Pittsburgh Sports N'at

[TarHeel]

Who will be the next starting quarterback for the Steelers?

[dffhogs]

#herewego

Go Steelers!

[mashumba86]

This is the PENGUINS year... Fluery will get it together in a big way... just wait and see

[02opida]

Pirates will do good

[Buckey]

I bet that is the only ass he didnt hit on LOL

[dffhogs]

I could have went my whole life without seeing that!

[Buckey]

BIG BEN FAN Really BIG Fan

[02opida]

Super C

[Buckey]

THE KID IS BACK scorrrresssssssssss5 minutes in to first game back in ten months

[02opida]

Pirates move into first-place tie

[02opida]

Pirates looking goood

[02opida]

Pittsburgh's first two picks Saturday—cornerback Cortez Allen of The Citadel and Carter—were seen as developmental, long-term prospects who likely won't make an immediate impact, but could have high upside down the road.

It worked out well the previous time the Steelers took a raw cornerback in the fourth round who took up football late and went to a small college. Ike Taylor was taken No. 124 overall out of Louisiana Lafayette in 2004, and has been Pittsburgh's top cornerback on three Super Bowl teams.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Allen was selected No. 128. He joins Curtis Brown of Texas (6-0, 185) as corners the Steelers added this weekend.

"We like the upside in both," coach Mike Tomlin said. "They have different body types, but similar job descriptions."

Taylor is an unrestricted free agent, adding to the potential woes at a position that was already considered a weakness on what was the NFL's No. 2 total defense and No. 1 scoring defense last season.

Bryant McFadden and William Gay were the other primary corners last season, as each was mediocre. Pittsburgh has now spent five draft picks over the last three seasons on cornerbacks. None of the first three distinguished himself: Crezdon Butler, Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett (who is no longer with the team).

"I think any time we can strengthen the secondary it is going to help us tremendously," secondary coach Carnell Lake said. "I think this is a good start for us. I'm hoping that they can come in and help us right away."

Carter, a fifth-round choice, was another example of the Steelers stockpiling players at what has traditionally been their glamor position on defense: outside linebacker.

The first two draft picks the team made when Tomlin took over in 2007 were outside linebackers (although Lawrence Timmons has played mostly on the inside). The team has taken seven over the first five drafts under Tomlin. Still with the team are starters Timmons and LaMarr Woodley and last season's second round pick, Jason Worilds.

Like Worilds, Woodley and Pittsburgh Pro Bowlers before him such as Joey Porter and Jason Gildon, Carter was a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme in college whom the Steelers are converting to 3-4 outside linebacker.

"Guys like that, when they play at defensive end, usually have to line up over an offensive tackle," Pittsburgh linebackers coach Keith Butler said. "They don't have to make formation adjustments. This will be the biggest obstacle that he will have to overcome in terms of recognizing formations and exactly where we want to line up.

"I think he'll be OK. But, it's going to take a couple of years for him."

That timetable has the potential for being extended because of the lockout and the fact that, as it stands, there will be no minicamp or OTAs, and the start of training camp might be delayed.

Pittsburgh offensive line coach Sean Kugler said Williams, a sixth-round pick, "has some nasty to him." He has a reputation for being a strong run-blocker, but needs to work on his pass protection to succeed at the NFL level.

Williams joined Marcus Gilbert of Florida, a second rounder, as offensive linemen added by the Steelers.

"They are different types of players, but ... both have qualities that we like," Kugler said. "They're both smart kids, I think they're both going to fit well in the room, and they've got offensive lineman personalities. I think they're both going to be good Steeler-types for years to come."

Batch, a 5-10, 210-pound seventh rounder, is expected to compete for a spot as the Steelers' third-down back after compiling 2,501 rushing yards and 3,612 all-purpose yards in college.

"He was an excellent running back in a Texas Tech offense that's really like a third-down offense in the NFL," Colbert said. "His ability as a receiver catching the ball was very impressive to us."

A year after drafting five underclassmen, all seven of Pittsburgh's picks were college seniors.

[Buckey]

How is #87 doing LOL kinda like ripping it apart. I havent seen more than one game on TV all year. when I was a KID I lived for Saturday night NHL.

[Buckey]

He vanished from IHUB over a year ago

[Cheesofriezzz]

what happened to ART2Gecko?

[roach4091]

Pitt going to the big dance! #3 seed!! Hope they continue their run very far into the tourney!

[roach4091]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[swanlinbar]

Go Devils !

[roach4091]

Go Pens!!! 5-1 winners tonight! Now 8-1! Sweet! Bylsma has 'em rollin!

[roach4091]

Live in West Deer twp.! Do some work in the warrendale area on occasion! Painter

[bigtuna177]

Are all you folks from Pittsburgh? Art you from Pitt too? Just curious as I have been working in Warrendale for about the past 2 years on a contract. Live in Chicago so sorry for the Bears and the Um...Steelers game!

[Churak]

lol!

[Buckey]

Now we know why Pitts burgh was getting all the calls LOL

[roach4091]

Indeed! Pirates soon! lol ??

[Buckey]

The boys in The white house today a I think - The penguins - I know Pittsburgh has a lot of champs

[roach4091]

Here we go! Another year in Steeler Country!

[02opida]

Steelers 20 C > 10

[Buckey]

just abit of media coverage locally LOL

http://thechronicleherald.ca/

http://www.cbc.ca/ns/

More people at the parade than at the ac/dc concert the night before a few hours away.

Sadly in a day the young man turned 22 there are still many locals who for some reason want to eat their young by criticizing him and tearing him apart. Anyway Lord Stanley made a trip home by way your town.

[roach4091]

LOL

[Buckey]

yep and that was just this morning. This afternoon and evening is the bigger celebration

[Art2Gecko]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09219/989344-100.stm

[Art2Gecko]

looks cool, thanks for posting it

[Buckey]

Its ok now - I am sure media will have a lot of pics - Its a whole evening with a band and everything. I am heading out on lake

[Art2Gecko]

still not posting right...lol try again

[Buckey]

Crowds were much bigger than this This was strt of race you were not supposed to be on other side.

[Buckey]

great day for a parade. I have no idea what rink will be like but start of parade 5km away was very crowded.

[Art2Gecko]

Nice!

[Buckey]

Parade today may Rival the Pittsburgh one for the Stanley Cup. Happy 22nd kid

[roach4091]

LOL~ Good luck with her! lol

[Art2Gecko]

Getting ready.... spending too much time now getting daughter ready to go off to college in two weeks. After I get that out of the way, It'll be back to paying attention to the steelers..

Pirates...? Pirates...... hmmmmmm that does ring a bell, but I can't quite place it......

[roach4091]

Steeler nation gearing up for the big show! 'Bout time those Pirates are killing me! LOL

[Art2Gecko]

Penguins lose Scuderi to L.A.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Peter DianaFormer Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi is heading to Los Angeles.The Penguins lost free-agent defenseman Rob Scuderi to Los Angeles today.

Scuderi accepted a contract with the Kings that is believed to cover four years and carry an annual salary-cap hit of $3.4 million.

"I'm happy about the deal," Scuderi said. "But kind of sad about (leaving) the team."

He identified the Penguins -- who do not have the salary-cap space to extend an offer akin to the one Los Angeles gave him -- and Kings as his finalists, but the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Minnesota and Montreal, among others, also expressed interest in him.

"I was almost sick to my stomach about turning down some of the offers that were there in the beginning," said Scuderi, who made $725,000 in 2008-09.

It was not immediately known whether the Penguins will target a free-agent defenseman to replace Scuderi, try to acquire one via a trade or give one from their farm team in Wilkes-Barre an opportunity to earn his old spot in the lineup.

The Penguins continue to try to re-sign winger Ruslan Fedotenko, and to have discussions about bringing back winger Petr Sykora.

They also are in the market for a backup goaltender, although restricted free agent John Curry is a candidate to fill that role.

First published on July 2, 2009 at 9:15 am


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09183/981365-100.stm#ixzz0KASp2uCA&C

[Buckey]

too bad I was only ever a PRO for one of those LOL still am just so there is no confusion I have bolded the PRO one

k...I defer to your expertise in matters of hockey & brewskis...

[Churak]

k...I defer to your expertise in matters of hockey & brewskis...

[Buckey]

i read everything in all the tronner papers. It appeasr as if there was a lot of confusion about the traditional handshake and whinny ass Draper made a comment that they had to wait to shake hands. I do not recall any other negative spins. All who wrote about teh game agree he is their leader hands down and the wings focussing on him turned out to allow malkkin more room .

Again I felt it ws a great TEAM effort. They would not of won if they didnt have most of those guys

[Churak]

Ok..I don't follow hockey...I'm more a Lacrosse fan

[Churak]

no that was the article I read yesterday that slammed Crosby & yes, there was another one today I think

[Buckey]

Here is article

Here it is

'HEART AND SOUL' OF THE PENGUINS
TheStar.com | Hockey | Sidney Crosby shows true colours
Sidney Crosby shows true colours
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MALKIN NO. 4?


Only three players have won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP and the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player during the regular season in the same year: Bobby Orr in 1970 and 1972, Guy Lafleur in 1977 and Wayne Gretzky in 1985. Evgeni Malkin could become the fourth: He won the Conn Smythe on Friday night and is one of the three finalists for the Hart (along with Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Ovechkin). The winner will be announced June 18 at the NHL awards ceremony.
Draper takes exception to snub from Crosby The Red Wings can accept that Pittsburgh is the Stanley Cup champion. Getting snubbed by Sidney Crosby is another matter.Four years after being drafted, Pittburgh's captain delivers a Cup and emerges as a gritty leader

Jun 14, 2009 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (74)
Damien Cox
It wasn't perfect. First championships rarely are, or there would be nothing left for an encore.

So Sidney Crosby didn't get to score the winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final on Friday night at The Joe, or make a big pass or a significant defensive play. Instead, he sat nailed to the bench for the final half of the game, his left knee throbbing and useless after an illegal second-period bodycheck from Johan Franzen.

There were also three separate outbursts of boos after the Pittsburgh Penguins had won the game, with Detroit fans recognizing that Crosby was a tad slow getting over to shake the hands of the dethroned champion Red Wings.

Finally, all in all, Crosby didn't have a major offensive impact in the series, managing one goal and an assist in seven games.

But it would be a terrible mistake to suggest Crosby did not lead the Penguins to this championship. He did, as his reverential teammates would attest.

"He is our team," explained winger Max Talbot after Game 7. "He is the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"Every day he thinks about hockey. Everything he does is about hockey. He respects the game."

Four years after being drafted, Crosby delivered the Cup. Without him, the Penguins would probably not have survived in Pittsburgh, and there would not be a new building – The House That Sid Built – going up across the road from Mellon Arena.

He has lived up to the hype, yet it also seems clear that the essence of Crosby is turning out to be somewhat different than what was anticipated.

He isn't turning out to be primarily a Fancy Dan, or merely a finesse player with his eye on breaking all the records.

Slowly, gradually, a character is emerging a little more like Bryan Trottier than Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky, with perhaps a little Stan Mikita mixed in.

There's a harder edge to Crosby than might have been anticipated – remember the cross-check to the neck of Henrik Zetterberg in Game 1, and then a slash in Game 5 – that leaves him well short of Bobby Clarke territory but nonetheless a player unlikely to win the Lady Byng Trophy any time soon.

He specialized in scoring dirty goals throughout the post-season. Critically, it was the fact that Crosby attracted the attention of Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom in the final that allowed Evgeni Malkin to play against Val Filpulla and Brad Stuart, helpful to the Pittsburgh cause since Stuart insisted on handing the puck to Malkin time after time.

If there's a parallel in another sport, Crosby seems to be on track to be the Derek Jeter of hockey – all about the business of winning.

The NHL, it's fair to say, dodged a bullet in Game 7 when the Penguins won.

Otherwise, the Pittsburghers would have been right to fume about Franzen's crushing hit – Crosby never had the puck – which was the final piece of evidence that once again, the NHL's worst instinct is to throw the rulebook out the window when times are going well.

That's what it did after the Rangers won the Cup in '94, which ushered in the Dead Puck Era.

In this year's final, it was truly unfortunate and worrisome to watch all the regular-season standards be ignored as the Wings and Pens fought for the Cup.

The NHL must continue to be about letting the skill players play, not allowing them to be illegally impeded and even injured in the process. The league once allowed that to happen with Lemieux, Crosby's mentor. Allowing the same to happen to The Kid now would truly defy logic.

Having Crosby injured in that fashion in such a historic game should be a warning to Gary Bettman.

He allowed the game to be dragged into the gutter once. He cannot let it happen again.



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[Buckey]

i edited that post. NO it wasnt front page. The one slightly negative article was small and inside the sports section. Almost every article I read was all accolades about Crosby. I had the sat and sun stars to take home the sports pages but forgot them

[Churak]

yeah but I think it was on the front page of The Star yesterday...lol