With the Penguins having an eight day layoff, Pittsburgh got its first extended look at the Pirates this past week. And the Buccos put on a show going 5-1 combined against the Brewers and Tigers. I just hope that Yinzers realize how special this team is and enjoy them without fearing the possibility of a third collapse. We all know the story by know. In 2011, the Pirates were in first place in July before limping to a 72-90 record. Next season the Bucs hit a high water mark of 63-47 before ... Read More
Washington Wild Things start strong, hope to turn it around in 2013
After going below .500 for the past four seasons, the Washington Wild Things baseball team are looking to turn things around this season. They won their division back in 2007, and have been falling ever since. Now, head coach Bart Zeller and the Wild Things are aiming to win their 6th division title. After being swept in their first series against the Schaumburg Boomers by a collective score of 11-8, the Wild Things have since won seven of their last eight contests. Washington is now tied atop ... Read More
All-22: What is Cover 2
Created by Steelers’ defensive coordinator Bud Carson in the 70’s, Cover 2 is one of the easiest defenses to break down. A staple of the Bears’ and Vikings’ defense we’ll use the All-22 tape, to take a look at the core of this defense. Week 14 vs the Vikings. Bears are in their base 4-3. The scheme is very simple and overall consistent. The two deep safeties are responsible for half of the field. The CBs cover the flats. The MIKE ‘backer drops to the middle (10-15 yards) with ... Read More
J-Mac’s days in Pittsburgh are numbered
James McDonald. I bet that’s a name you haven’t heard in a while, other than Monday’s atrocious rehab start in AA Altoona. And if the Pirates want to be serious contenders this season, they need to cut ties. McDonald has been just about everything for the Pirates since arriving in 2010 for Octavio Dotel. He has been the ace, the worst pitcher in the rotation, a solid number three starter and a reliever. McDonald made his debut in 2010 for the Pirates. He started 11 games and went 4-5 with ... Read More
Can Pirates’ Jason Grilli continue record setting pace?
When the Pittsburgh Pirates made the decision to trade former closer Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox and hand the job to set-up man Jason Grilli, it was often questioned how the veteran would handle to transition from the eighth inning to the pressures of pitching in the ninth inning. With close to two months of the 2013 season now in the books, Grilli hasn't just made the transition to closer, he’s made it look easy. Grilli not only currently leads all of baseball with 21 saves at the ... Read More
Are the Steelers Facing “Mike Wallace 2.0″ in Emmanuel Sanders?
Last off-season there was a lot of talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Wallace working on a contract extension, but it never happened. Wallace held out of training camp and the entire pre-season and struggled during the regular season. His stats all dropped and his dropped passes increased. Wallace is now with the Miami Dolphins, though he hasn’t forgotten about Pittsburgh, and now the Steelers face a similar situation with Emmanuel Sanders. The Steelers matched an offer sheet given ... Read More
Pirates Pick Up Extra Inning Victory Over Tigers On Walker Home Run
After a 6-5 loss yesterday, the Pirates wrapped up their two-game road series against the Tigers with a hard fought extra inning victory against the Tigers. The story of the game was pitching, and Rick Porcello and Jeanmar Gomez each looked brilliant on the mound tonight. Porcello, who came into the game with an ERA over six, pitched one of the best games of his career. The 24-year old pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, while striking out eleven batters. His strikeout ... Read More
Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington Trades: Win, Lose, Or Draw?
Neal Huntington is the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and has always been criticized for his management of the team. Huntington gets the blame anytime the team is not succeeding, and as is the case recently, gets lauded with praise when the team plays well. Huntington arrived to the Pirates in late 2007, and has done his best to rebuild an organization. Unlike his free agent pickups, I’ve been a fan of Huntington’s trades over the past five to six seasons. Smitty has stated that ... Read More
Polarizing Penguins
The NBA has the Lakers, MLB has the Yankees, the NCAA has the Fighting Irish, and the NHL has the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins aren't placed on this list because of how hated they are throughout North America, alone. Rather, they are placed on this list because of their polarizing nature. All Pittsburgh fans believe the Penguins are the most hated team in the NHL and they could be right. After all, the internet is full of comments from people saying Sidney (or Cindy) Crosby is a baby, ... Read More
Pittsburgh Power Come From Behind To Defeat Cleveland 55-44
A long time coming. That sentence sums up the wait for Pittsburgh Power fans who had not seen the Power (3-6) win a game at home in over a year. It all changed tonight after a kickoff return by Chris LeFlore helped lead to 27 unanswered points in the 4th quarter as the Power won 55-44 win over the Cleveland Gladiators (2-7). It was the spark the team needed although they’ve gotten sparks in a few other places and no I am not referring to the smoking hot dance team. This team has gotten a ... Read More