Tree of Life

21 Sep

Hello, Year 20 by Ryan Shaffer

published in category: Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, September 21st, 2012 – 10:43 am

Two months ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates owned other teams in head-to-head matchups. Andrew McCutchen crushed the ball consistently night after night, and the Buccos sat 16 games over .500. Today, officially, the Pirates fell to 74-75. I know 13 games remain in the baseball season, but honestly, the thought of a losing season seems all too real yet again in Pittsburgh.
The most recent loss that sent the team to a subpar record looked identical to many others during this dubious stretch in which the Pirates went 11-28. With a 3-run lead in the 8th inning, the lackluster bullpen allowed four runs, then another in the 9th to seal a 9-7 defeat at the hands of one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew trailed Pittsburgh by 12.5 games only one month ago, now they lead the Pirates by two in the standings after a sweep at PNC Park. On Sunday, the Pirates also blew a big lead late against the lowly Chicago Cubs and lost 13-9.
My first Pittsburgh Pirates memory ended with Sid Bream at home plate, which gave the Braves a series-clinching victory in 1992. Since then, the Pirates shattered the North American sports record for consecutive losing seasons. A continuation of the worst streak in major sports history seems likely as the Pirates epic collapse continues. The team faces two of the top teams in the National League, the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves, before the season ends, which most likely means two more series losses.
As most Pirates' fans did this year, I watched the snowball grow as it rolled quickly downhill, yet I continued to hold on to hope. Now, I feel emotionally drained and downright sad that I watched this team fall apart so quickly.
In the last twenty years, America elected three presidents, two of which stayed in the White House for eight years. Also, the Pittsburgh Penguins won two Stanley Cups, while the Pittsburgh Steelers won three Super Bowls. Furthermore, Cleveland watched two different Browns teams play. Three Rivers Stadium and the Civic Arena crumbled as two new stadiums and an arena emerged. An entire score passed, and the Pirates still failed to win at least as many games as they lost! I wish the National League East still existed, because the Pirates owned that division. The Central never did the team justice.
So, in closing, I leave you with these words of encouragement as I prepare to retire my baseball cap for another long offseason: Sid Bream, wherever you are, Pittsburgh hates you.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

21 Sep

Sideline Pass with Ike Taylor

published in category: Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio on Friday, September 21st, 2012 – 9:18 am

This week, I think I'd like to talk about a few of my favorite things.

Let's start with fans. No, not the kind you use to keep cool in the heat or the kind of fan who cheers for the winning team. I'm talking super fans! The die-hard, take-no-mercy, live, breath and bleed football kind of fans. Heinz Field is full of them. There's not a fan in there on Sunday who isn't a die-hard and THAT is one of my favorite things.

Football, definitely, is another one of my favorite things. I can say, without a doubt, it is truly America's sport. I know that matter is debatable to some, but to me it's fact. I've never seen a group of more devoted, passionate and involved fans in any other sport. There's nothing like the smell of fall in the air and the sights and sounds of game day; yet another one of my favorite things.

Women, I have so much love and respect for women. I admire the devotion and dedication you have to all you love. I admire and appreciate your nurturing spirit, and I think the value that the women I know have brought to my life is absolutely priceless. Women continue to impress me with their willingness to sacrifice of themselves for something or someone that they love and believe in.

Winning, I love the feeling of a victory! Last week's game against the Jets felt incredible. Nothing feels better than working hard and walking off that field of competition with a win. No matter what sport you play. It feels great as we head to Oakland to have that win behind our backs. We can step into that stadium on Sunday in Oakland ready to fight hard, so that we can experience that feeling once again. Winning is definitely one of my favorite things.

My favorite color is black, because it's bold and, to me, it stands for strength, not to mention it being a part of my uniform. My favorite number is nine. I'm not exactly sure why, but it always has been and always will be. My favorite movie right now has to be "The Dark Knight." Check it out, if you get the chance. My favorite TV show right now is "Call of the Wildman." My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. And, of course, as you all know, my favorite word is Swurve.

Another one of my favorite things is you readers and all of my twitter followers and fans of my radio show! I feel like I have so many incredible things going on in my life and that includes all of you! Thanks for keeping up with me and for all of your feedback. Keep the questions coming!

Until next week.

Ike

Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor is a contributor for Trib Total Media. His column appears Fridays. He also hosts a talk show from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays on TribLive Radio.

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Posted in Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio

 

19 Sep

Why Neal Huntington should Not be Fired by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 – 9:36 am

When a team goes into a free-fall as the Pirates have done for the second straight season, it is wise to blame close to everyone in the organization from the ownership, to the water boy. In many cases, a total collapse usually leads to wholesale changes throughout the organization (hello, last year's Red Sox).

But, these are the Pirates and many of the Pittsburgh faithful are excited that, despite going just 4-11 in September, the team still has a chance to finish with a winning record.

At the same time, fans feel the frustration of seeing this team choke down the stretch for the second year in a row. Clearly, some changes need to be made; however, none of these changes should involve the general manager.

No, this is not redirecting blame in an effort to wave an apologist tapestry of Neal Huntington. He did make mistakes when it came to improving this team at the trade deadline. But, Huntington is not the sole reason why this team has had an epic meltdown and replacing him could create more problems.

Before the All-Star break, everyone was singing Huntington's praises; his shrewd trades to pick up frontline starters James McDonald and AJ Burnett as well as the draft that produced Pedro Alvarez. Even while Clint Hurdle continuously threw away outs with bunts which contributed to a historically bad offense, the team found ways to win which put a padlock on Huntington's job.

Now he should get the ax? Why?

If it's because Neal didn't trade for Chase Headley, that's not good enough. Sorry, Headley would've been a solid corner bat, but he wouldn't have been able to dig the Pirates out of a collapse like this. He can only play one position and he only hits once through the lineup. A team that has gone 15-28 in its last 43 games is not one player away from being a contender.

And, if the last 20 years have taught Pirates' fans anything, it's that players coming to Pittsburgh sometimes don't hit as well as they did before; or, they hit better once they leave. Don't believe me? Nate McLouth, Pedro Ciriaco, and Brandon Moss would like a word.

To further that point, the LA Dodgers acquired a slew of players including Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett, and Shane Victorino. They've been just as inconsistent as the Pirates. Meanwhile, the Phillies and Brewers are surging despite trading away Zack Greinke, Joe Blanton, and Shane Victorino.

Huntington has been effective at doing what he set out to do four years ago: create an organization that can acquire and develop talent throughout the system. We've seen breakout years from teenage international signees as well as college draft picks. The first wave of Huntington-era talent is just starting to hit the North Shore with a few waves behind them. The Pirates will surely be ranked in the top ten in farm systems by Baseball America next year, a ranking that has eluded them since the annual list was released over ten years ago.

The Pirates have had several things go wrong through these last two months. The starting pitching, relief pitching, hitting, base running, and defense have all been atrocious. Those issues stem from the players Huntington used to field the team. The same players that created a 16 game cushion in the winning column. It's not a pass on Huntington's performance as a GM, it's a realization that larger issues start from the group in the clubhouse.

Neal Huntington's job should be safe…for now.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Pirates

 

18 Sep

Dejan Kovacevic Show

published in category: College Sports, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 – 2:37 pm

Dejan talks Pirates to start the show, then he's joined by special guest-Pitt Basketball Coach Jamie Dixon. Steelers Writer Mark Kaboly stops by the TribLIVE Radio studios to talk about his breakdown of the Steelers-Jets tape plus your e-mails every week- sportstalk@tribweb.com.

http://sportstalk.triblive.com/podcast.xml

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Posted in College Sports, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio

 

17 Sep

NHL Lockout Begins by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, September 17th, 2012 – 8:36 am

Despite multiple negotiations between the Player's Association and the league, the NHL is officially locked out until a new CBA is reached, effective Sunday at midnight. For the NHL, this will mark the fourth work stoppage in the last twenty years, a feat that could effectively make the league extinct.

There are several issues being debated between the two sides with the biggest being the wide difference in revenue sharing to the players. The owners proposed a plan to cut HRR (or Hockey Related Revenue) from 57% to 43% for players. Meanwhile, the players are suggesting a 50/50 split of revenue sharing to replicate the NFL and NBA.

The league quickly rejected the counter-offer.

Obviously Donald Fehr has a history of player strikes dating back to his term as the MLBPA rep in 1994. Thanks to his work, MLB did not have a World Series in '94 and Fehr gained a reputation as a tough negotiator. But, before you can point the finger at Donald Fehr as the culprit for the NHL lockout, please keep in mind what the owners are proposing:

43% revenue sharing granted to the players.

That's right, the same players fans line up with 200 dollars in tickets to watch are being denied significantly less than half the share of the profits. The sport of hockey appeals to people due to the high amount of skill required to play at the highest level. At the same time, players are generally lauded for their politeness off the ice as well as their ability to stay out of trouble. What better way to reward those same players than to have them play overseas?

The NHL released a statement to the fans suggesting that the league is in full pursuit of finding a "fair" deal for both sides.

"This is a time of year for all attention to be focused on the ice, not on a meeting room. The League, the Clubs and the Players all have a stake in resolving our bargaining issues appropriately and getting the puck dropped as soon as possible. We owe it to each other, to the game and, most of all, to the fans." (NHL.com)

At this time, all training camps and pre-season activities are on hold until a new CBA agreed upon. The regular season is slated to start on October 11th.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

16 Sep

Troy Polamalu vs. Darrelle Revis: Who

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 16th, 2012 – 1:12 pm

Pittsburgh knows all-world defensive backs.
The city's idol, Troy Polamalu, and hometown hero, Darrelle Revis, will face off in a Week 2 regular season matchup featuring the Steelers and New York Jets. Well, at least they were supposed to.
While each DB would be sure to leave his imprint on the game if he suited up, Revis is out with a concussion and Polamalu is questionable after missing practice Friday with a calf injury.
That begs the question: if neither gets the green light from their bodies, which team will feel the pain of that game-day scratch more? Who's the more valuable defender to his ballclub?
One could debate about which secondary ace is more talented until the cows come home, but the best way to determine an individual player's value is to examine a unit's performance with and without that player. It isn't an exact science by any means-every football statistic has variables that include quality of opponent, weather, etc.-but comparing a defense's success when its star is on and off the field is the best way to tell just how much that player makes everyone around him better.
Now, Revis has only missed three games in his NFL career so his off-the-field sample size is quite small. Still, some-even minute-level of correlation should've revealed itself.
Revis Island went off the map for three contests in 2010-a season in which the Jets surrendered the third-least amount of yards per game in the league. They also boasted the sixth best pass-defense allowing just 200.6 yards per. But without Revis against the Miami Dolphins, Chad Henne went off for 363 passing yards.
In the game, Brandon Marshall exploded for 10 receptions, 166 yards and a touchdown. Comparatively, Marshall recorded a total of 11 catches for 159 yards in two games against Revis this past season. It's safe to say the wide out's numbers were inflated by Revis' absence.
But on to Polamalu who's missed 13 games in the previous three seasons-11 of which were in 2009.
And in 2009, Pittsburgh only allowed 13.8 points per game when Polamalu played. Without him, it surrendered 23.2.
Again, because such a statistical comparison is an inexact science, those 9.4 fewer points per can't be fully credited to Polomalu's presence. But an undeniable correlation still remains.
While Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL, it's difficult to argue that he's more valuable to the Jets than Polamalu is to the Steelers. The difference in Dick Lebeau's defense with and without the superstar safety is downright jaw-dropping.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

14 Sep

TribLIVE Radio High School Athlete of the Week

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Friday, September 14th, 2012 – 3:40 pm

Congratulations to Seneca Valley's Forrest Barnes who scored four touchdowns in a 50-26 win last Friday night over Pine Richland. Barnes had two rushing TD's, one a 77 yarder, one receiving and an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Seneca Valley is ranked # 5 in Quad A and they take on #1 North Allegheny tonight at 7:30pm on TribLIVE Radio.

Barnes received 14, 649 votes.

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Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

14 Sep

5 Things to do Without an NHL Season by Ryan Shaffer

published in category: Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, September 14th, 2012 – 8:45 am

Two days until the CBA expires between the NHLPA and the team owners, and my stomach aches. I wish the two sides could agree on terms so I don't have to go without my favorite professional sport this year. In 2005, I found myself passing time by sitting in my room, and missing hockey. I dated girls and wasted nights with friends, but nothing held a candle to watching the Pittsburgh Penguins skate around the ice for 60 minutes each night. Even when the team lost, I found comfort in the fact that hockey existed. This year, we as fans might face the same dilemma, thus I compiled a list of ten substitutes for the NHL to pass the time. None of the pastimes listed entertain me as much as hockey, but they should suffice until the players and owners come to terms.
5. Study — As a student on the verge of graduating college in December, I stand to face a few tough tests this semester. I should just sit on my lazy boy, light a candle, put on my reading glasses, and gather information. Sure, that sounds completely appealing since the NHL wants to lock out and all, but that only covers half of a season. The emotional investment I put into hockey each season would translate into too much studying, thus an obscene amount of brain power. Why take that chance? I want to remain at the same intelligence level as my friends. I must consider their feelings as well.
4. Clean the House — Sure, my wife loves this idea. The mop and I form an alliance against dirt, as Windex covers the frontlines in the war against fingerprints. After class and before work I annihilate dust bunnies with the magical Swiffer. What a grand idea. But, taping the broom handle and screaming obscenities at dirty dishes only promotes sadness. I already retired my Mr. Clean jersey, anyways.
3. Walk the Dog — Exercising and enjoying fresh air outdoors seems fantastic. The dog and I briskly walk through the park, and sneer at other dogs and owners who fail to keep up. The dog enjoys walks, but he hates when I get competitive, thus body checking other dog walkers just seems out of the question. The last incident turned ugly, and cost me $100 via citation. Though, in my mind, I won.
2. Watch Other Sports — The Pirates looked incredible this year, until the all-star break. I love letting my heart break more and more by cheering for the Buccos. Let's face it, though, baseball games last forever when your team loses for nearly two decades. The Steelers normally win a ton of games, and stand as the best form of entertainment with no hockey season. But,Chris Collinsworth talks the entire time which ruins every game. And basketball, well, stinks. I wish Mike Lange commentated on every sport, because a good back-scratching with a hacksaw always seems like a great idea.
1. Play NHL 13 — I love this idea more than the rest. The Penguins always win, and I always experience a great deal of satisfaction when my friends cry in defeat. The Playstation acts as an amusement park as I ride an emotional roller coaster full of glitch goals and terrible miscues. I scream at the television as if it cheats on a consistent basis. In fact, I firmly believe it does cheat. I want to go with this idea, but as I previously mentioned, I got married last year. Wives hate NHL, which trumps that idea completely. Married men understand what I am saying. I do plan on sneaking a few games in here and there, when I suggest she needs to spend time with her friends (great ploy by the way).

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Posted in Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers

 



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