The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off an underwhelming season last year going 8-8. For a team that believes every year is a championship season, this doesn't sit well with players, coaches, management and fans. It is time for the Steelers to shed the players that have lost a few steps and no better time to do it than to do it in training camp. Guy Whimper has yet to play a snap in the city of Pittsburgh and hopefully it stays that way. Whimper had only 392 plays on offense in 2012 with the ... Read More
Puttin’ On the Foil: NHL’s Bodyguards
In 1977, this quote, "Puttin on the Foil," became very popular to the hockey world and to this day, SlapShot is still a cult favorite amongst diehard hockey fanatics. The Pittsburgh Penguins have been out muscled the past two playoff seasons by the Philadelphia Flyers and this year in the Boston Bruins. The Pens are loaded with offensive and defensive talent. However, the Pens really need to get bigger, meaner, and quite honestly need to add a goon or two to police other teams. In 2011, ... Read More
All 22: Bread and Butter of the Run Game
We’ve previously discussed the potential change to a zone blocking scheme with the hire of Jack Bicknell Jr. But what core running plays would the team be leaving with the shift? For the last number of years, the bread and butter of the running game has been the Power O, a man blocking scheme with the backside guard pulling. Two examples today from two radically different formations. Personnel: Nickel Scheme: Power O Result: 12 Yard Gain by Redman Look from above. Pittsburgh ... Read More
Bucs must address struggling bench
There are plenty of opinions of exactly what Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager Neal Huntington needs to do when the trade deadline approaches. Huntington certainly has his options to choose from as targeting a productive right fielder certainly makes sense, as would more production at shortstop and maybe an additional arm or two. However neither is as pressing as the need to upgrade the woeful Pirates bench. Pirates' manager Clint Hurdle has been known for frequently using all 25 ... Read More
A look ahead for the Pirates
After a first half of baseball that exceeded most fans expectations it is time to look forward to some key match ups. Right now the Pirates have 75 games left to play with 46 games left against teams currently in contention. The key match ups being its nine games left against the Reds and 14 games left against the Cardinals. The 46 games against contenders is slightly skewed with 13 of those against NL West teams playing in a division that is currently wide open. Below is a list of games ... Read More
Ijames, Beatty make Frontier League All Star team
While the Frontiet League All Star Game is set to be played at CONSOLE Energy Park, the home field crowd will have two hometown heroes to cheer on. The Washington Wild Things had two players selected to represent them on the East Division's All Star roster. Utility man Stewart Ijames and Second baseman CJ Beatty have both been selected to the roster. The selection comes during both players first season in Frontier League play and their first with the Wild Things. Ijames, who has seen most ... Read More
Dwyer on mission to go from Trade Bait to Starter
When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft it said a lot about the players on the roster. The Steelers clearly aren’t sold on Isaac Redman or Jonathan Dwyer being their long-term starting running back; so much so, in fact, that they spent a second round pick on a running back. That was, of course, never said in words by the Steelers front office, but their actions, as they say, speak louder than words. And those ... Read More
Shero given limited options
After the first weekend of free agency, the Penguins look like a team that has painted themselves in a salary cap-colored corner. Pittsburgh signed Rob Scuderi to a four year deal worth $3.375 million, annually, then found a way to extend Pascal Dupuis and Craig Adams. After all the hoopla created by the fans and media over major changes coming based on the fallout of the Boston series, the Penguins will looking very similar to last year's team before the trade deadline. The problem, ... Read More
General Managers: The “Good” and “Bad”
Ray Shero is the standard for General Managers not just in the NHL but in all major sports across the board. Shero continues to make good, solid decisions for the Pens organization. Paul Holmgren should start taking notes as he has the Flyers looking lost and desperate . Shero has been under a lot of pressure after four disappointing exits from the playoffs but instead of making drastic changes, he stuck to the plan and continues to show why he is so widely respected throughout the league. Paul ... Read More
The Second Half Begins
As the Pirates cross the half way point and finish up the last few games before the All Star break we can take a look back at what has been done, and a look forward to what is still left to be accomplished. The Pirates have flirted with legitimacy the last two seasons but never in the way they are doing now. They are beginning to get some national media attention, and nationally televised games. This last week they topped the ESPN power poll after a dominating week of baseball that saw them ... Read More