Tree of Life

12 Jan

Dick LeBeau Resigns As Defensive Coordinator

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, January 12th, 2015 – 8:41 am

Longtime Steelers’ defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has resigned from his position, it was announced today.

“We want to thank Dick for his many years of service with the team and all that he has done for this organization,” said Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. “His coaching helped lead us to many successful seasons and championships. We are very appreciative of his efforts, and we wish him well.”

LeBeau had been with the organization for 16 seasons, including serving as defensive coordinator from 1995-96 and from 2004-14. He was also the team’s secondary coach from 1992-94. In his 13 years as defensive coordinator the Steelers have finished in the top-five in total defense 11 times, five of those times the team had the top overall ranked defense.

In his 13 seasons as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, the team won seven division championships, four AFC Championships and two Super Bowls, while making the playoffs a total of nine times. -by Steelers PR Staff
lebeau

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

12 Jan

New Start for Pryor by Donny Chedrick

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, January 12th, 2015 – 8:38 am

Al Davis liked him. When he chose Terrelle Pryor in the third round of the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft, Al Davis was happy with his pick. If you ever play a future NFL trivia game just remember, Al Davis’ last draft pick ever was Terrelle Pryor. Unfortunately, Al Davis, the man who seemingly believed in Terrelle Pryor, passed away not long after.
He went from the one of most highly regarded high school talents in Pennsylvania history to a considerable NFL flop just about five years later. He won almost every award possible in high school and also accumulated a handful with his time at Ohio State, but in the NFL, he is just looking to break onto the field.
Sure, you could say it has taken him a while, but Pryor has shown many signs that he can be a legitimate dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. Now, the Kansas City Chiefs are finally giving Pryor a shot to play the position he was meant to play: quarterback. The Jeannette native signed a one year deal last Wednesday. He will be behind starting QB, Alex Smith.
Pryor will be competing to be a backup with Chase Daniel, unless the Chiefs decide to part ways with their current second stringer because cutting Daniel would save the Kansas City franchise $4 million. If Daniel leaves, Pryor will be second string with other quarterbacks Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray behind him.
This signing tells me that someone finally noticed the talent and skill Pryor can bring to the table. I personally found it hard to believe that two to three quarterbacks on every NFL roster are better than Terrelle Pryor so maybe this opportunity will prove my theory right, or wrong. Only time will tell on the case of one of the greatest athletes ever to come out of western Pennsylvania. Hopefully the 6’6″ athlete can make a name for himself in Kansas City.
trib-live-radio

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

11 Jan

Jim Chaney brings experience, flexibility to Pitt offense By Josh Taylor

published in category: College Sports on Sunday, January 11th, 2015 – 11:02 pm

So here’s a fun college football bedtime story: once upon a time in Wisconsin, the head football coach left town to become the head coach at Arkansas. Pitt’s head coach (who used to be an assistant coach at Wisconsin) could’ve gone back to be the new head coach at Wisconsin, but Wisconsin’s boss said it was too soon.

But then, two years later, Wisconsin’s coach left again. This time Wisconsin’s boss decided it was time to bring his old friend back and hired Pitt’s coach to go back to Wisconsin. So then Pitt went out and found a new head coach. That new head coach decided to hire his new offensive coordinator from… Arkansas.

Is everybody with me so far?

Such is the weird, full-circle story of Jim Chaney, the new offensive boss for the Panthers hired by head coach Pat Narduzzi on Sunday. Chaney leaves an Arkansas team that he helped lead to a 7-6 record and a 31-6 win over Texas in Houston at the Texas Bowl on December 29.

But more impressive is the résumé Chaney brings with him to Pittsburgh from Fayetteville; not because of the numbers, but because of the wide range he has shown as a play-caller.

During his nine seasons as Purdue’s offensive coordinator (1997-2005), Chaney became known for using a one-back spread offense that earned the nickname of “basketball on grass.” In his second season, a 6-foot tall sophomore named Drew Brees became the Boilermakers’ starting quarterback.

In three seasons under Chaney’s guidance, Brees went on to set the Big Ten conference records for passing yards, touchdown passes, total offense, completions and attempts. He also tied an NCAA record with a 99-yard touchdown pass against Northwestern in 1999 and held the NCAA record for pass attempts in a single game with 83. He was named a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award (1999), won the Maxwell Award (2000) and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy twice (1999 and 2000). During the 2000 season Brees led Purdue to an 8-2 record and their first-ever Big Ten Championship.

Chaney’s offense was so popular that he taught it to several coaches, including a young head coach named Urban Meyer who was starting his first job at Bowling Green. (Yeah, that Urban Meyer; the one running that same spread offense with Ohio State in the national championship game Monday night.)

After leaving Purdue, Chaney spent three seasons as an assistant for the St. Louis Rams, where he adopted a pro-style philosophy and went on to use it when Lane Kiffin hired him as the offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2009. In 2012, his pass-happy attack with the Volunteers, led by quarterback Tyler Bray, was ranked 15th nationally (315.58 yards per game) and 22nd in scoring (36.17). Bray’s top targets were a pair of receivers named Cordarrelle Patterson and Justin Hunter, both of whom now play in the NFL.

Bret Bielema brought Chaney to Arkansas in 2013, and the Razorbacks adopted a run-heavy offense that rushed for 208.7 yards per game. The running back duo of sophomore Jonathan Williams and freshman Alex Collins rushed for 900-plus yards apiece, only the second time ever in program history. In 2014, that rushing average increased to 218 yards per game (24th in the nation), and both Williams and Collins surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.

So what does this history lesson mean for fans at Pitt? Why is Chaney such a great fit for a Panthers offense that was 40th in the nation this past season in yards per game (435.4), and 43rd in scoring (31.8)? It means they will have a coordinator that has an excellent reputation for getting the most out of his personnel, and his top three returning players were all sophomores last season.

Reigning ACC Player of the Year James Conner ran for 1,800 yards and broke Tony Dorsett’s touchdown record with 26. Quarterback Chad Voytik, was 40th in the nation in passing efficiency (140.2) and also averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd’s 1,261 receiving yards were 11th-best in the nation, and Boyd is already considered by many as a can’t-miss prospect for the 2016 NFL Draft.

More importantly, it means Narduzzi won’t have to spend his first year as head coach looking over his offensive coordinator’s shoulder. That kind of security will allow him to spend more time using his gifts as a premier defensive mind to fix a defense that saved its worst 2014 performance for last.

Jim Chaney is not a perfect fit because his presence suddenly vaults Pitt into contention for a national championship, or because his track record suggests as much. He’s a perfect fit because he can take what Pitt has right now, make it work immediately and make it better.

And for Narduzzi, he needs to get as much as he can working for him as soon as possible.

Tagged with: , , , , ,
Posted in College Sports

 

09 Jan

Pirates invite eight players to Major League camp

published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, January 9th, 2015 – 2:53 pm

Major League spring training camp.

The 25-year-old Boscan spent the entire 2014 season in the Boston farm system and posted a 3.66 ERA in 22 combined appearances (five starts) between Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland. Originally signed by Texas as a non-drafted free agent on 7/10/06, the Venezuelan native has split time between the starting rotation and bullpen during his eight seasons in the minor leagues.

Leesman, 27, has spent his entire seven-year professional career in the White Sox organization after being selected by Chicago in the 11th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. A two-time minor league All-Star (2011 and 2012), Leesman made his Major League debut with the White Sox in 2013 and went on to make eight appearances with Chicago in 2013 and one start in 2014.

The Pirates have also invited the following six minor league players to big league camp:

Stetson Allie (INF) – Pittsburgh’s second round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft finished second among all farmhands in home runs (21) in 2014 while spending the entire season with Double-A Altoona. His 42 home runs hit over the last two seasons rank second among all Pittsburgh minor league players behind Andrew Lambo (44).

Keon Broxton (OF) – Spent entire 2014 campaign with Altoona after being acquired from Arizona on 3/27. He finished third among Pirates minor leaguers in stolen bases (25), fourth in home runs (15) and fifth in games played (127) while ranking seventh in the Eastern League in OPS (.853). Broxton was ranked by Baseball America as the “Best Athlete” in the Arizona farm system following the 2012 season.

Tyler Glasnow, pronounced “glass-NOW” (RHP) – Pittsburgh’s fifth round selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft has been named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year each of the last two seasons. He went 12-5 and led the Florida State League in ERA (1.74) while making 23 starts with Bradenton in 2014 after going 9-3 with a 2.18 ERA in a career-high 24 starts with West Virginia in 2013. Glasnow has recorded the second-most strikeouts (321) among all minor league pitchers over the last two seasons, trailing only Boston farmhand Henry Owens (339).

Gift Ngoepe, pronounced “en-WE-pay” (INF) – Entered the 2014 season rated by Baseball America as the “Best Defensive Infielder” in Pittsburgh’s minor league system and went on to commit just 11 errors in a career-high 131 games, which included 86 at second base and 44 at shortstop. He spent the entire season with Altoona and led Eastern League second basemen in total chances (459). South African native was signed by Pittsburgh as a non-drafted free agent on 9/29/08.

Mel Rojas Jr. (OF) – Pittsburgh’s third round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft set career highs in hits (126), home runs (10) and RBI (66) in 2014 while splitting the season between Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He led the Florida State League in triples (12) in 2012 and ranked third in the Eastern League in that department in 2013 (9). Mel is the son of former big league pitcher Mel Rojas, who pitched from 1990-1999.

Adrian Sampson (RHP) – Pittsburgh’s fifth round selection in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft went 11-6 with two complete games and a 2.96 ERA in 28 combined starts between Altoona and Indianapolis in 2014. He was selected to the Eastern League’s mid- and post-season All-Star teams as well as being named Altoona’s Pitcher-of-the-Year. Sampson also posted a 2.25 ERA in 10 relief appearances with Scottsdale during the Arizona Fall League and was named to the league’s Rising Stars team following the season.

The Pirates currently have 40 players on their 40-man roster and 21 non-roster players expected to participate in big league camp, which is scheduled to begin February 19 with the first official workout for pitchers and catchers.

uID_2484_Pirates-P

Posted in Pittsburgh Pirates

 

08 Jan

Epic Loss for Pitt Football

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Thursday, January 8th, 2015 – 2:23 pm


Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

08 Jan

Statement by New York Giants President John Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, January 8th, 2015 – 2:21 pm

“On behalf of the owners of the thirty-two National Football League teams, we would like to thank Director Mueller and his staff for the work they have put into this investigation.

“Mr. Mueller’s report is detailed, extensive and thorough. His investigators reviewed millions of documents, emails and text messages. Investigators searched the computers and phones of Commissioner Goodell, senior NFL executives, people in the mailroom, and others who might have information about the in-elevator video.

“After interviewing more than two hundred people, including every woman who worked at the NFL at the time the alleged call was made acknowledging receipt of the in-elevator video, and after an exhaustive forensic search of all electronic records, the investigators found no evidence that anyone in the League received or viewed the in-elevator video prior to its release. The investigators also found no evidence of a woman at the League acknowledging receipt of the video in a voicemail message.

“The investigators also identified a “weakness” – as they call it – in the League’s longstanding practice of deferring to the criminal justice system when matters like this arise. Mr. Mueller concludes that the League should have conducted a more substantial independent investigation of this matter and he has made six recommendations. This morning, we spoke to Commissioner Goodell about these recommendations. We want to review them and understand them in greater detail. We look forward to moving forward on this.

“The report also states that the Associated Press declined to cooperate with the investigation.

“As owners, we are the first to agree that the NFL did not have a sufficient policy in place to deal with players or other personnel accused of domestic violence. As leaders of this sport, it is our responsibility to recognize the pain domestic violence causes to families in our league and in our society. We were slow to react, and in the case of Ray Rice, the original punishment was insufficient. In addition, the steps taken by the NFL to investigate this matter were inadequate. Since then, a new policy concerning domestic violence and other rules for conduct violations have been put into place. We believe these new policies are tough and appropriate.

“This matter has tarnished the reputation of the NFL due to our failure to hand out proper punishments. It has been a wake-up call to all involved and we expect the changes that have been made will lead to improvements in how any similar issues are handled in the future.

“It is clear to us that Commissioner Goodell was forthright in the statements he made to the owners about this matter, and we have every confidence that Roger Goodell is the right person to lead the league as we move forward.”

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

08 Jan

RMU Hockey Update

published in category: College Sports on Thursday, January 8th, 2015 – 12:36 pm

Head Coach Derek Schooley joined us to recap the 3 Rivers Classic and outdoor game.

Following their busiest and most challenging week of the season, 20th-ranked Robert Morris University returns to Atlantic Hockey play this weekend, as a five-game homestand continues. The first-place Colonials welcome Bentley to 84 Lumber Arena for the first time in more than two years, seeking to extend their five-point lead over the third-place Falcons in the league standings.

ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS
– Robert Morris’ final non-conference game of the regular season was Sunday at 84 Lumber Arena, when No. 13 Bowling Green earned a 4-1 victory. The Colonials went 1-2-1 against ranked opponents last week – featuring a win over Penn State on Dec. 29 – and finished 3-2-1 against non-league foes, best in the AHC.
– Sophomore forward Daniel Leavens continues his breakout season, as he was named Atlantic Hockey player of the month for December. He scored nine points (3g, 6a) in six games, tied with teammate Brandon Denham and two others for the national lead in the final month of 2014.
– Senior Scott Jacklin scored 98 seconds into Sunday evening’s game, tying him with Brady Ferguson and David Friedmann for the second-most on the team. With 89 points (42g, 47a) in his career, Jacklin is three shy of Adam Brace (2010-13) for No. 5 on RMU’s all-time scoring list.
– With his assist on Jacklin’s goal, fellow senior Cody Wydo (11g, 15a) crept within five points of Nathan Longpre’s career total of 138, the most in RMU history. For the second consecutive season, Wydo is a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the player judged to be the best in Division I.
– The Colonials blocked a season-high 29 shots Sunday, boosting their per-game average to 18.45, just behind Harvard (18.46) for the top spot in the nation.
– Entering the Bowling Green series, the Colonials had been 8-0-0 when not allowing a power-play goal. The penalty kill was perfect (7 for 7) vs. the Falcons, even though RMU went 0-1-1 in the home-and-home.

SCOUTING BENTLEY
– The third-place Falcons pay their first visit to Pittsburgh since Nov. 2012, when the teams split a two-game series. Bentley, which ended the fall semester on a 3-0-1 run, swept RMU last season in Massachusetts by a combined 11-3 score.
– For the fourth time in two weeks, RMU will face a team that averages three goals per game or more. Bentley scores 3.26 goals per outing, ranking 11th of 59 D-I squads.
– A prolific power play is a major catalyst for the Falcons, as they are No. 1 in the nation with a 30.3 percent conversion rate. 20 of Bentley’s 63 goals have been scored on the advantage; nine Falcons have at least one PPG.
– In addition to being tied for the national scoring lead, Andrew Gladiuk paces Bentley in several ways. Not only does the junior lead the Falcons in goals (14) and points (27), he is tied for most assists (13) and power-play goals (5).
– Bentley is far from a one-man show, however. Sophomore Max French is tied for sixth in the country with 24 points (13g, 11a), while senior defenseman Steve Weinstein has 13 assists, tied for third-most among D-I blueliners.
– 13th-year Bentley head coach Ryan Soderquist has a three-man goaltending carousel working. Senior Blake Dougherty (.915 SV%, 2.49 GAA) and junior Gabe Antoni (.891, 3.40) have made seven starts each, while freshman Jayson Argue has shined in five starts (.937, 1.97).

COLONIALS IN THE MEDIA
Saturday Recap: Colonials battle rain, Bowling Green in historic outdoor game
Sunday Recap: Aggressive Falcons push back on RMU’s home ice
News: Colonials remain in USCHO top 20 after challenging week
Feature: Best of Winterfest – Hockey in the Great Outdoors
Prisuta on Pucks: RMU looks to apply lessons learned during tough stretch
Pittsburgh Sporting News: Colonials start chase for Atlantic Hockey title after busy holiday season
Sentry Media: Powers, Ghantous ditch ties for jerseys vs. Bowling Green

rmu-psu
USCHO.com: Colonials project as No. 16 seed in first edition of Bracketology
City of Champions: RMU atop Atlantic Hockey power rankings as new year begins

Kudos from Atlantic Hockey: The Colonials have not only succeeded on a team-wide basis this season, they’ve also earned several individual honors. On top of Wydo and Dalton Izyk each earning Atlantic Hockey monthly awards in October, Leavens won player of the month for December. RMU has claimed nine AHC player of the week honors through the first half. David Friedmann (Offensive Player of the Week), Terry Shafer (Goalie) and Izyk (Goalie) have won two awards each.

#CodyForHobey: Fan voting for the 2015 Hobey Baker Award is open; click here to vote once per day for RMU’s Wydo. After a program-record 31-goal, 54-point junior year, Wydo has paced RMU’s attack once again. The Michigan native, who entered his senior season as the active Division I leader in goals, has 26 points (11g, 15a) in his first 20 games, one behind the national scoring lead.

A Banner Year: The year 2014 saw the Colonials rise from the bottom of the Atlantic Hockey Conference to a league title and NCAA Tournament appearance, followed by a historic start to the 2014-15 season. From January to December, RMU went 29-9-6 for a .727 points percentage. The Colonials were also the highest-scoring program in the nation over that span, netting 172 goals in 44 games for a potent 3.91 goals-per-game average.
by RMU Pr Staff

Posted in College Sports

 

08 Jan

Shoop stays at PSU

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Thursday, January 8th, 2015 – 11:23 am

Penn State Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop joined us to talk about staying at PSU, going back to Oakmont, recruiting Pittsburgh, being excited for next season, watching the Pirates.

shoop

Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 



Podcasts