Tree of Life

06 Nov

Weekend Preview

published in category: College Sports, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, November 6th, 2015 – 2:19 pm

Brought by Duffys Beer in Pleasant Hills. Bigger win this week-Pitt over Notre Dame or Steelers over Raiders? Is Johnny Manziel a threat for Browns against Steelers next week? Steelers have figured out how to defend tight ends now?

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Rob Rossi joins Junker, Laird, Benz to talk Pens, NHL product is not exciting right now. Pitt win over Notre Dame would be huge. Notre Dame does not have to join a conference.

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Junker, Laird, Benz, Taylor pick Steelers-Raiders, Packers-Carolina, Pitt-Notre Dame, Penn State-Northwestern and WVU-Texas Tech against the spread.

Posted in College Sports, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

06 Nov

An Outlook at the Pirates Off-Season: Pitching by Nathan J. Hursh

published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, November 6th, 2015 – 11:58 am

Starting Pitching:
AJ Burnett is retired. JA Happ is free agent. Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke aren’t all that good. That leaves us Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano. Luckily, the Pirates will have a group of starting pitchers in the farm system that can hopefully stay healthy next season and contribute to the major league squad. These include Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Nick Kingham, and Brandon Cumpton. It would also include Casey Sadler but he recently underwent Tommy John surgery.

The Pirates will need to sign a starter or two to bridge the gap of when some of those guys get called up. The Pirates will not, not, not sign a top flight starter such as David Price or Zack Greinke so get that idea out of your mind now.

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JA Happ is option number one. He pitched beautifully for the Pirates and was probably the best pitching acquisition of the trade deadline. Bringing him back is a must and although he pitched so well for the Pirates, shouldn’t cost more money than the Pirates can afford. If they sign Happ, it would not be out of the question to go after one more mid-rotation starter, especially if they save money by non-tendering Walker and/or Alvarez.

Jeff Samardzija would be a great pickup. He had a pretty bad season with the White Sox and would be a great buy low type player. The guy still has great stuff and with a sprinkle of Ray Searage magic, could be back to being a top of the rotation starter. If they chose to go another route, Justin Masterson would also be viable option. Masterson fits the bill perfectly in terms of Pirates pitching philosophy. Induce ground balls. Masterson’s sinker does just that. Yet again, after being pretty ineffective the past two seasons, Masterson would be a nice buy low option. In the end, whatever starting pitcher the Pirates decide to sign will be solid, because Ray Searage.

Bullpen:
Every winter it’s the same thing. The Pirates sign or trade for a random relief pitcher and they succeed. See Arquimedes Caminero, Vin Mazzaro, Jeanmar Gomez, the list goes on and on. The question this winter will be what the Pirates do with Mark Melancon. Melancon won the reliever of the year award and was fantastic this past season recording 51 saves. That being said, relief pitchers are tremendously expendable and Melancon’s trade value is the highest it will ever be. He is arbitration eligible and will probably make around 10 million dollars next year.

Trade him. That money would be much better used to throw towards a starting pitcher. Tony Watson is more than capable of being the Pirates closer and is comparable if not better than Melancon anyways. This is a no-brainer to me. Plenty of teams need a shut down closer and the return on Melancon would be better now than it would ever be.

Here’s a food for thought. The Pirates dealt Joel Hanrahan and Brock Holt to the Red Sox in exchange for Melancon, Jerry Sands, Ivan De Jesus Jr., and Stolmy Pimentel in 2012. Melancon was the only player in the deal that was actually useful to that Pirates and he wasn’t even the focal point in the deal. If the Pirates had traded Hanrahan the offseason before, when his trade value was at its peak, the return would have been greater. The deal didn’t end up being bad for the Pirates but it could have been better. Don’t make the same mistake with Mark Melancon. Cash out now. Bullpen pieces are replaceable and cheap. GM Neal Huntingdon has been a wizard when it comes to adding good, reliable, cheap bullpen arms and that trend will continue.

Posted in Pittsburgh Pirates

 

06 Nov

RMU Hockey #20 in country

published in category: College Sports on Friday, November 6th, 2015 – 9:20 am

Head Coach Derek Schooley joins Ken Laird and Josh Taylor to talk about the #20 Colonials, huge upset win.

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The No. 20 Robert Morris University men’s hockey team returns home to face American International College on the ice at 84 Lumber Arena this weekend.

Last weekend, RMU notched one of the biggest wins in program history, a 4-0 shutout of #10 Michigan. The win came a night after the Colonials let a 3-1 lead in the third slip away in a 5-3 defeat Friday. RMU came back strong Saturday with a 3-goal first period & Dalton Izyk shut out Michigan with 34 saves. The Yellow Jackets are still searching for their first win of the season after dropping last weekend’s home series with RIT 4-2, 6-2. Derek Henderson, Jackson Dudley, Shawn McBride and Daniel Mele netted their first goals of the year. Hunter Leisner took the loss & split time in net with Alex Murray on Friday. Murray played the full game on Saturday.

Posted in College Sports

 

05 Nov

Pitt has nothing to lose

published in category: College Sports on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 – 2:55 pm


Posted in College Sports

 

05 Nov

Arrow up & Arrow down on Steelers players

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 – 10:28 am

Trib Steelers Beat Writers Mark Kaboly, Chris Adamski and Ralph Paull in-studio for one hour of Pittsburgh Steelers talk. More roster juggling, game vs. Raiders, dealing with injuries? Why is Dri Archer still on team? Arrow up and Arrow down-O-line? Cam Thomas down? Cam Heyward up? Ross Cockrell down? James Harrison down? Steve McLendon up?

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The Steelers have promoted cornerback Doran Grant to the active roster, the team announced today.

Grant (5-10, 200), originally joined the team as a fourth-round (121st overall) draft selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. He started 30-of-54 games played at Ohio State and totaled 146 tackles, nine interceptions and 20 pass breakups. He has spent the first eight weeks of the season on the team’s Practice Squad.

To make room for Grant, the Steelers have released wide receiver Tyler Murphy.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

05 Nov

Pitt vs. Notre Dame by Michael Grau

published in category: College Sports on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 – 9:11 am

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The University of Pittsburgh plays football against the University of Notre Dame this weekend. It will be the 70th time these schools have played one another. Notre Dame is Pitt’s 4th most played opponent. Pitt is Notre Dame’s 5th most played opponent. When the Irish take on the Panthers at Heinz Field this Saturday afternoon, it marks the latest chapter in a matchup of two of the more successful teams in college football history. Both teams have bigger rivals. Pitt has WVU and Penn State (maybe they should play those schools?) and Notre Dame has Michigan and USC, but as a Domer in Pittsburgh, when these two teams get together…well, there’s not a game on the schedule I’d hate to lose more than this one.

My first memories of college football take place in Pitt Stadium. On random fall Saturdays, my dad and I would head to Oakland, park far away, and walk up to get tickets. I didn’t beg to go to games as a kid (I don’t think), and these sojourns were not big, planned, indelible childhood moments. It was something to do on Saturday. I can’t specifically recall a date, or an opponent, or a final score of my first game, or any individual game, for that matter. I kind of remember really liking Ironhead Heyward. Mostly, I remember the walk. My father passed on two important lessons when it came to parking a car: 1) leave the close spots for the old people, and 2) paying for parking is for suckers. In my imperfect memory nearly 30 years later, we parked miles away. More likely, it was a few blocks. Still uphill, though. Anyway, Pitt football provided my first memories of the college game, and I always cheered for them as a kid. I also cheered for Penn State. I was never really a fan of either, if that makes sense. There were no battle lines in the Grau household. We all rooted for the “local” teams.

One of the laziest clichés in sports is that everyone feels strongly about Notre Dame (the whole “either you love them or you hate them” trope). Lots of people are completely indifferent towards Notre Dame football. I know plenty of people who identify themselves as college football fans who don’t really feel strongly one way or the other. I was one of them. Until I was 18 years old and matriculated, I never had strong feelings either way about the Fighting Irish. I’ve always been a fan of college football, but I never had the connection to a school that makes college football special. From that point on, I’ve been singularly in the “love them” list, and became more acutely aware of those that “hate them.” So, without further ado, a few reminiscences of recent installments of the Pitt-Notre Dame series, from an Irish fan in Panther territory.

1999: Last game at Pitt Stadium. Five friends from Notre Dame and I road-trip back for the weekend, only to see Kevan Barlow score two touchdowns, including the late game-winner. Pitt fans rushed the field, crossed the track, and for reasons I’ll never understand, tore up pieces of artificial turf as souvenirs. At least Pitt drew a good crowd for that game? Of course, it was to say good riddance to crumbling Pitt Stadium. That game was a bummer.
Notre Dame won the next three installments from 2001-2003, but Tyler Palko broke that streak (and a few FCC regulations) with his record-setting 5 touchdown passes at Notre Dame Stadium in 2004. As if Notre Dame games on NBC didn’t drag on long enough, now at least another 7 seconds were added for the purposes of censoring on-field audio. However, that’s come in handy for the occasionally maniacal Brian Kelly.

2005: The coinciding debuts of Dave Wannstedt and Charlie Weis, at Heinz Field. Both men were back coaching their alma maters. Both men were respected coordinators with questionable head coaching bona fides. Notre Dame rolled with Brady Quinn, Darius Walker, and Jeff Samardzija doing most of the damage. That game was fun, and in hindsight, was a microcosm of the problems that plagued both coaches during their respective tenures. Weis promised unrealistic achievements; Wannstedt couldn’t deliver on unrealistic expectations.

Break in the series until 2008: Pitt wins the longest game in Notre Dame history (the 4 OT game) to round out a horrendous month of November for the Irish. A second consecutive loss to Pitt, this time at Heinz Field in 2009, dropped ND to 6-4. Weis would be fired after that season. The 2009 game, though a Notre Dame loss, will always be a fond memory for me. That night, I made my national radio debut, giving live updates from Heinz Field on Mel Kiper Jr’s show. Shortly thereafter, smartphones would become ubiquitous, rendering those updates, and my opportunities to inform Mel Kiper about football, obsolete. Sigh. Ray Graham made some plays that night.
Notre Dame won three in a row from 2010-2012, none more memorable than the Kevin Harper game in South Bend. Everyone remembers Kevin Harper’s kick and the ref missing the duplicate jersey numbers on that fateful overtime field goal attempt that would have derailed Notre Dame’s perfect regular season. As a Notre Dame guy, I’ll just say this: pick up one first down in the last 20 minutes of that game, Pitt, and overtime never happens.

2013: Touchdown Tommy Rees mistakenly thinks Ray Vinopal is on his team, and James Conner scored twice. Irish turnovers nearly cause Brian Kelly’s head to explode on the sideline.
Yes, this year’s installment has lost a little bit of juice after Pitt’s letdown against North Carolina, but if recent history is any indication, the game will be close. I just hope the Irish win. I don’t want to have to hear about a loss until 2018.

Posted in College Sports

 

04 Nov

Pitt vs. Penn State by Jed Robins

published in category: College Sports on Wednesday, November 4th, 2015 – 12:41 pm

Rivalries in sports are games that are circled by coaches, players, and fans alike. They are the game everyone wants to be a part of when it happens. It makes sense to have rivalries because it’s good for everyone involved and brings out the best in teams. It also makes sense to have rivals in your own state but this does not always happen. Interstate rivals are exciting and fun to watch plus fans can have bragging rights for a year when their school wins. Coaches can use wins against their rivals to bring in recruits from the state. There is a lot at stake when interstate schools compete.

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Penn State and Pitt football teams are set to renew their own rivalry in 2016. However, is this really a rivalry? There is a rich history between these schools, with Penn State leading the all-time record at 50-42-4. The Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy is given to the best team in the Northeast region of FBS football since 1936. Between 1967 and 1982 the Lambert- Meadowlands Trophy was mostly given to one of the Pennsylvania schools. Often times the winner of that game would receive the trophy. The two teams, however, have not played each other in football since 2000. This has put a small damper on the rivalry. One that Pitt’s football coach, Pat Narduzzi is trying to change. Penn State’s head coach James Franklin, however, is trying to muzzle any talks of a rivalry between the two schools.
Some of the biggest college football rivals aren’t located in the same state. Ohio St vs Michigan and Texas vs Oklahoma are two examples of rivals that do not reside in the same state. The Pitt Panthers biggest rivals of recent has been the West Virginia Mountaineers. The schools are separated from each other by a mere 70 miles. The Backyard Brawl with West Virginia has been played each year from 1919 until 2011. This rivals was taken a pause because each team chose to go to a new conference and they left the disbanding Big East. Pitt went to the ACC, while West Virginia went to the Big 12. This game will be on hiatus until 2022. Though the ten year break of this rival will put a damper on the rivalry. Other rivals Pitt considers are Notre Dame, Syracuse, Navy and Cincinnati. Penn State also considers Michigan State, Minnesota, and Ohio State to be rivals.

Since 1989, Penn State has a 7-1 record against Pitt. Penn State has dominated the series when they have played. Though prior to the 1990s, the series was pretty even with Penn State leading 44-41-4. Pitt had been in the Big East since 1982. Penn State went from Independent to joining the Big 10 in 1990. This hurt the series because they scheduling was more difficult. Also, Penn State wanted to play more games at its home stadium during the rivalry games. This made it difficult for the schools to maintain this rivalry.

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Pat Narduzzi though has created a stir in the dormant rivalry. He took a shot at Penn State for their lack of coaching skills especially toward their All American quarterback. Then James Franklin put any rivalry talk to sleep and brushed off the comments made by Pitt’s coach saying he is only focused on Penn State. Though when he was hired at Penn State he stated that they would “dominate the state.” It may be just talk but this rivalry has some fuel to it still, though the rivalry has lost some of its luster. The date is set, Saturday September 10, 2016, when this rivalry plays its first game in 16 years. The stands at Heinz Field will be full and the interstate rivalry will get a chance to create a new chapter in the book. This game will be circled by coaches, players, and fans. It will bring attention to both teams and they both want to have those bragging rights. It may not be as big as it once was, but when these two teams meet it will be big in Pennsylvania, thus renewing the interstate rivalry. One that should not have been dormant for so long.

Posted in College Sports

 

04 Nov

RMU Football and Hoops

published in category: College Sports on Wednesday, November 4th, 2015 – 10:26 am

Robert Morris Football Coach John Banaszak joins Ken Laird to talk Colonials and Steelers.

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The Robert Morris University men’s basketball team opened its 2015-16 campaign with a 77-57 exhibition victory over Saint Vincent Tuesday night at the Charles L. Sewall Center.

The opening five minutes was a tight affair, as the Bearcats used a trio of three-pointers to keep pace with the Colonials. Jaylon Bell hit a pair for SVC, while Pat Jones hit another. Tied, 9-9, at the 15:12 mark of the first half, RMU used a layup from junior forward Billy Giles to grab an 11-9 edge at the first media timeout.

Out of the timeout Robert Morris hung a 24-7 run on Saint Vincent to open up a 35-16 advantage with 6:16 to go in the first half. Freshman guard Matty McConnell was the main offensive sparkplug for the Colonials during the surge, scoring 11 points.

SVC was able to regroup and scored the next 10 points of the game to get their deficit back into single digits, 35-26, as Alex Vanzant bolstered the Bearcats with four points.

Robert Morris eventually owned a 38-26 edge at the break thanks to another triple from McConnell, who scored 14 points before intermission thanks to a 5-for-9 shooting performance, including a 4-for-8 outing from deep.

“We don’t have a shortage of guys that want to score, which is good,” head coach Andrew Toole said. “We have an aggressive group offensively. More importantly, the guys enjoy playing together. That’s a really great sign. We saw flashes on the offensive end and flashes on the defensive end, and there’s some things we’ll need to clean up on both ends. Now we have some film that we can show the guys that will help them improve.”

McConnell opened the second half with a three-pointer that pushed RMU’s lead to 41-26, and the rookie finished the night with a game-high 23 points. He shot 8-for-13 from the field, including 7-for-12 from beyond the arc, and also added a pair of assists and two steals.

RMU grabbed its biggest lead at the 6:43 mark of the second half, as freshman guard Steven Whitley connected from deep to give the Colonials a 68-43 lead.

Senior guard Rodney Pryor also finished in double figures for Robert Morris, scoring 14 points while tying for game-high honors in assists with six. He also grabbed four rebounds. Whitley added nine points, and junior guard Kavon Stewartfinished with eight points, six assists and three steals.

Giles, earning the start at forward, finished with four points, five rebounds and four blocks, while sophomore forward Andre Frederick, also a member of the starting five, posted six points, a game-high eight boards and a pair of rejections.

Sophomore Elijah Minnie played 17 minutes in the second half, scoring six points, grabbing eight boards and blocking a shot.

Saint Vincent was led by Bell, who scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including a 4-for-9 performance from deep. Austin Dedert added 10 points for the Bearcats.

Robert Morris opens its 2015-16 regular season Friday, Nov. 13, with a 6:00 p.m. tip against Penn in Philadelphia, Pa., at The Palestra.

STAT OF THE NIGHT
55.8 – Percentage the Colonials shot from the field (29-for-52) as well as the percentage of points (43-of-77) RMU received from student-athletes in their first year on the roster.

Posted in College Sports

 



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