In Full Bloom

As is typical with my long term memory (i.e. remembering useless sports info while forgetting important work related facts), I will never forget where I was when I found out that Marc-Andre Fleury (aka "the Flower") was drafted #1 by the Penguins in the 2003 NHL draft. I had just arrived at a friend's house in Brighton, MA to pick him up to play golf. His roommate was watching ESPN, and it was announced that the Pens had traded from #3 to #1 to draft Fleury. I had read a brief article that week comparing this 18 year-old phenom to fellow French-Canadian goaltending legends Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. Needless to say, I was intrigued by this potential franchise goalie.

Any respectable Pens fan knows how the next five years transpired. Fleury came to camp in August 2003 and performed so well in training camp that he forced GM Craig Patrick and coach Eddie Olyck to bring him to Pittsburgh to start the season. He set the league abuzz, until he was sent to the World Junior tournament in December and blew the tournament and his confidence in one dramatic week. Financial considerations forced the team to send him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton upon his return, where he again struggled in the playoffs. In typical “yinzer” fashion, the poor kid starts getting slammed back in Pittsburgh as a bust. Mind you, he was 19 years old and had played a collective 20 games in the NHL, but the always perceptive Pittsburgh media and astute fans were writing him off.

Because of the lost '04-'05 season, the fortuitous deliverance of Sidney Crosby in the 2005 draft and the unceremonious ending to Le Manifique's career, Fleury's '05-'06 season is hazy to me. All I remember is that he continued to bounce between Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh and played inconsistent hockey. The criticism often heard focused on his over-reliance on athleticism, instead of proper positioning, his poor stick-handling, and his struggles in big games. Again, the kid was barely able to drink legally in the States. Did not matter, he was a wasted pick. I'm sure Bob Smizik did a 3,000 word column discussing how Fleury was responsible for the financial ruin and imminent departure of the team.

'06-'07 was a great bounce back year for the Penguins organization, but in my mind, Fleury's strong season got lost in the Crosby/Malkin shuffle. He posted the organization’s second 40 win season and collected 5 shutouts. He certainly struggled during the five game first-round beatdown by the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs, but he was not alone in that department. Again, as a 22 year old at the game's toughest position, he helped lead a 47 point turnaround culminating in the team's first playoff birth in five seasons.

I'm rambling here, but all of this background brings us to my main point. Game 5 of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals was one of the 4-5 most exciting Pittsburgh sporting events I have ever watched. And with all of the excitement and drama (Malone's return from a slap shot to a broken nose, Gonchar slamming his back saving a goal and returning to record the 2nd assist on Sykora's OT winner, Sykora telling NBC's Pierre McGuire that he was going to score the OT winner, Michel Theirren playing a "hunch" and inserting eventual goal-scorer Max Talbot as the 6th attacker at the end of regulation, Detroit almost winning it with a barrage during the last 34 seconds of regulation, Jarko "Pittsburgh's Favorite Player" Ruutu ringing the iron with a rocket in the 1st OT, etc) the thing that I was most excited about was the otherworldly performance turned in by the Flower.

To call his performance a "coming of age" doesn't do it justice. A 23 year old goalie made 55 saves in an elimination game on the road in the Stanley Cup finals. On national TV. Against a veteran laden juggernaut. And the numbers alone do not do justice to his performance. It was a thing of beauty. Among his 24 OT saves were some of the most spectacular I have ever seen. With the glove, with the skate, with the stick, with the blocker, on his back, on his stomach…you get the point. Even ever-sardonic Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry was practically beside himself with excitement on ESPN immediately after the game. He called Fleury's performance one of the best he's ever seen in his long career. This comment from the guy who used Mario Lemieux as a punching bag for years. Clearly not someone easily impressed.

It was gratifying as someone who believed in and defended this kid for 5 years to watch him stand on his head, put his team on his back, and refuse to lose that epic Game 5 in Detroit. Losing the Stanley Cup tonight was tough to take, but it is great to know as a Penguins fan that the team's young goalie has blossomed before our very eyes.

Game 4 and the Infamous 5 on 3

As a sports fan, there are certain moments that are etched in your brain for all time. If you're lucky, more of them are glorious than infamous. In honor the Penguins' woeful 5 on 3 power play late in their Game 4 loss in the Stanley Cup finals, here are the most crushing moments that stick out to me in my twenty-five or so years of rooting for the Pittsburgh sports franchises:

-1985 AFC Conference Championship - based on that fact that I was eight years old, I don't remember much about the game, but I distinctly remember this game being the first time I felt the letdown of a big lose.
-1992 NLCS, Game 7 - Stan Belinda, Barry Bonds, and Francisco Cabrera are usually discussed in reference to this game, but the play that sticks out for me was Jose "Chico" Lind booting an easy ground ball with no outs in the bottom of the 9th. Jim Leyland proceeds to pull Doug Drabek, giving way to Belinda and history. I will go to my grave contending that Drabek would have finished the game and the Pirates would have won the World Series if the usually reliable Lind does not boot that ball.
-1993 Patrick Division Finals, Game 7 - I walked around in a daze for weeks after Ray Ferraro found Dave Volek in OT to end the dream of a Pens three-peat. That 1993 team was by far the best of the 1990's dynasty, but it could not overcome the fatigue of their record season-ending streak.
-1995 AFC Conference Championship - the sight of Alfred Pupunu streaking past Tim McKyer still haunts my dreams.
-Super Bowl XXX (1996) - it's funny, the moment that stands out for me in this game Levon Kirkland's huge sack on 3rd down to take the Cowboys out of field goal range late in the fourth quarter. That play should have set up the Steelers to run the ball right down the 'Boys throats (Bam Morris was fantastic in the 2nd half) for a four minute drive to seal the victory. Instead, Bill Cowher and Ron Erhardt decide to get cute and go five wide, thus Neil O'Donnell's place in Pittsburgh sports infamy.
-1998 AFC Conference Championship - the sight of Bill Romanowski mocking Kordell Stewart after his end zone interception right before halftime always brings back that nauseous feeling.
-2000 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 4 - Keith Primeau, five overtimes, enough said.
-2002 AFC Conference Championship - Stewart usually gets the lion's share of the ridicule for this game, and rightfully so, but if Troy "the Bust" Edwards doesn't run out of bounds on Josh Miller's 70+ yard punt, the Steelers face the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
-2005 AFC Conference Championship - sensing a painful trend? Ugh. Two moments stand out from this horror show. First, watching Rodney Harrison very…slowly…return a Ben Roethlisberger interception 87 yards for a touchdown was a kick in the shin. Second, the one guy that perpetually drove me insane during his career, Plaxico Burress, drops a gimme touchdown to pull within seven in the fourth quarter. Fitting ending to his Steeler career.

Shockingly, there is only one Pirates moment here…

Mario and the Media

The Penguins 2008 Stanley Cup playoff run has been fun to watch, and the level of national media coverage is encouraging as a hockey fan. The one thing that blows my mind though is what seems like a vendetta against the team by Scott Burnside of ESPN.com. He has consistently gone out of his way to either criticize some perceived shortcomings or downplay their accomplishments by pointing out the injury problems of their competition. Apparently teams cannot win without their injured stars, just look at the Pens when Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury were out...wait, strike that. Anyway, the guy has stolen Bob Smizik's Debbie Downer role for weeks, yet this week he managed to top himself. He wrote a column blasting Pens owner, greatest all-time greatest player, 2 time Cup hoister, 3 time franchise savior, etc, Mario Lemieux for what Burnside perceived to be a lack of visibility during the playoffs. Burnside contends that Lemieux only cooperates with the media when it convenient to him, citing his previous efforts to secure a new arena and his involvement in the 2002 Winter Olympics as examples.

I'm not sure what audience Burnside intends to appease, but I just don't see the purpose of ripping an icon during the team's return to glory. And to suggest that Lemieux is some self-serving manipulator of the media is absurd in this instance. He has clearly stated that he does not want to take attention and focus off of the team's success, and he's smart enough to realize his stepping into spotlight would steal attention from Crosby and the rest of this series' young stars. He understands the significance to the city, team, and league of continuing the national drumbeat for the new NHL, and he knows that Crosby is the face of that movement.

Of course, not to be outdone, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's ever cheery Ron Cook concurred with Burnside in his column today. The funny part is, Cook managed to squeeze in his praise for Burnside in a column about Crosby's superstar effort in Game 3. Good to see Cook knows how to stay on point. Again, I just can't understand taking pot shots at a guy that has saved the franchise on THREE separate occasions. Has he historically been surly with the media? Sure. Was his interest in ownership of the team largely based on his vested financial stake? Without a doubt. Did he use the media (and some other cities) as an instrument for gaining a new arena deal? Thank goodness yes. Is any of this relevant during what should be a fun, entertaining, and galvanizing playoff run that the city and region can rally around? Absolutely not.

It's good to see that petty media grudges never die...

Late to the blog game...

Welcome to "Thank You Kevin McClatchy!" and thank you, the reader, for taking some time out to explore our new endeavor. As natives of Western Pennsylvania transplanted in the Boston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles areas during the past eight years, we wanted a forum to express our views on the goings-on of our favorite sports teams back in Pittsburgh. Frankly, it can be lonely following the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates (ugh) without fellow fans around, and we hope this blog will give us an outlet to connect with others in the same boat. It also gives us a chance to comment on the constantly changing (and often negative) opinions of Pittsburgh's local sports reporters and commentators. Long entrenched newspaper writers such Ed Bouchette, Joe Starkey, Bob Smizik, Ron Cook, and Mike Prisuta shape a lot of the coverage we are able to read via the internet in our distant locations, so it is only right that we keep them honest. We only hope our day jobs do not keep us from regularly contributing new and insightful commentary.

2007 NFL Draft Preview....Posted Afterwards (from Three Hamiltons blog)

As the 2007 NFL Draft is quickly approaching (only 10 more excruciating days), I felt it was time to kick start the Three Hamiltons blog, especially considering the place it holds in my sporting heart. I thought my format last year worked out okay, so I’m rolling with the same thing this year. Again, I’ll be focusing on the first draft of the Mike Tomlin era in Steeltown. This draft is crucial in adding some depth to bounce back from a topsy-turvy 2006 campaign. Looking back on last year’s picks, this exercise is in vain, but it is fun anyway.

1st round: Paul Posluszny (OLB – the ol’ Alma Mater)

Comment: As I’m sure everyone is sick of hearing me say, there is no player that is a better fit for everything that Mike Tomlin is going to instill in this Steelers team. Toughness – check. Ridiculous Work Ethic – check. Proto-typical WLB in the Tampa 2 – MAJOR check. Intelligent, High Character, Smart, yada, yada, yada – check, check, check. Tomlin seems like a no-nonsense, smart man. I just think this pick is a no-brainer, and I’m fully aware of my absolute subjectivity on the matter from both sides. That’s my story though, and I’m sticking to it. I just refuse to resign myself to the fact that they could pick someone else. It’s not happening.

2nd round: Dwayne Jarrett (WR - USC), Brian Leonard (RB – Rutgers), Tony Hunt (RB – Penn State), Justin Blalock (OL – Texas), Craig Davis (WR – LSU), or Sydney Rice (WR – South Carolina)

Comments: This 2^nd round pick was the toughest for me to pinpoint. This draft seems really deep from late 1^st to mid-3^rd, so there are going to be some talented players here. The national media has had rumblings of Jarrett falling recently, but I cannot see him dropping to #46. That being said, he would be amazing as the final link in the Steelers new 4 WR offense under new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. They clearly will be targeting WRs because of this slight shift in offensive philosophy, and given the WR talent available in this slot, this pick seems like the logical place. Rice and Davis are both the type of tall, deep threat WRs that would compliment the gritty Hines Ward and quick Santonio Holmes. That being said, I think Brian Leonard would be a great “Ultraback” player to compliment Fast Willie Parker (God bless Raymont Harris, wherever you are). Leonard is a strong enough runner to spell Parker for 8-12 carries a game, and he is the ideal 3^rd down back given his pass-catching and pass blocking skills. Deuce Davenport is a solid # 3 back and special teams contributor, but they need a big, strong runner to compliment Parker’s speed. The offense clearly was lacking last year without that power running presence that the Bus brought to the table. Hunt could also be a possibility here, given his inside, power running abilities. He is not a #1 back, but would be an ideal #2 power back in the Steelers offense.

3rd round: Chris Henry (RB - Arizona), Jonathan Wade (CB – Tennessee), Quentin Moses (DE – Georgia), or LaMarr Woodley (DE/OLB – Michigan)

Comments: Henry’s size (230)/speed (4.38) combination at the combine really intrigues me, but his college stats seem very sparse. This pick really is contingent on the 2^nd round pick. I cannot see them getting through the first four rounds without taking a LB, RB, and WR. That being said, if some talent at CB (Wade), DE (Moses) or LB (Woodley) slide to this part of the 3^rd round, it would make sense to grab them. These three particular players were all high performers at major programs and would be a good fit for the Steelers slight shift in defensive scheme.

4th round (a): Daniel Sepulveda (P – Baylor), Kareem Brown (DT – the U), or Kevin Kolb (QB - Houston)

Comments: Punter Chris Gardocki has long outlived his usefulness, so, barring Josh Miller getting cut by New England, it makes sense to take a shot on a kid like Sepulveda. He is a 2-time winner of the Ray Guy award, and you have to figure at Baylor he got a lot of practice. Brown has all the talent to be a disruptive force spelling both Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith, considering the DL really lacks depth as currently configured. The Kolb selection could be a very solid long-term back-up solution at QB and fits with my adoption of the Ron Wolf philosophy of drafting QBs to develop and use later as trade bait.

4th round (b): Dwayne Wright (RB – Fresno State), Jon Abbate (LB – Wake Forest), or James Marten (OT - BC)

Comments: Again, Wright’s size and battering ram style are intriguing as a complement to Parker. Abbate again fits the blue collar LB style syonomous with the Steelers and has the look of a very strong special teams contributor. Marvel Smith’s age necessitates the adding of some OT depth, and Marten looks like another in a long line of solid OL from the Boston College program.

Late Round Flyers: Tyler Palko (QB - Pitt), Jason Snelling (RB - Virginia), Zac DeOssie (LB - Brown), or Jacoby Jones (WR - Lane)

Please save us Mr. Cuban!! (from Three Hamiltons blog)

I am sure there is no way Mark Cuban would ever find his way to this blog, but I am going to make my plea anyway, if only to make myself feel better. As I watch the Pittsburgh Pirates' 14th straight losing season unfold, I feel like a rubber-necker watching another car wreck on the Parkway East. It is during this time of year, May - when the Pirates are officially out of contention, that my thoughts return to the annual dream of Mark Cuban, a Pittsburgh area native, riding in on a white horse (or Humvee, if he so chooses) and purchasing the team from the clutches of evil Kevin McClatchy and the non-existent Nutting family. Clearly, they do not have the financial or marketing clout to save this team from the baseball abyss in which it currently resides.

There is ZERO doubt in my mind that Mr. Cuban has both the money and passion to build a winning franchise again in the great city of Pittsburgh. He is a smart enough businessman to realize that all of the variables are place for a very successful situation. The team already has one of the 2-3 best ballparks in all of baseball, they compete in the less rugged National League, and they have a solid farm system from which to start. There is one other factor though that I think is the most important. There is a great, loyal fan base just waiting for a winner.

Now, it goes without saying that Pittsburgh is a football town. I mean, the dungeon that was Three Rivers Stadium, God rest its soul, was sold out even during the terrible end of the Noll era, when Walter Abercrombie and Mark Malone passed as stars (ahhhhhhhh....bad flashbacks...think Super Bowl XL, Hines Ward, Big Ben...that's better...sorry for the tangent). But, I firmly believe that Pirates fans are just so beaten down by what amounts to 25 years of horrid baseball, that they are just tired and waiting for a savior. When you think about the fact that, save the nice six year run during the Bonds/Leyland/LaValliere era of 1988-1993, these fans have been subject to horrible baseball for a VERY long time. I mean, do the names Jason Thompson, Sammy Khalifa, Mike Kingery, Jacob Brumfield, and John Wehner mean anything to you? Didn't think so.

All we want is hope. Seriously. I have no doubt that, if Cuban bought the team, interest in the Pirates would shoot through the roof, even before the winning started. And, with Cuban, the winning would start pretty quickly. He is not afraid to lose some money for a few years to win back the fans and win games. Everyone forgets what a joke the Mavericks were prior to his ownership. They were every bit as pathetic as the Clippers were until recently. Now, they are perennially one of the top 3-4 teams in the league and sell out every game. I can speak from experience, having attended a Mavs/Pacers game over Christmas, their game experience is second to none. The arena is amazing, the fans are so engaged, and the atmosphere is electric.

Let's face it, Pittsburgh sports fans are a) savvy, b) impatient, and most importantly, c) not rich enough to throw cash away. For the past 14 years, being a diehard Pirates fan means throwing money away. I know from personal experience as, prior to moving to Boston in 2001, my buddies and I spent usually 2 nights during each homestand trekking to Three Rivers Stadium with roughly 7,000-10,000 other poor diehards just out to support our team. Even since my move, while watching the Red Sox go through a renaissance, my allegiance has never waived (though I will admit to following the Sox also, based on a childhood fascination with Clemens, Greenwell, Big Mo, and the fact that living here requires you know all things Sox). The first thing I do every morning is check out the prior night Buccos score/recap, which usually prompts a day long email discussion with those same Pittsburgh buddies about the good, bad, and ugly of another lost season. Heck, I have even convinced my ever-understanding wife to let me spend an extra $10 a month on our DirecTV package at our new house, just so I can get the regional sports package with FSN Pittsburgh to watch the games!! (NOTE: the reason I am getting DirecTV in the first place though is to get the NFL Sunday Ticket to follow the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers).

I refuse to believe that my buddies and I are the only fans like this out there. When I listen to my father, who never really waxes nostalgic about sports, talk about going to Forbes field to see the great Roberto Clemente, Elroy Face, Bill Mazeroski, Dick Groat, listening to the legendary voice of Bob Prince, and following the great 70's teams with "Pops" Stargell and Kent Tekulve, there is clearly a strong fanbase out there waiting for a return to those days. Heck I can even remember watching the Leyland teams with my grandma on hot summer nights, because they had cable and we didn't, and she always loved watching the games. And, I am convince that if Mark Cuban bought the team, fans would return in droves, bringing that dampened spirit back with them. Pittsburgh has the potential to be a two-sport town, all we need is a reason to believe.

With the 32nd pick in the 1st round of the 2006 NFL Draft...(from Three Hamiltons blog)

As the 2006 NFL draft draws near, I felt it was time to do a quick 4 round wishlist for my beloved Super Bowl XL Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Please note: no Ravens were harmed in the making of this draft board:

1st round: Nick Mangold (C - Ohio State), Darnell Bing (S - USC) or Bobby Carpenter (LB - Ohio State)

Comment: I still believe Pittsburgh would snag LenDale White if, in light of his recent escapades, he keeps falling, but there are doubts that he fits the type of "team friendly" attitude they embrace. I felt for weeks that, with 3 4th round picks, they were in good position to trade up in the first round (ala 2003 when they traded the 27th pick, a 3rd rounder and a 6th rounder to move up 11 spots to #16 to draft current Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu). I cannot see them doing anything like that in light of White's recent actions. A more likely selection, Mangold would be able to come in and learn under Jeff Hartings for a year, before taking over in 2007. As for Carpenter, he would provide some much needed youth/depth at ILB, but he has worked out very well, and teams like the Pats and NYG need LB help and are picking in front of the World Champs. Bing could potentially learn for a year behind newly-acquired Ryan Clark, before joining fellow Trojan Polamalu in 2007.

2nd round: Calvin Lowry (S - Penn State) or Greg Eslinger (C - Minnesota)

Comments: Bing will likely be gone when the Steelers pick at #64, but they clearly need safety depth. I felt that last season Lowry really established himself as the type of intelligent/athletic DB that would fit in well at FS with SS Polamalu and young CBs Ike Taylor, Ricardo Coclough, and Bryant McFadden. He was a very productive player on last year's dominant 11-1 Orange Bowl winning defense, and he had pro day in State College a few weeks back. Eslinger could be a solid fall back pick if Mangold does not pan out at #32.

3rd round: Gerald Riggs, Jr. (RB - University of Tennessee)

Comments: Injuries really hurt his college productivity, but he is a bigger back with good instincts/genes. You have to figure that after the 5 top RBs are off the board (Bush, White, Maroney, Williams, and Addai), there will be few teams left with glaring RB issues, considering most jobs are solidified at this point. Plus, the Steelers are one of the few teams looking for those bigger backs, which I would classify Riggs as at 235 lbs. They definitely need a younger big back as insurance for the ever-shaky health of Duce Staley.

4th round (a): Paul Pinegar (QB - Fresno State) or Bruce Gradkowski (QB - Toledo)

Comments: After watching Tommy Maddox nearly submarine the Super Bowl season with his performance against Jacksonville, it is clearly time to take the role of Big Ben's caddy seriously (I will say, I am a Batch backer. He's a solid veteran). Neither of these QBs really strike me as starting NFL QB material, but I would be thrilled to have either groomed as a long-term back-up to the godsend. I prefer Gradkowski because he was very productive in the MAC, he is a Pittsburgh native, and he is a tough competitor. A perfect Steeler QB.

4th round (b): Martin Nance (WR - U of Miami OH), Jonathan Orr (WR - Wisconsin), or Domenik Hixon (WR - Akron)

Comments: Due to the presence of Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward and future Pro Bowl TE Heath Miller, I do not see WR as such as huge need as some Steelers fans, but they could definitely use some depth. I was never a huge Randle El fan, as he was a glorified #3 WR and did not really bring much outside of the 3-4 trick plays a year...well worth $27M, right? All three of these WRs should be available here, barring any draft day assentions. Some experts probably would think the 4th round is too high even, at least for Nance and Hixon. Nance had an extremely productive sophomore year with Roethlisberger at QB, and he is the big, strong bodied WR they are currently lacking. I saw Hixon just abuse Memphis (point noted, it was Memphis) in the MAC championship last fall, and he is another physically gifted, bigger WR. Orr was another in a recent string of productive UW WRs who is fast and fairly big.

4th round (c): Michael Robinson (QB/WR/RB - Penn State), Brad Smith (QB/WR/RB - Missouri), Marques Hagans (QB/WR - Virginia), or Reggie McNeal (QB/WR - Texas A&M)

Comments: With so many college QBs in this draft attempting make the transition to WR, you just know the Steelers are taking one at some point. They love these types of guys. There is a chance that McNeal and Robinson could be gone by the 4th round, but there is a chance all 4 could be available. I prefer Robinson, given his leadership ability and versatility, but I also am most familiar with him. Smith was an extremely productive multi-dimensional threat at Mizzou for four years, but he has not worked out well at WR.

Well, there are my thoughts. It should be interesting to see how it plays out.