, 2016 – 1:27 pm
Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects joins Josh Taylor to preview weekend series vs. the Dodgers. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics presents the Pirates Pre-Game Show, PIA Pittsburgh, an education with opportunities.
Hear from Taillon, Hurdle, Freese and Cervelli. Sponsored by Wicked Fox of O’Hara, For a Wicked Good Time.
• The Wicked Fox of O’Hara, For a Wicked Good Time, Located at 1335 Freeport Road in O’Hara Township, a green certified restaurant through the Green Restaurant Association. Mondays are $5 Build a Burger night, and Tuesdays equals wing night! with over 20 flavors.
12 Aug
published in category: College Sports on Friday, August 12th, 2016 – 9:06 am
Pitt interviews with Coaches Josh Conklin, Tom Sims and Rob Harley. Plus all the Panthers Training Camp coverage you need.
From Pitt PR- Head Coach Pat Narduzzi
Opening statement:
“We’ve got three [practices] in the bank. Two great shorts days and a really good day yesterday. There were a lot of good things. Obviously there are things that we need to try to get better at; but overall, I was happy for us yesterday. We played smart I think. We stayed off the ground. You worry about guys falling down when it’s in between. It’s not live, and you’re not really hitting anybody, but you still need to get some of that good work done. Our kids did a great job of focusing, but there are a lot of places to get a lot better.”
On the remaining schedule this week as it pertains to pads:
“We’ll be in full pads tomorrow, and they’re in shells again today. As you see them walk out there, they’re ready to go.”
On if he’ll continue tinkering with what spots guys on the offensive line are lined up on:
“No question about it. I think it’s great for competition. As coaches, that’s what we do. You have to have competition in camp. In different spots there is better competition than others, but we’re going to continue to tinker—offensive line especially. Jaryd Jones-Smith looked really good yesterday. It’s kind of like—wow—where’s he going to be? We’re going to continue to find those spots on the offensive line and see who’s where. Same thing on the defensive line. We put in some sub-packages on defense today. We’re going to try to find out who fits where. I’m excited about one [sub-package] that we’re putting in. I can’t tell you, but I’m excited about it. I’m excited about what I saw in a meeting today, so it should be fun.”
On if there is still competition for spots in the defensive backfield:
“I think those battles continue. I think it’s too early. You’re not changing too much on the depth chart on day one or day two. I tried to look for some changes yesterday, and I didn’t get much out of the staff when we had our meeting. It’s hard for me to say in your shorts if you can make that tackle, or if you would have made that play. It comes down to you either do it or you don’t. Until you go live it’s hard to move too many guys around the depth chart, but you’re seeing good things and bad things and guys are pointed out. Eventually things get moved around, but we’re making our moves without changing a whole lot on the depth chart.”
On what Reggie Mitchell and Terrish Webb do well at the safety position:
“Obviously they are very smart in what they do. I think they are both interchangeable. I think they can both play the field and the boundary. Reggie [Mitchell] being a little bit of a bigger guy might fit into the boundary more than Terrish [Webb]. He is a little bit more physical than Terrish [Webb], but they’re both athletic. In our defense, they understand what we do, and they’re able to play man to man on the number two vertical, and that’s what we ask them to do. They have great knowledge. Right now they are both co-starters in my opinion. Who lines up on that first play against Villanova? I don’t know, but at this point, that’s what they’re fighting to be: the first guy out there.”
On if cornerback is a position where he could see freshmen developing a significant role:
“Yeah, it is. There’s a lot of competition out there. Damar [Hamlin], Henry Miller, and Therran Coleman are some of the young guys, but some of the other guys like Malik Henderson, who has shown some improvement from a year ago, are physical. We aren’t tackling, but you can see that he is snapping on people. The weight room has really helped him this offseason, and Dane Jackson has really done a nice job. Those are two guys who are redshirt freshmen that are not only going to help us on special teams this year, but are fighting to get a role in that defense.”
On how Jordan Whitehead’s knee has held up through the first few practices:
“He looks like a million dollars out there. He really looks good. We’ve got to keep him healthy. It was a very minor surgery. I say minor because I’ve had some major ones. I’ve had some major issues, but it was a minor thing that we were able to catch and just clean it up. He could have probably gone without it, but he looks really good.”
On how Rachid Ibrahim’s progress coming his injury has gone:
“He looks good. I was teasing him about him limping a little bit, but he was like, ‘Coach, you limp too.’ He looks good. He has not been slowed down at all by it.”
On big defensive coaching changes from year one to year two in a system:
“I think every year is different, but I kind of talked about it at the media day press conference the other day. It really comes down to the knowledge. Structurally you’re not doing a whole lot different, but it’s their understanding of what we’re doing and why. I think the why is so important. We can tell a guy to do this, but when you know why you go, ‘Okay, I get it now.’ It’s not just a, ‘Hey, do this.’ You’re like a robot doing that. We can’t have robots on the field. They’ve got to understand why, and things change too during the game, so they’ve got to see, ‘Oh, I see why we don’t want to do it that way,’ because they did that. The why is so important for our kids—offensively and defensively—to understand.”
On when he will get game-plan specific for Villanova:
“We’ve already game planned for Villanova, as well as a few other teams. We’ve watched tape on every opponent. We’ve got a lot of our game plan already in. A lot of the things that we are doing in our game plan we have already installed, so we don’t have a problem. We don’t want to install it the week before the game. A lot of the first things we’ll install are based on who you are playing the first two games. That way, nothing is changing. Unless you guys go to their scrimmage, we’re not going to see what they do.”
Defensive Line Coach Tom Sims
On the potential of defensive end Dewayne Hendrix:
“Dewayne [Hendrix] has an excellent upside because he has an excellent work ethic. He is fighting through this heat. He’s pushing himself, and he hasn’t asked out of anything. I’m excited to see where he will be when we tee it off this season. I think he’ll be a key contributor for us.”
On what Dewayne Hendrix brings that is unique:
“All day—if that makes sense. Not that he is where we want him to be. I want to be clear about that. There’s room for improvement, and it’s our job to get that improvement out of him and get him as good as he can be. He is progressing and he is getting better.”
On the work ethic of Dewayne Hendrix:
“In the offseason, I would come in on a random day and he’d be in here watching film. During camp, I get to work early in the morning, and he’s sitting in the meeting room watching film. He’s trying to do the things that will help him get better. He’s a raw kid. He hasn’t played a whole lot of football, but he has some upside to him.”
On the combination of Dewayne Hendrix’s attitude and athletic ability making him a special player:
“This is what I’ll say: You don’t want to put that pressure on him. I want him to work every day and improve every day, and we’ll see where he is when it’s all said and done. And that could be a good place.”
On Shakir Soto’s move to defensive tackle:
“Shakir is doing a good job for us. He’s another kid that put on a considerable amount of weight without losing any athleticism. The key for us is to get him out here in this hot sun, and let him work, train and get used to carrying that extra cargo he has. Actually, we call it horsepower; it’s not cargo. I expect big things from him. I expect him to step up and be a leader on the defense.”
On what Tyrique Jarrett needs to do in order to finish strong in his last season at Pitt:
“Tyrique [Jarrett] needs to do what Tyrique is capable of. That will be impressive if he does it all the time.”
Defensive Backs Coach Ronaldo Hill
On if he’s seen any separation in the competition battles in the secondary so far:
“Not yet. We just want the best guys on the team competing. I’m sure that once we get to the scrimmage on Saturday that some things will start to even their way out. But right now, we just want those guys to go out there and compete. We know that if we do have competition that it only makes our group stronger on the back end.”
On challenging the players to take advantage of this position battle in the secondary:
“We talk about having a standard. Our standard is not allowing long plays and not allowing deep balls to go over our heads. So with those guys holding themselves to that high standard, it only creates that competition battle because they know if they didn’t do well on that play that I’m looking to the sideline to get the next guy in.”
On how quickly the freshmen have been able to pick up the defensive schemes:
“I don’t know if I can necessarily pick out one moment or one time where it happened, but I know that if I install it that day, that those guys have got it. They’ve got it. They can go out and perform it, and as a coach that’s the one thing that you look for: guys who can take the classroom out to the football field. And those guys have been able to do it consistently so far.”
On the leadership of senior Ryan Lewis:
“He sets the example. He sets the tone by coming out here early, working on his footsteps, getting the young guys out here and staying after practice so they can see how a veteran does those things. He understands that it’s his last year, and he wants it to be special. He’s putting all his eggs in the basket, and I believe that he’s ready to go.”
Running Back Qadree Ollison
On the battle at the running back position:
“There’s only one football on the field. We’re all working really hard every day to try and perfect our craft. Coach Canada challenged us as an entire room to go outside of our comfort zone, and learn different positions—whether it’s coming out of the backfield, running routes, going in the slot. They’ve challenged us to do that. We are all trying to become more versatile so we can make more plays as a room.”
On the backs becoming more involved in the passing game:
“Coach Canada has a very diverse offense. We have a lot of different ways we can play. He always tells us we can put our subs in and play three running backs, or you play with five wide outs. He wants to put the best 11 guys on the field to give us the best chance to put up points and win. That will make it easier on our defense.”
On his mindset going into practice given the competition at RB:
“My approach is to take it one day at a time. Don’t try to rush it. If you work your butt off, you’re going to be happy with yourself and happy with the results. I don’t worry about touches or how many carries somebody else is getting because I just want to win. And that’s the great thing about our entire team: we all just want to win. It doesn’t matter who gets the ball. If we have to run the ball 60 times or throw the ball 60 times, it doesn’t really matter as long as we score more points than the other team at the end of the fourth quarter.”
On what he has improved in the offseason:
“I’ve gotten a little leaner and lost some weight—about 16 pounds. I’m faster. I worked on my route running and hands. That’s pretty much it. I wanted to get leaner and faster to try to put myself in situations to succeed.”
Quarterback Nathan Peterman
On the red zone being a point of emphasis this season:
“For sure. When an offense gets in the red zone, you have to get points. Obviously we want 100% touchdowns. You have to protect the ball in the red zone, which is something I need to do a little bit better job of right now.”
On what he has seen from the defense so far:
“They’re doing a good job. They’re improving every day fundamentally. We’ve got a lot of good players on the defense and they are a challenge to go against every day.”
On how ready he feels James Conner is:
“James is always impressive to me. I’ve got to worry about myself. I can’t start worrying too much about other players, but I think he looks great out there and I’m really excited to keep working with him.”
Running Back Darrin Hall
On his takeaways from playing regularly last season:
“It helped me a lot. The game is moving slower for me. I’m taking my time and I’m making the right decisions.”
On what he did well in spring practice to move up the depth chart:
“I’ve just focused on the fundamentals, the little stuff, like staying low and carrying the ball high and tight. I’m trying to do that now because that’s what really matters. I used this offseason to make sure my jump cuts are right and that my routes are going smooth. I’m just trying to make plays.”
On the depth at the running back position:
“We’re all good. We all want to play, so we’re all competing out there, trying to get better. The best guys will play.”
On feeling he can be the backup RB:
“Right now I’m fighting to get that number two spot. I’m really focusing on playing as much as I can, so I’ve just been going into each scrimmage making sure I do the best I can to make plays.”
On the highlight plays he made today:
“I had a couple good runs. I did a great job on my fakes today which helped open up the offense and my routes were smooth. Coach Powell always focuses on making guys miss and getting those extra couple yards, and that’s about taking your time, making sure your feet are under you, and using your techniques.”
11 Aug
published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, August 11th, 2016 – 6:25 pm
With the uncertainty the Pirates’ starting rotation has been known for this season, there has finally been a turning point; a stabilization, a return to equilibrium. One of the men responsible for that changing of the tide is right-hander Jameson Taillon, who quietly became the starting staff’s most efficient pitcher and then cemented his status Thursday afternoon as their most consistent to date.
Taillon’s eight-inning, scoreless performance against the Padres at PNC Park was his eighth quality start out of his first 10 in the major leagues and his sixth in a row, lowering his ERA to 2.85 in his first 60 innings.
The Pirates need look no further for their no. 2 starter to compliment Gerrit Cole. Taillon has emerged to claim the role, and he is still evolving while having done so.
“I think incrementally he’s just working to get a little bit better,” said manager Clint Hurdle after Thursday’s game. “He’s a good student of the game. He’s pounding the zone, working the right way, and I love the rhythm and the pace he works at as well.”
Taillon threw 108 pitches (58 for strikes) while allowing only three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Hurdle credited pitching coach Ray Searage, bullpen coach Euclides Rojas and catchers Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli for continuing to work with Taillon between starts to help with game-planning and preparation.
“The catchers and Ray really game plan quite well,” Taillon said. “I don’t shake much. I just kind of throw whatever those guys put down. They’re doing their homework.”
“I think when he has a question he goes and searches out an answer,” said Hurdle. “Some guys like to engage a little bit more. I think he’s more specific. When he wants something he knows who to go to and get it. That game-planning part of it I think is already becoming something that he looks forward to.”
A clear sign of Taillon’s maturity is a willingness to counter-punch when hitters are starting to punch back, an idiom Hurdle uses often when talking about his rookies’ growing pains. Taillon recalled consecutive four-inning starts against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers in June as the time when he realized he needed to change his approach.
“I thought early guys were starting to look out over the plate and use the opposite field pretty well off of me,” he said. “It’s no secret I like to throw my curveball in strikeout counts or when I’m ahead in the count, so I’m just kind of playing with pitch sequencing and selection.”
The ability to manipulate the curveball alone is something Hurdle considers a very special trait, one that Taillon has mastered while entering his mid-20s, and one that Cy Young Award-winning pitchers like Barry Zito and Clayton Kershaw used as a calling card early in their careers.
“That’s the beauty of it,” Hurdle said. “It’s like a bowler with a big hook, how they can add and subtract to it, and I think he has that ability to add and subtract to it, throw it with more velocity, take a little bit off, to move it a little bit, to shape it up. I think he takes some different shots with it.”
The blending of his curveball with his still-developing changeup to complement his two-seam fastball — which he admits he is still learning how to use effectively — has created a reliable mix of pitches that allows him to work deep into games and keep opponents off-balance.
“I felt like I hadn’t been throwing my changeup much to righties, so I wanted to mix that in and give it another weapon,” Taillon said. “I don’t want to be a two-pitch guy to right-handers. But at the same time, I think my strengths are good enough to carry me in this league for a while.”
According to his teammates, Taillon carries himself with the composure of a veteran who has already been here for a while. First-hand accounts of his composure and poise have followed him through each level of the minor leagues, and now they are being told in the big leagues.
“It’s awesome, his confidence and stuff,” said infielder David Freese of playing behind Taillon. “His composure is incredible as young as he is at ten or so starts in. He’s learning. He’s always watching, always talking during the game. He wants to be great out there and it shows.”
I imagine the Pirates will happily accept greatness from Taillon in the long run, but for now, being consistent and reliable will just have to do.
11 Aug
published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, August 11th, 2016 – 12:37 pm
Ladarius Green could retire due to concussion, does that leave the Steelers too thin at the tight end position? Sponsored by Mama Pepino’s Pizza, Pub and Billiards! With the newly added Billiard room, enjoy 3,000 square feet of dedicated space for pool tables!
Do the Steelers have enough depth at cornerback and tight end? Antonio Brown blows up at practice.Steelers Beat Writers Mark Kaboly, Chris Adamski and Ralph Paulk give you the inside info from covering the team every day. Sponsored by Goodrich & Geist, representing victims of negligence.
Justin Rose from Detroit TV, formerly of WTAE joins Josh Taylor to talk about the Steelers-Lions practices this week.
Neal Coolong of Steelers Wire with Josh Taylor. Preview of first preseason game vs. Lions.
11 Aug
published in category: Wrestling Reality on Thursday, August 11th, 2016 – 9:55 am
Recap of Smackdown Live, not building up the right way to an exciting title match at SummerSlam. The Rock vs. Vin Diesel. Eva Marie Wardrobe Malfunction. Hogan-Andre the Giant.
Alexis Monroe scares and surprises Justin LaBar live during the show.
Conor McGregor talks trash on the WWE, Dean Ambrose and a bizarre Stone Cold Steve Austin Podcast, a new WWE Scooby Doo Movie, WWE RAW Recap, Roman Reigns.
10 Aug
published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, August 10th, 2016 – 10:13 am
Detroit Lions Coach Jim Caldwell and Lions QB Matthew Stafford talk about how the practices against the Steelers went.
LIONS HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL QUOTE SHEET
On how the offensive line looked today against the Steelers defensive line: “Well, I think overall just the work in itself has been absolutely tremendous. You get a chance to look at some guys that have different traits than the guys that they’ve played against all during the spring and in the fall. So, what it does, it makes you dig down a little deep and handle some different stunts maybe that you haven’t worked against. Obviously, this is a team that’s been winning every single year, so it’s a great matchup. I think our offensive line, just from the pass rushing aspect of it and the run blocking aspect, benefitted greatly from it.”
On gaining experience against the Steelers’ 3-4 defense: “Yeah, no question about it. It kind of gives you a little bit different view of things. You have to change up a few things just in terms of your calls, and things of that nature. Now, there’s a couple things we didn’t do well. We didn’t get some of the calls right, and those kinds of things, but I think that’s the value of working against them.”
On the Lions’ up-tempo offense: “I think the important thing is that we can change pace. That’s the one thing that we have to be able to do. I think in any ball game that you play, if you can really control the rhythm of the game, you ought to think it’s going to benefit you. So, we try to change pace as much as we can. Sometimes we huddle, sometimes we don’t huddle. Sometimes we’ll go slow without huddling, sometimes we’ll go fast without huddling. We’ll change up from time to time.”
On the one-on-one matchups the Steelers’ defense presents for the offensive line: “Well, there’s no question the center gets a guy on his nose, so it really kind of gives you an idea. Every single snap for the most part, in particular base downs, you get a pretty good idea of who’s snapping the ball for you. Particularly with the big people they have across from you, then it also forces you on the outside to expand a little bit, and you do get a lot of one on ones.”
On if he was paying attention to the matchup between Lions CB Darius Slay and Steelers WR Antonio Brown: “Oh no, I have to look at everything. I mean, I look at every single play, every single snap, every single drill. I have a long night tonight of watching all that film, because there’s a lot of good film out there. Now, we look at those things because you do want to see how they perform against obviously an outstanding talent. I think that it’s going to help Darius, and I certainly hope all across the board, our entire unit. Offensively and defensively.”
On the biggest benefit of holding joint-practices with the Steelers: “Well, it’ll force us to adjust. We have to come to a different location and perform, and perform well. The intensity of the practice, I think when you’re working against someone who you haven’t worked against, it automatically takes up. It gives us a chance to look at a number of guys across the board against people they haven’t practiced against. So, I think you get an even more realistic look at those kinds of things, rather than waiting until the first preseason game.”
On Slay facing Brown and the unique skillset that Brown brings to the table: “Yeah, because every week you’re going to face a different style of a guy who performs extremely well. He’s a talented guy that has speed to burn, so it was a great matchup because those are the kind of guys that we’re going to face week in and week out.”
On today’s impressions of the offensive line facing a different defensive line: “You know, they played well in some spurts and not so well in others. That’s kind of what we expect, that’s what it’s all about. This is a real challenge in a situation that presents to them. It gives an opportunity so see someone that’s a little bit different than the guys they’ve been practicing against. They can’t anticipate nearly as much. They have to rely on the fundamentals and techniques, so I think that was huge.”
On the defensive line partaking in 2-on-2 drills in Pittsburgh but not Allen Park: “There’s a number of things we do differently here. Some things we do exactly like we do in terms of our practice, some things that we did are things that the Steelers do quite often. We sort of compromise a little bit and try to work with one another. Tomorrow you’ll probably see a couple things a little differently than what we’ve done as well.”
On the benefit of the team practicing different drills: “There’s a lot just in terms of the personnel matchups that you get. Different problems and issues you have in a confined space. So I’ll look at the film and be able to tell you more clearly. Obviously, there’s a lot of things going on out here on the field. Didn’t get a chance to see everything yet but I will before the night is over.”
On the challenge Slay faces in covering Brown: “He presents a very, very unusual challenge for him. He’s a guy that’s fast, he’s quick, extremely smart guy just in terms of understanding how he disrupts the coverage techniques and defenders. But I think that happened to us all the way across the board, not just with Darius and not just obviously with Brown, you name it. James Harrison presents a unique challenge, Ryan Shazier presents a unique challenge. All across the board there’s guys that certainly know how to play and play this game well. Our guys, I think, do a nice job of matching up and I think both teams got better today.”
On rookie T Taylor Decker handling new matchups: “I didn’t notice any glaring problems consistently, but I’ll look at the film, he probably held his own. Yeah, I didn’t see any glaring problems. I saw a couple busts here and there, not necessarily with him, but I’ll look at the film a little bit more closely, but nothing jumped out at me. When it doesn’t jump out at you typically he’s OK.”
On his impression today of rookie DL Anthony Zettel: “You know what, he did some pretty good things. There’s so much going on out here, I wasn’t everywhere. Different places, a lot of things happen and you hear a lot of cheering and those kinds of things. But it’ll be great to look at the film. I know one thing, I think our team got a lot out of it. I think Pittsburgh got a lot out of it, and we’re looking forward to tomorrow.”
On the injury to CB Ian Wells: “He’s going to get looked at, didn’t look good, but he’s going to get looked at. They’ll examine and see exactly where he is.
09 Aug
published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, August 9th, 2016 – 3:41 pm
Breakdown Wednesday on the Pirates Preview Show. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics presents the Pirates Pre-Game Show- PIA Pittsburgh, an education with opportunities.
Pirates reconstruct line-up, get the win. Hear from Josh Harrison, Polanco & Clint Hurdle on the win. Sponsored by Mama Pepino’s Pizza, Pub and Billiards! With the newly added Billiard room, enjoy 3,000 square feet of dedicated space for pool tables! Stop in and Check out Mama Pepino’s Pizza, Pub and Billiards in Glassport, PA.
If the Pirates traded low on Liriano, would they trade low on McCutchen this offseason? Pirates Beat Writers Rob Biertempfel and Travis Sawchik-listen to the guys that cover the team every day brought by Goodrich & Geist, representing victims of negligence.
Pirates Series Preview Podcast-Padres at PNC Park. Trib Pirates Writer Andrew Erickson in-studio. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics Pre-Game Show for Pirates.-Visit PIA dot Edu for more information. PIA Pittsburgh, an education with opportunities.
Pirates Report with Josh Taylor Sponsored by The Wicked Fox of O’Hara, For a Wicked Good Time. Tuesdays equals wing night at the Wicked Fox with over 20 flavors.