Keepin' It Yinzer

A Look at Bruce Arians Tenure and The Future of the Steelers Offense

2012-01-28T16:15:00.005-05:00

Much has been made in the past week of Bruce Arians "retirement." I don't disagree with letting Arians pursue other options. As an offensive unit the Steelers continually made mistakes last season that undermined the offense's effectiveness to not only control the clock but to put points on the board. Untimely turnovers, red zone ineffectiveness, and a seeming lack of focus put the Steelers in tough situations. The result often involved the Steelers allowing teams to hang around in games that had no business doing so(Chiefs, Colts, Jaguars, Browns). Coming out on top in close games can build character on a team, but the Steelers seemed merely to survive those games more so than showing a will to win.

Steelers management had numbers to back up their decision regarding Arians. Team Owner & President Art Rooney decided a change was need for an offense ranking among the top 15 in the NFL in yards, while not cracking the top 20 in points. Rooney has publicly stated that the lack of long term commitment also fit into the decision, but I find that to be a whole lot of hot air. You need only to look at the other side of the ball, where Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick Lebeau considers retirement every season. The Steelers organization seems to have no issue with the lack of long-term commitment there.

With that being the case, lets take a look at yards and points. Only one time since 2004 have the Steelers not ranked in the top 20 and yards or points. Was that 2006? No. Then it had to be 2009, right? No actually it was the Super Bowl year of 2008. 2006 and 2009 are the only years that the Steelers have missed the playoffs in that time and coincidentally they ranked 7th in yards and 12th in points in both of those years. The 2008 Super Bowl team ranked just 22nd in yards and 20th in points. In 2011, the Steelers offense ranked 12th in yards, but only 21st in points.

So why the big difference in team success between 2008 and 2011? The 2008 Steelers were involved in many close contests, but avoided injuries and had the defense to bail the offense out. They were also playing one of the toughest schedules in recent memory, while the 2011 Steelers had a much easier ride. That 2008 team had a great playoff run, but the truth is that with their great defense the team should have had a much easier run through the regular season. Late in that season the offense had big trouble putting games away against Baltimore and Dallas, where the defense had been dominant. Behind Ben they did, however, find ways to win those games in the fourth quarter. They were at their best with their backs against the wall.

In 2009, the team struggled to find an offensive identity, but late in the season found success through a revived passing game with many great weapons. They missed the playoffs mainly due to a mid-season 5 game losing streak. This streak included bad losses to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns where the offense showed similar ineptitude to the 2011 team. They were haunted similarly by the turnovers and a seeming lack of focus.

In 2010, the Steelers played well enough during the regular season but still were far from dominant. Honestly, a week AFC field allowed the Steelers to reach the Super Bowl that year. In the playoffs the offense played great in the second half against Baltimore and the first half against the New York Jets, but otherwise could not put much together in those games. It seemed like you were getting all or nothing for halves of football at a time. In Super Bowl XXV, they did a great job in the second half against the Packers, but couldn't come up with enough plays to pull it out. As fans we're only left to wander how things may have turned out differently without Rashard Mendenhall's 4th quarter fumble. Or if the offense could have found the same magic on the final drive as the 2008 team. Maybe Arians would have gone out on top following that game. Maybe he would have stayed another 5 years. The Steelers had a great run nonetheless and it was with Bruce Arians at the helm.

The difference this year besides the defense taking a step back? In past years, Ben Roethlisberger showed an ability to lead comebacks and/or game-winning drives. In 2011 those drives were lacking, while it was the Raven's Joe Flacco who had the signature moment in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry this year. Including playoff games, Roethlisberger led 5 game-winning drives in 2008, 3 game-winning drives in 2009, and 4 game-winning drives in 2010(according to pro-football-reference.com). Included in these game-winning drives were the 2008 Super Bowl against Arizona and the 2010 Divisional Playoff game against Baltimore. In essence, Roethlisberger's dramatics were bailing out the defensive mistakes and offensive inconsistencies. These heroics were saving the team and quite possibly Bruce Arians' job.

For whatever reason, the game-winning drive magic just wasn't there this year. The only game-winning drive occurred against the Indianapolis Colts in one of the more painful to watch wins in recent memory. This stat was a career low for Ben, possibly a result of Steelers weak schedule and Ben's late season injuries. The offense couldn't find a way in Houston or in San Francisco against good defensive teams, where in the past they often had found a way.

Once again in the Wild Card Playoff game against Denver, the Steelers had early chances to back Denver into a corner but settled for field goals. They then watched as Tim Tebow tore apart a questionable defensive gameplan. The offense did a great job to come back and tie the Broncos, but couldn't take advantage of great field position late to put the game away. If Roethlisberger takes the team to a field goal there, then maybe he saves Arians once again. While Tebow's success is to be blamed on the defense, the Steelers offense should have put the Broncos away early(they had many opportunities to do so) and then sat back while Denver QB Tim Tebow made mistakes. The Brady and Bellicheck Patriots would follow this blueprint just a week later in a dominating 42-7 win.

With the defense currently in transition, the Steelers offense will need to be more in control from start to finish. They will need to limit turnovers and execute plays more consistently. Other than great showings against the Titans, Patriots and Bengals, they could not do either. The game-winning drives had disguised much of the offensive's failures in past years but, without those drives, the inconsistencies caught up with the Steelers in 2011.

Lets salute Bruce Arians for his efforts these past five years. You can't blame him for all the offensive failures without giving him credit for the Steelers success on offense. Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace, and Antonio Brown are just a few of the players who thrived during his time as offensive coordinator. Just last year a Steelers offense coached by Bruce Arians was a game-winning drive away from winning their second Super Bowl in three years. His players always seemed to play their best when they absolutely had to make a play. As a leader Bruce should be very proud of that.

By the same token, Bruce Arian's players' inability to execute consistently and maintain focus throughout the duration of a game made those plays necessary. Sometimes a big-play offense is really just an all or nothing offense. There are countless examples of where they should have been able to put games away much sooner. Only time will tell if his offenses overachieved in pressure situations or underachieved for large portions of games. While he has certainly helped the offense along, its now time to take the next step forward. To do so the Steelers need to have someone take a fresh look at the offense. I don't believe they could have done that with Bruce Arians running the show.

Going forward the offense should continue to revolve around Ben Roethlisberger. A playmaker at quarterback is a great advantage that the Steelers should continue to exploit. But Ben is getting older and his health is the biggest factor in any discussion of future Super Bowl trips. The need for him to make plays out of a three-step drop will become more important than ever. It should help lengthen his career, while simultaneously evolving the Steelers offense. The big plays will still need to come and Ben's ability to move around both inside and outside of the pocket will still need to be there as well. One injury against the Browns can not cause the Steelers or Ben to change that philosophy completely. It does, however, show further proof that even Ben needs to know when its time to simply throw the ball away. It will be tough for a competitor like Ben to do that. He has the will to make the big play and to win more than anyone. In the end, though, the Steelers will be better off if Ben is running around less while the Steelers' playmakers at receiver, tight end, and running back are taking the ball up-field more.

A new approach to blocking formations, the run game, short routes, and even the successful deep routes should help the Steelers as they advance their execution on offense. An approach to the red zone that actually involves Heath Miller catching touchdowns would be great as well. After averaging over 5 touchdowns per season during his first five seasons, he has averaged just 2 touchdowns per season over the past two years. That is not nearly enough. Help on the offensive line through free agency and the draft will help the new offensive coordinator look better, as it will be much easier for Ben to stay in the pocket if he actually has a pocket to throw from. Possibly he can even lead the team into the top 10 or 15 in points scored as many expect from the Steelers. Will it be enough to please Steelers management and fans? Doubtful, unless the season ends with a 7th Lombardi trophy.

I'm Just Sayin': Don't Give Up on the Pats Yet

2008-09-12T16:40:00.013-04:00

Can Matt Cassel(16) lead the Pats to the playoffs without Tom Brady(12)?

With QB Tom Brady lost for the year, it is very easy to look at the New England Patriots football team and figure that they are done for the year, but this is still a squad that has the ability to make the playoffs and win the AFC East title.

Why will Matt Cassel be alright? Here's how I look at it:

First, the obvious. Yes Tom Brady was the MVP of the league last year. Yes, he took New England to their 4th Super Bowl, has won 3 of those games, and was twice named MVP of those games. I get it. Tom Brady is an excellent quarterback because he is willing to settle for the check down to a running back, tight end, or other 3rd or 4th option. Shouldn't a backup be able to handle that?
Brady is able to do so because that offensive line is so consistently effective. If he didn't have time to check down he would struggle more frequently as he did in the Super Bowl against the Giants defensive front. Matt Cassel will have the same offensive line as Brady and should be effective because of that.
While Brady does go deep often enough to keep the defense honest, he did not attempt as many deep balls until Randy Moss joined the team. While Cassel is not Tom Brady, Randy Moss is still on the team. He can use Moss to stretch the field and hit Welker underneath the same way Brady did. Further, if you watched Brady's deep passes last year, Moss made some down right amazing catches that bailed Brady out in situations where if anybody but Randy Moss was back there, the ball would have been incomplete or intercepted quite frequently. I think Cassel can be bailed out the same way.
This is still Bill Bellichick's team and he seems confident going forward with Matt Cassel. Don't forget, Cassel has spent the past four years learning the Patriots system under Tom Brady. He also spent his collegiate career as a backup to Matt Leinart at USC. Things can change quickly in the NFL, but I think Bellichick feels Matt Cassel can get the job done only if he is confident. By not bringing another quarterback in right away, Bellichick is saying to Matt Cassel, "you have the ability to lead this team and we have complete faith that you will lead us to another division title." At least thats how I heard it.

While I don't think this is the same team without Tom Brady, this Patriots team still has the talent, the experience, and even the schedule to win at least 10 games. I'm still not sold on any other team in the division and even Brett Favre's luck can only take the Jets so far. It was the Dolphins for god's sake. Lets settle down with the whole "Brett Favre saves the Jets" routine. It was 1 game against one of the worst team's in the league. The AFC East is still the Patriots division to lose.

2008 NFL PICKS

2008-09-04T18:33:00.008-04:00

The Super Bowl, like Monday Night Football games, is only good 1 out of 3 times and theres a good chance your team won't win it all so you better enjoy every one of the 16 games your team is guaranteed. I, for one, will really enjoy Sunday's Steelers-Texans matchup because its the closest to a cupcake on the Steelers schedule this year.

Is there really ever any rhyme or reason to picking a champion? All I can really figure is that most people are wrong. Just take a look at who the experts pick and find the team that is on the outside looking in. Just make sure to avoid making a team better in your head than they are on the field. Actually look at who teams played last year and who they have lined up this year. That would be a good way to make your pics. I failed to do any of this as I made my picks and will probably suffer dearly by mid-season. But like I said theres no science to it and without further ado:

AFC East - New England - No one in the division is close.

AFC North - Pittsburgh - Peter King advises to "keep an eye" on the Browns. All I needed to hear.

AFC South - Jacksonville - Its time.

AFC West - San Diego - LT. AG.

AFC Wildcards - Denver, Indy

NFC East - Dallas - Marion Barber will be a factor

NFC North - Minnesota -Trendy pick. Do you believe?

NFC South - Tampa Bay - Really?

NFC West - Arizona - Seriously?

NFC Wildcards - New York Giants, Green Bay

Will be shockin' y'all: Oakland Raiders, Green Bay, Arizona, Minnesota
Won't live up to the hype: NY Jets(again), New Orleans, Cleveland, Detroit

AFC Champion - Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC Runner-up - Jacksonville Jags
NFC Champion - Dallas Cowboys
NFC Runner-up - NY Giants

Super Bowl Champion - Pittsburgh Steelers

AWARDS:
Coach of the Year - Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona
Comeback Player of the Year - Kurt Warner, Arizona
Most Valuable Player - Tom Brady, Pats
Offensive Player of the Year - Tom Brady, Pats
Defensive Player of the Year - Justin Tuck, Giants

I'm Just Sayin..

2007-09-18T04:06:00.001-04:00

..The future of the University of Pittsburgh's football program was decided this past weekend -- and that future will be with true freshman Pat Bostick starting at quarterback. Following an injury to starter Bill Stull and the subsequent poor play of redshit freshman Kevan Smith, it appears that coach Dave Wannstedt may be looking in his direction. Wannestedt considered placing Bostick in the game for the second half of last Saturday's contest at Michigan State, but decided against throwing a true freshman quarterback into a game on the road. What Wannestedt and anyone watching learned is that Kevan Smith is not the future of Pitt football. His struggles were understandable in the first half of his first collegiate road game. But in the second half, the leader Pitt want's at quarterback was clearly not Kevan Smith. Pitt's defense stopped the Spartans all day and Lesean McCoy was running all over Spartans. With any quarterback thats going to take you to higher levels, you need to win that game. Its unnacceptable that they did not. Wannestedt found what hes going to get out of Kevan Smith, its time to learn what he's got in Pat Bostick.

Week 2 Pics

2007-09-14T03:32:00.000-04:00

Didn't get into my picks for last week, but starting this week I got you:

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh - Possible let down week for the Stillers? They've got their home opener against a team they should beat handily, not to mention the tragic injury to Bills' TE Kevin Everett and his then miraculous recovery that is sure to inspire the Bills. I just don't see the upset happening. Not in Mike Tomlin's first home game. Not with JP Losman as Bills quarterback. Expect a solid game out of Marshawn Lynch but don't bet on him ending the Steelers streak of holding opposing running backs to under 100 yards. Roethlisberger should be more than solid and "Don't call me San Antonio" Holmes should come up with some big plays. Hines Ward should get a couple TDs. Not to mention Fast Willie. You know, they say hes fast. Pittsburgh 33-17

Cincinnati @ Cleveland - The question posed following last Sunday's Steelers/Browns game was whether the Steelers are that good or the Browns are that bad. The Browns are that bad. Easy win for the 'Nati. Glad I have Carson and Chad on my fantasy squad. Cincinnati 38-14

Houston @ Carolina - I really like the direction Houston is going in and they could definitely win this game. I just don't see the Panthers defense giving up much to the Texans. Carolina wins, but Houston puts up a good fight. Carolina 20-10

Atlanta @ Jacksonville - Could care less about this game. Jacksonville's defense is awesome, but I'm not sold at all on their offense. Atlanta's attack starring Joey Harrington and Warrick Dunn scares no one. Jacksonville 28-10

Green Bay @ NY Giants - No Eli...the Giants just may be primed for a Super Bowl run. Until they show me something though, I would bet against it. Green Bay looks like a good, young football team to me. Sure they got lucky last week against the Eagles with the muffed punts, but I think their offense is better than it showed. Green Bay 21-17

San Francisco @ St. Louis - Stephen Jackson had 2 fumbles last week and under 60 yards. I don't see that happening this week, though I don't see him as an MVP as many "experts" on ESPN predicted before the season. The Niners have an intriguing mix of young players and veterans and should have a chance to compete out west. Even with Orlando Pace done for the year, the Rams are still better at this point. St. Louis 34-24

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay - Lets see, New Orleans is a much better team. TB will struggle early in the year, though I think they'll get better. If they don't, isn't it about time to put Gruden on the hot seat? New Orleans 27-13

Indianapolis @ Tennessee - Vince Young is not good enough, not yet. Nor is Chris Brown. The Colts do not lose games like this. Indianapolis 24-6

Seattle @ Arizona - People often forget that just 2 years ago the Seahawks went to the Super Bowl and Shaun Alexander was the league MVP. This is a team poised to sneak up on a few teams, just like their Super Bowl opponent. Still, Ken Whisenhunt has got to win his first game at some point. A home game like this seems like they could win. Am I really picking the Cards to win? Arizona 24-20

Minnesota @ Detroit - This should be one of the better matchups of the week. I see Detroit as a team that can win a few games in the NFC North this year. Detroit 19-7

Dallas @ Miami - Dallas' offense looked pretty good last week. They won't look quite as good against a strong AFC defense with Joey Porter, Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor and others swarming them. I expect a score out the Miami D and Trent Green should be able to do enough to put Miami on top. Miami 21-13

NY Jets @ Baltimore - The Jets looked pretty bad last week and the Ravens didn't look like the power it was last season. Week 1 in the NFL means very little to well-coached teams like these, however, and I bet we see a Ravens team closer to that of last season. Baltimore 24-13

Kansas City @ Chicago - Kansas City looked a little lost last week. The Chicago offense doesn't exist. I think the Bears win because of their D, but Grossman can't be their QB too much longer can he? Chicago 13-10

Oakland @ Denver - Oakland should be a better team this year, but they showed me very little last week against the Lions. Denver has a pretty explosive offense and how long the Raiders D is forced into action should determine the game. I think the Oakland O will control the ball just enough to be my upset special. Oakland 23-21

San Diego @ New England - First game in the era where everyone knows the skeletons in the Patriots closet(on the right, just next to their Super Bowl trophies). Anyways, these are the types of games that Belichick just does not lose. He should spend more time than ever this week proving that his team doesn't need cameras to win. At least for this week, he'll be right. New England 31-17

Washington @ Philadelphia - Monday night's NFC East matchup should be close for most of the first half, followed by Philadelphia pulling away late in the first half and throughout the second half. Donovan McNabb better start looking like an MVP candidate if Philly is headed anywhere this season. Philadelphia 35-20

2007 NFL Season Outlook

2007-09-08T04:47:00.000-04:00

All the "experts" on ESPN have been listing their predictions for the coming season. Heres what I see happening:

AFC East - New England Patriots
AFC North - Baltimore Ravens
AFC South - Indianapolis Colts
AFC West - Denver Broncos
AFC Wildcards - Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers

NFC East - Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North - Chicago Bears
NFC South - Carolina Panthers
NFC West - St. Louis Rams
NFC Wildcards - Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints

Will be shockin' y'all: Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills,
Won't live up to the hype: NY Jets, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Cincinatti Bengals

AFC Champion - Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC Runner-up - New England Patriots
NFC Champion - New Orleans Saints
NFC Runner-up - Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl Champion - Pittsburgh Steelers

AWARDS:
Coach of the Year - Lane Kiffin, Oakland Raiders
Comeback Player of the Year - Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Most Valuable Player - Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles
Offensive Player of the Year - Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Defensive Player of the Year - Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers

Why The Pirates Still Suck and What You Should Do About It

2007-06-23T21:41:00.001-04:00

The streak is not in jeopardy! The Pirates are horrible and clearly headed to a 15th straight losing season. Now one season shy of the Phillies' record, angry Pirates fans everywhere continue to hit up blogs and newspapers with angry letters. Some Pirates fans are planning a protest June 30th. Others are jumping ship. Beyond it all, none of these expressions of anger are going to get the ownership group to spend more money or to sell the team to an owner who will. Pirates fans continue to wonder how owner Bob Nutting continues to profit off a losing team with declining attendance.

To me its pretty clear how the Nuttings are getting away with this: Corporate ticket holders and sponsors. These are the people who are trying to keep Pittsburgh a "major league city." Pirates ticket sellers convince these people that they need to keep a part of Pittsburgh going, in order to do that PNC Park must keep a respectable amount of season ticket holders and a respectable attendance average.

The only reason PNC avoids looking like a Marlins game on many nights comes from the corporate support. I'm guessing at least 4,000 of the season-tickets sold by the Pirates in 2007 have gone to businesses and corporations. If we could convince the corporate world to drop these season ticket purchases and drop some of their sponsorships and advertising, only then would the Pirates ownership start to get the point.

Another important step in pressuring the group is to make it impossible for Bob Nutting or Kevin McClatchy to attend games or be in public. Its not as important to go after McClatchy because he doesn't really control that much. If you see him at Giant Eagle don't throw an orange at his head. If you see him in his private homeplate box during a game, however, maybe you should throw a hot dog in his direction. Or a bobblehead. Or anything you've got.

As for Nutting, if you see that motherfucker in public punch him in the face. Slash his tires. If you spot him at a Pirate game, lead an angry mob of fans through security and get the motherfucker. Do it for a national audience to see. You must force the guy to sell this team. You think a negative article in the paper affects them at this point? Hell no! We need to be more proactive and way more intense. You think the Phillies owner would sit among the fan base behind home plate ever, let alone with a team that has had a losing record in 15 straight seasons? Thats a residing HELL NO!

My friends who are big Phillies fans actually have the nerve to say to me that the Phillies won't win a championship until they get new owners. When I look at them in disbelief, they say "whatever, the Pirates don't matter." And I can't blame them for feeling that way. We are pathetic. We somehow get convinced every year that this is the team that could break .500. WOW! We may have a team that wins as much as it loses, isn't that great? The Steelers have been in the playoffs 10 times since the Pirates last had a winning record. They have played in the AFC title game 6 times and gone to the Superbowl twice, winning once. The Penguins made 8 more playoff appearances before fireselling a rebuilding their team through the draft. What a concept? Drafting the best, most talented players and becoming a great team. They're now poised for another long run of playoff berths.

What I want to get across here too is that it is partially our fault the team sucks and the owners suck. Sure we sold out playoff games, but prior to PNC Park opening the highest average attendance the Pirates had in a season was 1991 with 25,500. Despite having another great playoff team the following season the attendance dropped to 22,600. Just 3 years later in 1995 attendance had dropped to an average of 12,575(yes I realize this followed the strike). I'm not blaming Pirates fans for not wanting to watch the '95 club, but its not a great sign for your team as a baseball town that attendance dropped 3,000 per game from one playoff season to the next. We basically showed future owners that we may average more during winning seasons, but these seasons would require more investment on their part. There was no incentive to keep the team good from year to year because there was no evidence that support from fans would be consistent.

Following McClatchy's saving of the team we were just happy to have a ballclub. It still seems that way in Pittsburgh 11 years later. We're angry but what are we really doing about it? Writing to Pirate Q&A and writing rants like this on a blog will not force the Pirates hand in any way at all. Heres what all Pirates fans need to do from this moment forward. Among our duties are the following:

1) DON'T GO TO GAMES, if you get free tickets tailgate and don't spend a cent on their beer or other concessions

2) If you decide you must spend money on tickets to a game, again don't spend your money on concessions

3) If you awake and find yourself at a Pirates game, boo them the whole time. Create clever signs that attack ownership. If you spot McClatchy or Nutting, THROW SOMETHING AT THEM! Throw anything you've got. If we all start following this practice they'll have to go into hiding and they might see that Pittsburgh fans actually mean business. In fact just throw stuff on the field the whole game. Make them have to delay parts of games because irate yinzers threw trash on the field.

4) Don't vote Jason Bay, Adam Laroche, or any other mediocre Pirates into the All-Star game. If Jason Bay were to take the place of any deserving player in the game it would be a tragedy to the sport of baseball. He had one good month last season and has played a total of about a week and a half of good baseball this year. I don't need to see him strike out looking twice in the All-Star game to remind me of how much we suck.

5) Get rid of Fratere's mini-me Greg Brown. Please. Theres no evidence he has anything to do with the Pirates losing, but Brown seems like he might just be doing his part to hold the team back. I mean if you have AAA announcer, you're team probably is pretty similar to a AAA club. Plus if I hear "Bay Day," "Jack Flash," or "This is Big Country" again my head will explode. The ONLY positive part of losing Ramirez was that I never have to hear "That's an Arama-dama-ding-dong" ever again.

6) Push Bob Walk for manager. I really want to see this happen. Bob has all the tools the pirates are lacking in a manager. Hes passionate. He pays attention to detail. He has a sweet mullet. He doesn't make excuses. He will call out players and make them pay for mistakes. Did I mention he has a mullet? He will set goals for the team. He has the sweetest bobblehead doll yet. Oh ye and he has a mullet.

7) Influence politicians to go after the Pirates ownership for their lack of effort to compete. Write major league baseball daily. Write papers and reporters across the United States. Write ESPN. Write Mark Cuban. Bring as much attention as you can possibly generate. If these people think you, their audience, care about the situation they might just cover it.

8) Kidnap Bud Selig. Drive him to Pittsburgh. Tie him up in your basement. Force him to watch every minute of every Pirate game the rest of the season. Don't show him a single Brewers clip. Any time there is no game on, indefinitely repeat clips of Jason Bay looking at called third strikes, all of Ronny Paulino's at-bats, every breaking ball thrown to Adam Laroche this year, and the collection of horrendous Duke, Maholm, Armas starts. It should only take a few days before his head explodes or he finally remembers the Pirates exist and forces the hand of ownership.

If we do even half of the above things, maybe we'll have some hope of the team being sold to Mark Cuban. Clearly until the team is sold we don't have a chance. Get proactive Pirate fans. This rant does nothing unless people read and decide they need to do a few of the things here. Get malicious. Get violent. You'd do it for the Stillers, you need to bring that same passion to the streets and the ballpark if you ever want to see a decent Pirates team again.

PNC Park vs. Citizen's Bank Park

2007-06-23T16:20:00.002-04:00

Living in Philly, well, let me just say its not what I thought it would be. It's the murder capitol of the U.S. Its extremely dirty. The people aren't all that nice. And well, the mayor got re-elected after getting caught selling crack out of the mayor's office.

Since I moved here four years ago, I have continually tried to get into the Phillies. They have done their best to turn me away with April burials and September collapses, but I still try to follow them. I don't get near as passionate about the Phillies as I do with the Buccos, but I need to root for a team that has a chance at winning some games. Old school fans might resent me for supporting an old rival, and I don't blame them. Unfortunately when a team has 15 straight losing seasons you no longer have rivals. Plus with the Phillies in a different division it is doubtful they and the Pirates will ever be rivals again.

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia

I've gone to 3 games this year, and its amazing to see the difference between a game at PNC Park and a game at Citizen's Bank Park(outside of representing different banks). PNC is picturesque. The view of the city is stunning, the bridges and the water add so much character, as do the dimensions of the field itself.

Citizen's Bank Park on the other hand is more of your big city ballpark. It doesn't knock your socks off with its views. It doesn't have the same character as PNC does. But for baseball, I have to say its definitely a better experience. After all, you're there to see a ball game, not to look at a view. That's the best part about a game there. Besides the Phanatic nonsense, its all about the game. You wear Yankee, Met, or Brave gear there, you're going to hear about it. The upper tiers are filled with chants against opposing fans. There is an electric feel in the air. This can often be a negative feel, but the park really does get emotional. People actually show up every night and its fun. They have real players and a spirited following.

PNC Park, Pittsburgh
PNC is nothing like that. Even on sellout nights and the like its a completely different crowd. Its friendly and care-free. Half the stands are filled with people saying "When will this baseball game end and the fireworks begin?" I HATE that. The baseball game is supposed to entertain you, not some cheesy gimmick.

Its a shame that baseball has become such a charade in Pittsburgh. We know the emotion and pride brought to every Stiller and Penguin game. No one goes to a Pirate game because there is something on the line or because they want to see a great display of baseball. Actually I'm not sure why anyone pays money to go to the ballpark.

I am not trying to attack PNC Park here in any way. Its a wonderful park that all Pittsburghers can be proud to call their own. When it comes down to where I watch a baseball game, however, I choose Citizens Bank Park over it. This could change within 10 years, but right now I'd go there 8 times out of 10. I want to attend games where a buzz fills the stadium. A ballpark where incompetent owners are too afraid to sit among their brethren. A place where other fans feel intimidated to enter. A place where the outcome has an impact for the home team and where you can see players who are the best in the league at their position. I love PNC, but I'll take the ballpark that fields a competitive team and a passionate atmosphere any day.

Penguins get Esposito

2007-06-22T22:14:00.000-04:00

I found myself watching the NHL Draft earlier, not sure why, but I did want to see who the Penguins would pick. Would they get a great defenseman? Would they take a right-handed winger with a flair for putting the puck in the net? I wanted to see who could help this team right away. Unfortunately that defenseman might not be in this draft, and that winger, Kyle Turris, was taken 3rd overall by the Coyotes. Trust me, look out for Turris. He needs to bulk up some and may take a year or two to make the NHL, but this guy can put the puck in the net. Beyond his scoring prowess, he moves well, is extremely skilled, is a great skater, can be physical, and tends to control the flow of games. He will be very good.

The Penguins didn't have the option of taking Turris, but as I watched the first 19 picks the announcers continued to label a Canadian center named Angelo Esposito as the NHL's version of Brady Quinn. This was a guy who just months earlier was projected as the No. 1 pick in the entire draft. A guy who still ranked 8th among North Americans and 12th overall on many scouting boards. He sat in his chair quietly watching the action. He didn't have the cocky look of disappointment Quinn had during his fall. With his hair slicked back Robert Luongo style, he just sat there with a stern look on his face. He didn't say anything to his family, he just sat there boiling. And here still he sat quietly in his seat as the Penguins were on the clock. The smile on Ray Shero's face while announcing the pick of Esposito said it all, he just can't get over the continued fortune of the Penguins in the draft. First the Crosby lottery win, then the Ovechkin draft somehow has Malkin too, then Staal's magnificence right away, and now Esposito drops right in their hands.

The question, of course, is why did Esposito fall so far? From what I've read in scouting reports and the like, he needs to "increase his physical presence and his play in traffic" and needs to "show more consistency." At the same time he's "not afraid to go to the net." Now listen, it does worry me that the kid lack's a physical presence. It was a huge problem for Evgeni Malkin in his rookie season and it could be for Esposito as well. The fact that the guy is willing to go to the net, however, shows me that hes not afraid to get dirty. He won't necessarily throw his body around the way Brooks Orpik does, but that's not his forte. As long as he does not succum to intimidation, he will be physical enough to allow his other skills to shine. As for consistency, that comes with maturing as a player. He will get there. The Penguins are almost to the point that it will be impossible to take a Crosby or a Malkin out of the play completely because there will always be a guy like Esposito or Staal waiting for their pass and an odd-man rush. Its becoming extremely scary what this team will look like in 3 years, not to mention in 6 years.

All things considered, I am very pleased the Penguins were able to pick up Esposito. Hes not the shut-down defenseman I was looking for. Hes not the right-handed power forward physical presence Crosby needs. At the same time, he was the best player available in the draft and you can't blame the Penguins for taking him. I'm actually extremely excited that they did. As long as the Penguins don't forget on day 2 of the draft and over the next season that they need a younger Chris Pronger and a younger Gary Roberts or 2, this team will make some statements come May 2008 and maybe even June. Who knows? What I do know is that there is no more exciting time to be a Pens fan and boy does this town need it(see: Pirates, Pittsburgh).