Weekend Notes

From around our little sphere:

• Booger Still Hanging: We still may see a big black and gold booger this fall:
  

  "He's a veteran football player that's a good football player. He's won world championships in two different cities," Tomlin said of McFarland this week during the owners meetings in Florida. "We felt it was worthy of our time to spend a day with him, We'll see where that goes. Absolutely."

  Unless Tomlin is playing mind games, his words indicate there could be a roster spot for McFarland if he makes a full recovery from the knee injury he suffered last August.

  "Anthony had an extremely positive visit with the Steelers, and I think it was mutual," said agent Karl Bernard, who stressed that no negotiations took place between his client and the Steelers. "There was no urgency from the Steelers to sign him right now. Based on the conversations I've had, it's definitely a possibility that he could be in a Steelers' uniform."

• Bucs Ink Capps: It's not Manny Corpas length and money, which is good, and the window for negotiating a longer deal is still open. Let's see Capps put together a second solid year.
  

  On Friday, the Pirates signed Capps to a two-year deal, which could be worth up to $3.2 million. The right-hander will make $500,000 this season and receive a $250,000 signing bonus. Next year, Capps will get $2.3 million in base pay, with the chance for another $150,000 in incentives based on games finished.

• Tomorrow's Pens/Flyers game could not only be a playoff preview but could also play a major part in the Pens getting the #1 seed in the East and the Flyers just getting into the playoffs. With all that on the line and the history between the two, things could get ugly and Michel Therrien is already crying foul and demanding that the Pens start the game on a 4 minute 5-3 power play.
  
  
• Former Bengal Chris Henry was released from jail Friday, after being fitted with a court-ordered monitoring device. Now Ike Taylor has no excuse for losing Henry in coverage.
  
  
• People are writing retrospectives on the Pens season already? This can't be good - I thought the real season was just starting.
  
  
• Bucs lose 5-4 to the Marlins on a walk off HR. Good news is that they are 2-2, same as the Yankees and only 1 game behind the Brewers and Cardinals in the NL Central. The Bad News is the horrible relief pitching, lack of stamina of the starting pitching, 6 errors already by the defense, and a lack of offensive production in the middle of the lineup makes this all sound ridiculously familiar.
• Over at si.com, journeyman NFL o-lineman Ross Tucker lists the positions along the offensive line in order of difficulty. Nothing too surprising: the two tackles are most important, than the guards, then center. As he says about the center position:
  

  it was unanimous among the four offensive lineman that I polled that center was the easiest position, at least physically, along the line. The center is rarely in a one-on-one pass blocking situation, which as we have noted, is the most likely situation in which an offensive linemen could have a large impact on the outcome of a game.

  Centers are often the ones providing the help in pass protection so it is surprising to me that teams like the Buccaneers value the position highly enough to reward a player like Jeff Faine with a contract that guarantees him $15 million. Most centers go through an entire season without giving up any sacks and are rarely credited with even being responsible for a pressure.

  Tell me again who in the Steeler front office thought Sean Mahan was a good signing? Change the word 'season' to 'drive' in the last sentence and you get about what Mahan was able to deliver last season.
  

CBS-owned station in Chicago cuts ex-Steelers QB Malone

In case you missed it:

CBS-owned station in Chicago cuts region's highest paid anchor, ex-Steelers QB Malone

In addition to its lead anchor, WBBM yesterday cast off its lead sportscaster, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mark Malone.

Leaving ESPN doesn't look so smart right now. But considering the Pittsburgh media employs Jay Caulfield, Kent Tekulve, Phil Bourque, Bob Errey, John Wehner, Tunch Ilkin, Bob Walk, Craig Wolfley and Curtis Aiken among others, Mark won't be out of work for long. And Pittsburgh will have another plugger, grinder, mucker, totally average ex-athlete to listen to.

Randomness

In case you missed it:

On the Ice:

• The Bleacher Report provides another analysis of The Great One vs. the Next One. Nothing stunningly new here except for a few amusing stories from Tony Esposito and Glen Sather. The point of the article though is spot on.
• Will Sid ever be a great goal scorer? Darren Dreger of TSN.ca doubts it though is impressed with his two goals last night. Let's not forget that it took 66 until his third year to register 50 goals. 87 is currently on a 37 goal pace for an 82 game schedule. Will he ever be Lemieux like in goal scoring? No, but who is? Will he ever get 50 - almost certainly. Will guys like Ovechkin and Kovalchuk regularly score more - likely. What does it all mean? Crosby is really good is probably all.
• Who is the Hart winner? Even Geno thinks AO will win it. Another case of Geno subjugating himself for the higher profile player like he seems to do when Crosby is in the lineup? Doubtful considering the simmering feud between AO and Geno. More likely just being realistic.
• Going to Vegas? As of March 24th the Pens were the co-favorite to win the Wales Conference with the rouge blanc et bleu. But both of them were behind 3 teams from the Campbell:
  
  Detroit Red Wings 4 - 1
  San Jose Sharks 11 - 2
  Anaheim Ducks 6 - 1
  Pittsburgh Penguins 7 - 1
  Montreal Canadiens 7 - 1
  New Jersey Devils 10 - 1
  New York Rangers 10 - 1

On the Gridiron:

• Wonder what old Quiver and Shake member Greg Lloyd has been up to since shoving a gun in his son's mouth? Strange as it seems, he's around even more kids, teaching Tae Kwan Do, using the "intensity and rigid adherence to the minutest detail that helped make Lloyd a five-time Pro Bowler during a standout 12-year NFL career spent mostly with the Pittsburgh Steelers and are also among the personal characteristics that his ex-wife Rhonda cited when she had Lloyd arrested after accusing him of shoving a gun into his son's mouth in 2001 and of pointing a gun at her head a year later." Something tells me we haven't heard the last of #95.
• Want to see firsthand what plays the Steelers mothballed and what people meant when they claimed Big Ben simply "managed" games in his rookie year of 2004? Now for $10 you can own a digital copy of the Steelers playbook from 2004 and see all the crazy flea flickers, double reverses, and hook and ladders plays that they didn't use and see in exciting black and white, exactly which X is supposed to block which O on every guard trap play the team ran that year on their way to a 15-1 record.
• Are we really counting on Chris Kemoeatu to replace Faneca on the o-line this coming year? I hope he's changed, but here's a pretty good reason why he's rarely seen the field in his first three seasons:
  

  Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt yesterday told about Steelers offensive guard Chris Kemoeatu leaving his playbook in the dining hall on the eve of their Super Bowl XL victory in Detroit.
  
  "We as coaches saw it," said Whisenhunt, the team's offensive coordinator then.
  
  "We grabbed it and had it with us."
  
  Kemoeatu walked into the meeting that night before the Super Bowl carrying a little black book under his arm. The coaches knew it wasn't his playbook, so Whisenhunt said Cowher quizzed him on it.
  
  "Chris, I need to see your playbook," Cowher said.
  
  Kemoeatu was reluctant to give it to him.
  
  "I need to see your playbook," Cowher repeated. "Hand it over."
  
  Finally, Kemoeatu gave up the small black book.
  
  "It was the room-service menu," Whisenhunt said, laughing.

On the Diamond:

• Yes, I know the Bucs have started in Atlanta and are 1-1 and have allowed 11 and 10 runs in their first two games. More on them in a bit....
  

MLB Investigators talk to Canseco - in the Bathroom

I really don't care anymore, baseball should just move on, but cornering Canseco in the bathroom? What is going on here? MLB continues to look foolish. Did they think he had retreated to a stall to inject himself for old time sake and they'd catch him mid-injection? Did they think Mark McGwire would be in there to relive the good ol days? Or maybe since they were in NYC, ARod would be in there?

Major League Baseball investigators cornered Jose Canseco on Wednesday. In New York for a signing for his new book "Vindicated," Canseco had an impromptu meeting with baseball officials. Florida Today and USA Today reported that the meeting took place in a bookstore bathroom.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3326985&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Playoff flag that wasn't thrown

Officials are humans too and to blame them for the Steelers loss is absurd considering how they played for the first 2 1/2 quarters. And we know how laughable Seahawks fans still sound (and how in recent days, Ranger and Flyer fans sound) when they cry about the refs. So all I wish is that these refs are reprimanded and emphasis is made to call all penalties at all times, no matter the game situation - like the NHL has demanded (how about that?!? Saying the NFL needs to follow the NHL's lead!). We've heard these post game apologies many times before and it doesn't seem like they are getting fewer and further in between.

Playoff flag that wasn't thrown

Mike Pereira, the NFL's head of officiating, admitted yesterday that his crew working the Steelers-Jaguars playoff game erred in not calling a holding penalty against Jacksonville on a crucial play that allowed the Jaguars to kick the winning field goal.

Quarterback David Garrard scrambled on fourth-and-2 from the Steelers 43 and made the first down. Three plays later, Josh Scobee kicked a field goal, giving the Jaguars a 31-29 victory. Several Steelers players complained there was blatant holding on Garrard's run. Nearly three months later, Pereira agreed with them.

Tomlin declined to comment on Pereira's admission.

Is it the Coffee that Makes Them So Bitter?

The hatred for all that is black and gold, specifically Steeler black and gold, continues to rain down on the rest of the country, much like Mt St Helen's ashes did 25+ years ago. And the fallout is just as toxic.

These are getting really funny to read. But before proceeding, not only is there a disclaimer at the top of the article that states this about the "author":

Brandon Hansen is a Seahawks fan, which means he still wakes up in a cold sweat some nights after horrible nightmares of Super Bowl XL. Sometimes his friends find him huddled up in a corner poking pins in his Big Ben voodoo doll chanting "Stuffed at the goaline, Ben". Doctors have diagnosed this as "Seahawkfanscantletthingsdietis" and it's afflicting roughly 80 percent of football fans in the Pacific Northwest.

But there is also this self description by Mr. Hansen himself on his co-written blog:

Just South of North is an epic blog written by two college students, Casey Knopik and Brandon Hansen. Since our lives are more pathetic than the fifth Rocky movie, we've dedicated a large chunk of our time to dicussing [sic] our weird love for Northwest Sports and squirrels. We think they're funny little creatures.

Below is the link. Also note the comment at the end about how he just described the Red Sox, Celtic and Patriot Nations - which is true. Substitue any of those team name in place of Steelers and Boston for Pittsburgh, and the article makes a lot more sense.

Why Steeler Fans Suck...

Collier Says System is Therrien's Greatest Accomplishment

Today at the PG, Collier lays out many points that support the idea I laid out about how changing the rules and even the goalie equipment won't increase scoring in the NHL, only coaching will bring about the change. Collier's article is geared towards the Pens and how good a job Therrien is doing, but in doing so uncovers some ways that the NHL has changed that no rule change and only coaching philosophies could reverse:

• Therrien after the Pens demolished the Flyers 7-1: "It's nice to be able to play with confidence when we get the puck," he said that day, "but what was most impressive was that with the defensive system, they played it from beginning to end. You saw a team trying to stick to the plan."
• Collier notes that when he "asked asked Bob Errey, the celebrated mucker from the Cup years if the game is still played systematically the way he and Lemieux and the gang played it, he didn't equivocate.

  "No."

  In that era, Errey explained, the players had positional and alignment responsibilities, but they weren't nearly as detailed as what coaches insist upon today.
• As many Pens fans from 1992 recall: "in the Paleozoic early '90s, I could have pointed out that the coach's attendance at practice was actually frowned upon, somewhat limiting the opportunity for systems analysis." This was from a year when the Pens were coached by perhaps the greatest coach in NHL history.
• "But while basic forechecking systems, backchecking systems and neutral-zone lane responsibilities likely date to the invention of the goal cage, technological and even cultural and political forces have refined hockey systems rapidly."
• Pen newcomer Hal Gill notes that: "Before I came here, I'd have told you that all systems are pretty much the same. But this is definitely a little more nuanced. It was definitely something I had to study and something I didn't really get right away. As long as you pay attention to the details, it'll come." Collier notes that if you don't pay attention to those details or fail "to consistently follow the protocols on defense could have you waking up on left wing."

Still think that a change to some of the rules will result in more scoring? If you really want more scoring, eliminate the coaches, not the red line.

System management paves road to riches

FSN and the Pens Want Your Opinion

As noted by Empty Netters, the Pens are asking for your opinion about their gameday productions, including TV, radio and on their website.

This is everyone's opportunity, especially in light of FSN's new GM Ted Black and Steiggy's contractual status (as detailesd by Smizik), to let them know just how sorely Mike Lange is missed on TV and how much we want him to return to his rightful throne in the Pens TV booth. So make sure you go to this website and voice your opinion about the Pens and Mike:
Fill out the survey here.

Also of note regarding Mike Lange, don't forget to vote for your favorite Langeism over at Going Five Hole. The first round is still going on through tomorrow, when round 2 voting will begin.

For all that is Vegas Black and Gold, be sure to visit the Michel Briere bracket and vote for "Great Balls of Fire" over "Well Shave My Face with a Rusty Razor". Somehow GBoF is a #16 seed and Rusty Razor is a #1. We realize that many people fill out brackets by simply picking the higher seed, which explains the unjustifiable 68%-32% lead the Rusty Razor currently holds. Let's flip that around - go vote early and often!!!

Pens Magic Number is 2

Penguins still have work to do

New Jersey defeated the New York Islanders, 2-1, in overtime Tuesday night, keeping alive the Devils' faint hopes of overtaking the Penguins for the division lead. With a win in either of their final two games against the Philadelphia Flyers or a Devils loss (in regulation or OT) in any of their final three games, the Penguins would win their first division title since 1997-98.

Bucci's Back - Offers Pens Thoughts

Bucci's new column is up at espn.com, and he offers some new insights and thoughts about the Pens:

• I went through all of the remaining games in the East and came up with these final standings:
  Pittsburgh -- 103 points
  Montreal -- 102
  Carolina -- 94
  New Jersey -- 99
  Rangers -- 98
  Ottawa -- 96
  Philadelphia -- 94
  Washington -- 93
• Dupuis has good speed and defensive awareness, which will serve the Penguins well in the postseason. He won't score many goals and may, at times, look a little afraid. The Penguins are still a little green and will have difficulty winning road games against veteran teams. That's why finishing first in the East is so important. They will be difficult to beat at home. What I also like about the Penguins is the play of Jordan Staal. He is growing into a man before our eyes. He is getting quicker and better with the puck. This is why I picked the Penguins to win the East in this space before the season -- because they have a group of good players with room to grow.
• In my eyes, the only thing the Penguins gave up for Hossa was a first-round pick. Everything else was gray matter sprayed with Axe body spray. Getting Hossa for that, paying him for two months, and then seeing how he fits with the talent and culture of your team is far more intelligent than blindly giving him a six-year, $40 million contract in the summer. If I am the Penguins, I offer Hossa six years at $36 million. If he says no, let him walk. That negotiation would take five minutes. Do you want to be a part of a perennial power where everyone takes a little less than they could get on the open market and play with the game's best playmaker AND make $6 million a year for six years? No? Later, dude.
• Malkin has talent dripping from his ear holes. Ovechkin has that, and a spirit that envelops an arena. They are different players and different people. I also think Ovechkin would explode in the playoffs. I'm a little concerned at how Malkin will react -- during last season's playoff series against Ottawa, he had no goals in five games. He is a year older and the Penguins won't be playing against a Stanley Cup finalist in the first round this season, but I do think it is something worth monitoring.
  

Pens Extend Atlantic Lead - Extremely Sour Grapes Emanating From NYC

From the NYC media:
I guess I get why Sidney Crosby gets the benefit of the doubt. On one level, I even believe it's somewhat deserved. After all, if there is anything that should be rewarded in hockey it's when the most talented player on the ice outhustles everybody else. And whatever you may say about Sid the Kid (and I'm sure you Rangers fans have plenty of choice words right about now), you must admit that he works as hard or harder than anybody on the sheet - including the guys who are only in the NHL because of their work ethic. That said, what I don't get is how the hard-working and utterly honest men who referee NHL games can repeatedly be duped by the same maneuver - you know, that fling back of the head in mock horror in reaction to an opponent's stick that didn't come close to striking it. Like, say, the tap to the hip that Scott Gomez gave Crosby, drawing that head flop and a high-sticking penalty in today's third period.

But even more mystifying is how Jaromir Jagr could have begun his career in Pittsburgh, developed into a superstar here and never learned the diving and face-clutching and horrified equipment shedding that has been part and parcel of Pens hockey ever since Mario Lemieux decided to shame the league into enforcing its obstruction penalties by embarrassing all officials who didn't do so.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/2008/03/jagr-failed-pens-acting-classe.html

This reaction is so outlandish and whiny, it's beyond dignifying a reaction to.

Sarge Gets Some Love

It's coming in from all precincts this morning. Quietly have another superb year, or at least not as disastrous as his Penguin debut, Sergei Gonchar is getting mention as a Norris candidate. Not a winner, but a candidate. And when you think about how bad some of the Pens defensemen have been this year (Whitney, Sydor, Orpik early), Sarge's season is even more impressive.

• The Tribune-Review's Rob Rossi thinks "Pens' Gonchar among elite defensemen"
• The PG's Shelly Anderson says "Teammates can't forget Gonchar's 2-way brilliance"
• Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal notes:
  

  Nicklas Lidstrom is going to win his sixth Norris trophy, but Sergei Gonchar may finish in the top three. The Penguins defenceman has been maligned for years for his play away from the puck, but this year he's been very good. He might deserve more praise than Zdeno Chara in Boston, or Brian Campbell before he was traded from Buffalo to San Jose. "He matches up against the other team's best players every night. I think his game has gone to another level there," said Penguins GM Ray Shero. "And he's second in defence scoring (61 points to Lidstrom's 66). He's a pretty quiet guy (Evgeni Malkin's translator and landlord in Pittsburgh) but he's been terrific for us (plus-13).
  

• Real GM Hockey puts Sarge in his final 3.