Tree of Life

08 Sep

Shero Patient with Crosby by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, September 8th, 2011 – 8:42 am

Most GMs would be panicked if their franchise player had a career threatening injury in the midst of becoming a once in a generation type player. That panic would probably set in tenfold if that particular player was not only the face of your team but of the league your team plays. Most GMs would feel that, if said player was to announce he probably wont be ready until three months into the season, his job would be in serious trouble because his team would falter.

Not Ray Shero.

Pens GM Ray Shero said as plainly as he could on Wednesday that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be as patient as needed for Sidney Crosby to fully recover from his concussion. Since his concussion eight months ago, Crosby has taken the ice several times in an attempt to test how his mind would react to certain efforts in his practices. While he still continues to suffer setbacks, the symptoms appear to be diminishing in magnitude.

Wednesday, he clarified all rumors that had been swirling over a very arduous summer. When asked if he had any thoughts on retiring he replied, "not really." Also, the two accompanying doctors, Dr. Ted Carrick and Dr. Michael Collins, confirmed that Crosby's vertebrae were fine and that the only problem was his head; a problem Collins later clarified. "The prognosis is excellent that he won't have long-term problems from this injury."

So why the calmness from Ray Shero?

For one, the Penguins, without Crosby, are still extremely good. The Pens boast one of the top five goalies in the league with Marc Andre Fleury and one of the best defensive units in front of him. Returning to camp is a healthy, rejuvenated and motivated Evgeni Malkin, who is two and half years removed from his best season in which he became the first player since Mario Lemieux to lead the regular season and playoffs in scoring in the same season. As he continues to train, one has to think he's looking for his best season to date.

Meanwhile, role player and hockey villian, Matt Cooke returns to the ice to help ratchet up the Pens penalty killing that sorely missed his presence in the playoffs last Spring. Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy will probably join Cooke as they try to recreate the same chemistry that led to a Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, James Neal is prepared to give the same effort with different results as he scored only two goals for the Penguins since being traded from Dallas. Also, the emergence of young talent in Dustin Jeffrey and Mark Letestu look to build on the successes they each experienced as they were forced into starting roles after Crosby and Malkin went down last season.

Make no mistake, the Penguins are fringe Stanley Cup contenders without Sidney Crosby, meaning they will make the playoffs with or without him (as evident of last season). Ray Shero has built this team around Crosby but has done so in a way that removing #87 from the roster will not make the team collapse like a house of cards. For that reason, alone, there is no rush for Crosby's return. If he is ready to play, he puts Pittsburgh over the top as favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Unlike the Washington Capitals, the Penguins play for April, May and June. If it takes until St. Patrick's Day for Crosby to return, the Penguins will gladly welcome him as they make a run for a fourth Stanley Cup.

Until then. Patience. Don't Panic.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Penguins

 

06 Sep

Pirates Look to Salvage Season in September by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 – 8:22 am

After April, the Pirates were a mediocre 13-15. After posting a .500 record in May and .593 win percentage in June, the Pirates were Pittsburgh's favorite team. Then came the collapse. Jerry Meals calls Julio Lugo safe in a 19 inning marathon against the Braves, the rotation gets pummeled by the Padres and their NL worst offense, Derrek Lee breaks his wrist and the lineup suffers tremendously.

.267

No, that's not Matt Diaz's season high batting average. It was the Pirates' win percentage in August. As I stated before, the season would hinge on the Pirates' ability to survive the month of August. Obviously, they did not and now, with one month left in the season, a 19th straight season of losing seems likely.

Still, the Buccos can fight to the finish in the season's final month. To start September, the Pirates look to be on the right track with a 3-2 record while Derrek Lee is 9-13 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI's since his return from the DL. With a brutal August schedule behind them, the Pirates have a lighter load in September. After taking 2 of 3 from the Cubs, the Pirates defeated the Astros in a rain soaked afternoon game. While Tropical Storm Lee may provide issues with games this week, inevitably, the Pirates will face the Astros two more times before hosting the last place Florida Marlins. In their remaining 21 games, the Pirates will play 9 against teams with winning records. While the Pirates are still winless on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers, where they will finish their season, they are 6-7 against the Cardinals, 2-1 against the Diamondbacks and 8-4 against the Reds.

The Pirates will need to win 17 of their final 21 games to finish with a winning record. While that seems doubtful, it can be argued a 70+ win season would be a huge improvement. Especially if Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker finish strong down the final stretch and James McDonald can continue his second half surge to complete the year. Since the All Star break, McDonald has a 3.26 ERA with a .234 batting average against. He will definitely be one of the favorites to be Pittsburgh's opening day starter in 2012.

Down on the Farm

2010 first round pick Jameson Taillon finished his first full professional season with Class-A West Virginia. The 19 year old had a solid season posting a 3.98 ERA while striking out 97 and walking just 22 over 92.2 innings pitched. Taillon's fastball was consistently in the mid 90s throughout the season while his curveball and slider remained devastating and he never missed a start. If Jameson Taillon had any difficulty, it was locating his electric fastball within the strike zone. He did not miss in and out as much as he missed up and down. The Pirates would still like to see Taillon pound the lower half of the strike zone with his fastball but overall, he had an excellent first year. He could finish next season in AA Altoona if all goes well.

Meanwhile, Robbie Grossman prepares for the first round of the playoffs down in Bradenton for A+ Marauders. A sixth round bonus baby in the 2008 draft, Grossman had a breakout season, setting a high-A record with 104 walks, 127 runs scored and 13 home runs. The 104 walks speak volumes to Grossman's plate discipline, an aspect in developing hitters that has been undervalued until the last ten years. Robbie Grossman should start in AA Altoona next season and has a serious chance to be a top-10 prospect in the organization.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Pirates

 

05 Sep

It

published in category: College Sports on Monday, September 5th, 2011 – 9:40 am

I've seen Tino Sunseri play in two very different situations. I've seen him win twice.

The first was in the Class AAAA PIAA State Football Championship in 2007. His Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings took a beating on my alma mater, the Parkland High School Trojans, posting the first shutout in Class AAAA championship games, 21-0. He was 11 for 15 for 128 yards with one touchdown.

The second was a Pittsburgh Panther 44-17 rout of Florida International last fall. Sunseri was 15 for 23 for 169 yards with one touchdown. In addtion to Sunseri's solid statistical performance, running back Ray Graham amassed 277 yards on 29 carries with three touchdowns.

Yesterday's Panther win over Buffalo looked eerily familiar. Pitt wins 35-16. Sunseri has another good statistical game, 16 for 28, 179 yards, one touchdown. Graham repeats his stellar performance with 29 carries, 201 yards, and three touchdowns. The only thing that's different between the two games is the coach, the coach that has promised a "high-octane" offense, the coach that watched from the sideline as that high-powered offense only scored seven points in the first half. That coach is Todd Graham, and he knows Pitt will have to play a lot better if they want to be contenders at the end of the season. And that motivation to practice harder and perform better starts under the leadership of Tino Sunseri.

Now more than ever it's "Tino Time!" With a full year of starting experience under his belt, Sunseri has to play stronger than ever. He needs to avoid turnovers (nine interceptions last year and a fumble yesterday) and throw a better long ball. In addition, he must recognize the talent the team has with Ray Graham and accept that handing the ball off will be an essential key to success.

Next weekend, the Panthers take on Maine. This should be a great opportunity to come back after a week of practice and showcase the offense fans have been waiting to see since Todd Graham announced it last spring- 5 touchdowns in at least 80 plays, right coach? And an artful 50-yard touchdown pass from Sunseri would nice too.

Check out the latest College Football Lines at OddsShark.com

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Posted in College Sports

 

03 Sep

Weapons of Mass Production: Previewing the Steelers' Offense by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, September 3rd, 2011 – 4:25 pm

Coming into last season, the Steelers knew they would be without their $100 million quarterback for the first four games. In Roethlisberger's absence, the Steelers went 3-1 but the offense, particularly the passing game, was ranked towards the bottom of the league as expected. When Big Ben returned, the offense picked up and eventually finished in the middle of the league in yardage and points. Considering the Steelers were in the process of developing two rookie wide receivers and a rookie center, inconsistencies were to be expected.

Now, with a healthy quarterback who is expected to play in all sixteen games, a third year wide receiver in Mike Wallace who is one of the fastest players in the league, veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Hines Ward, second year players Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, and Heath Miller, the Steelers have all the weapons in place to put up big passing numbers. Antonio Brown, part of the explosive "Young Money Family" receiving core, is looking like he may have a breakout sophomore season as he has been the offensive spark plug during preseason. A solid number 2 receiver on some teams, Brown will probably play in the slot on passing situations. His speed can be a deadly factor against other team's third/fourth defensive backs.

Oh yeah, they have Rashard Mendenhall too.

Mendenhall has looked extremely sharp this preseason. While his numbers may not be too impressive, Mendenhall looks quicker and more agile than what we've seen in the past. It's conceivable to believe he will pass 1200 yards again this season. More importantly, he turns a passing offense into a balanced attack. Typically a "grind it out" team over the decades, today's Steelers are more balanced. However, Rashard Mendenhall combined with Ike Redman, can give you that "grind it out" aspect when trying to secure a win.

The league is more pass oriented nowadays, the Steelers have all the pieces in place to be one of the best passing offenses in the league. In 2009, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 4000 yards in a season. In the same vein, he was sacked 50 times, a career high. While the offensive line is projected to, once again, be the weak link, it is doubtful they will be nearly as bad as they were in 2009 allowing Roethlisberger more time to make plays.

The vaunted defense will still get the majority of airtime on ESPN, FOX and CBS, however look for the offense to pick up the slack, what little there is, if the team goes into a shootout. Considering their schedule includes playing New England, Indianapolis and Houston, the Steelers may look more like the Pittsburgh Power playing against the Iowa Barnstormers.

In the end, all that matters for Steelers fans is wins. With the fourth easiest schedule, Pittsburgh will have a multitude of chances to put up W's, although this was an eerily similar thought in 2009 when the team finished 9-7. Still, with an offense as balanced, talented, and fast as the Steelers, it shouldn't be a surprise if they finish among the best in the league in yards and points. And at 29, maybe Ben Roethlisberger will have another trophy in his cabinet. An individual award stating three small letters that could push his career into certain Hall of Fame status.

Check out more NFL previews including Steelers vs. Ravens at www.OddsShark.com

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

03 Sep

PENN STATE ROLLS BUT QB AND KICKER ISSUES STILL UNRESOLVED

published in category: College Sports, Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, September 3rd, 2011 – 4:03 pm

The Nittany Lions absolutely destroyed Indiana State today overpowering them with stout defense and a strong running game, but running the fullback dive play over and over again isn't going to work against Alabama next Saturday. It's a mystery why Penn State Coaches and fans are obsessed with playing Rob Bolden, he did nothing to stand out yet again, this time against seriously inferior competition. A Big Ten Network shot of Bolden's dad, who by the way is worse than a little league dad complaining his kid isn't playing enough, showed him in the stands staring at his phone while Matt McGloin led Penn State to an easy touchdown. McGloin isn't an ideal option at QB, but he's obviously better than Bolden. Even the Big Ten announcers commented on how McGloin looked better in practice, they also noted that the PSU coaches downplayed it and claimed that charting every play showed they were equal. Anybody with eyes knows that's a lie. Paterno and Paterno and Hall want Bolden to play because he's younger, he's got more potential than McGloin and him and his daddy will throw a hissy fit if he doesn't get to play. The Big Ten broadcast team also commented on how McGloin was joking around with teammates while Bolden was sitting on the bench by himself, that happens when you threaten to transfer because you stink. And maybe McGloin can only beat the bad teams, maybe he'll never be good enough to beat Alabama or Ohio State. There doesn't seem to be a solution, but we all know what Penn State is going to do, Rob Bolden is going to start against the Crimson Tide and it's not going to go well. At some point, when the Nittany Lions are down big, McGloin will come in and maybe throw for a couple of garbage touchdowns making the decision look even worse. The reality is though, that this QB issue to go along with a really shoddy kicker situation (Evan Lewis missed two field goals and an extra point) means Penn State is about to be embarrassed by Alabama for the second year in a row. So much for that home and home series.

Pitt meanwhile kicks off against Buffalo tonight in what should be another blowout. www.OddsShark.com has the reasons why it could be a good play for you.

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Posted in College Sports, Pittsburgh Penguins

 

31 Aug

Panthers, Steelers both solid plays this week

published in category: College Sports, Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 – 5:17 pm

Article courtesy of OddsShark.com, lines provider to Sports Talk Radio:
Pitt's college namesake is favored by 31 points, while its pro team is a 3-point underdog to the NFL's worst team.
Football returns to western Pennsylvania — for real in the college ranks and for a final week of pretend in the NFL. In both cases, the lines seem to favor Pitt and the consensus points to each of them covering the number, according to OddsShark.com.
The Steelers visit Carolina, those 2-14 darlings from a year ago, in their final preseason match. These teams meet each August and the Steelers have dominated lately, going 5-1 ATS against the Panthers. The opened as a PK, meaning plenty of Carolina money has gone into this game, most of it after it was announced that Big Ben would not play at all.
Call in the Charlie Batch Factor. He will start and Dennis Dixon will follow him. The Steelers are already turning their attention to a tough Week 1 challenge at Baltimore.
No Bull: Pitt huge chalk vs Buffalo
The line opened at 29 points and fans thought that was a lot to lay against a non-conference foe in Week 1. Then the betting kept pushing the line higher.
Pitt now faces a 31-point spread in its opener against Buffalo, a team that was as bad as its 1-11 ATS mark would indicate in 2010. But that's a lot to lay in a home opener, no?
"Crazy things have happened in Week 1 in the past, especially when you are dealing with a huge spread," says Mike Pickett of OddsShark.com. "And there are more than a dozen huge numbers of 25 points or more this week."
It would be a stunner if the Panthers failed to start 1-0 (one shop was offering +4000 on Buffalo, which is 400/1 odds on a straight-up upset, and it would like sink their BCS odds even lower.
Most sportsbooks in Vegas and online has Pitt at 150/1 to win the national title, but just 7/2 to win the Big East (South Florida and West Virginia are head of them). There are also some fun props on Tino Sunseri (third pick to have the most passing yards in the conference) and Ray Graham (second pick to have the most rushing yards).
Check out the latest football matchup reports, live comparative odds, searchable databases and more.

http://oddsshark.com/nfl/pittsburgh-carolina-odds-september-1-2011
http://oddsshark.com/Stats/GameLog/Football/NFL/24
http://oddsshark.com/ncaaf/big-east-2011-odds-preview

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Posted in College Sports, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

31 Aug

UMBERGER PERFORMANCE TODAY AT 3:30

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 – 8:48 am

Ken Laird and Scott Umberger of Umberger Performance talk strength and conditioning every Wednesday on TribLIVE Radio. Check out what they are talking about today.

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2011/08/03/the-club-sports-conundrum/

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2011/08/18/club-sports-conundrum-part-ii/

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Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

29 Aug

Building a Defense for the Ages by Jon Pennline

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, August 29th, 2011 – 8:34 am

While defenses have come and gone like Oakland Raiders head coaches, the Steelers have marked excellence on a seasonal basis for nearly a decade. Over the last five years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have transformed their defense from good to great. While they have never sustained a shut down moniker against the pass, they are arguably the greatest rushing defense in NFL history.

How do they do it? How do the Steelers remain consistently excellent throughout the decade while defenses like the Bears, Eagles, Chargers, Titans, Vikings and Giants come and go?

Dick LeBeau

As far as defensive coordinators go, Dick LeBeau may be THE greatest d-coordinator in the history of football. Inventor of the vaunted "Zone Blitz" while an assistant coach, LeBeau implemented a scheme to stop West Coast and Run and Shoot offenses that dominated the 80's and early 90's. After struggling to win as a head coach for the Bills and Bengals, LeBeau came back to the Steelers in 2004 where he would hoist his first of two Lombardies the following season. He was originally in Pittsburgh during the early-mid 90s when the Steelers had one of the greatest linebacking cores in NFL history with Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland and Chad Brown.

Since LeBeau's hire, the Steelers have yet to finish with a losing season while finishing in the top 10 in total defense including five straight years in the top 5. This stability stems more from the scheme of the defense rather than the players themselves. While the Steelers do have elite defensive players, the replacing of linebackers, linemen and cornerbacks shows that the system does an excellent job of placing a young player into a role rather than relying solely on his physical talent.

Casey Hampton

Just how good is "Big Snack"? The team selected him along with Joe Greene and Ernie Stautner to represent the defensive tackles on the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Selected out of the University of Texas in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft, Hampton has been the centerpiece behind, arguably, one of the greatest run defenses in the history of football. In a 3-4 scheme, the nose tackle's job is to occupy two offensive linemen, leaving the linebackers to make a tackle on the ball carrier. Hampton not only occupies linemen, he pushes them right off the ball and makes the tackle 2-3 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Simply put, if Hampton is not being blocked by more than one guy, you can almost guarantee the play will get blown up.

Troy Polamalu

There is no one in the game as dynamic as Troy Polamalu. He epitomizes confusion in LeBeau's Zone Blitz scheme. While linebackers may come and go in Pittsburgh's defense, Polamalu is irreplaceable. Due to his explosive speed, athleticism and instinct, you can guarantee in any given game, he will show blitz and drop back into coverage, show coverage and blitz, and everything in between. He is such an important piece to the defense, as evident in the Steelers' 5-7 record without him the last two seasons. Drafted in 2003, Polamalu is a six time Pro Bowl selection, four time All Pro, NFL 2000s All Decade Team, and the 2010 AP Defensive Player of the year. He could go down as the greatest safety in franchise history.

James Farrior

Most linebackers in their mid 30's tend to slow down considerably to the point that they are replaced. Not James Farrior. At age 35, Farrior registered 109 tackles and 6 sacks (only half a sack behind his career high). After playing five years in New York as a Jets outside linebacker, Farrior signed with the Steelers in 2002 and was moved to right inside linebacker. In nine seasons with Pittsburgh, "Potsie" has accumulated 685 tackles, 28 sacks and 8 interceptions. Also, he is extremely smart as evident by being elected the captain of the defense for seven consecutive years. In fact, only a lack of interest would prevent James Farrior from becoming a future NFL coach someday as he has been under the tutelage of Dick LeBeau for nearly a decade. Another underrated quality is Farrior's health. In his nine years with the Steelers, Farrior has only missed four total games.

James Harrison

In terms of technique, strength, agility and instict, James Harrison is unmatched by any linebacker in the league. Harrison had big shoes to fill in 2007 when he was named the starting outside linebacker to replace fan favorite Joey Porter. He would go on to register 8.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles en route to his first Pro Bowl. In 63 career games, Harrison has registered 45 sacks and has been a nightmare for left tackles and quarterbacks throughout the league. His pass rush, alone, allows LeBeau to drop more linebackers into coverage further confusing the offense. However, he is also dangerous in coverage as we saw in Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals. Although 33 years old and dealing with back problems, Harrison is a bit of a late bloomer as he had difficulty learning plays/concepts early in his career. The health issues may linger but if he's anywhere close to 100%, you can guarantee another stellar year from James Harrison.

The aforementioned people have epitomized the Steelers' defense for the last 5-10 years. Although Lawrence Timmons and Lamar Woodley are blossoming into future stars, if they aren't already, the listed personnel are the heart and soul of the defense. As they get older, eventually there will be retirements and the franchise will have to continue to replenish the team with excellent players. Until then, let's sit back and enjoy a defense that replicates the city they play for and a league that is rapidly dissuading the physicality of the sport.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 



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