Big Lead Sports Bar

2/01/2007

Pens Win, Yappin Jack, Andy Reid's Kids, Harting Retires

--Quite the spirited Pens game Thursday night. It started with Sid getting a stick in the chest on the opening faceoff and never looked back. Thankfully, the Pens won in a shootout after blowing a two-goal lead late in the third period and surviving yet another Sergei Gonchar overtime penalty.
--I'll throw this out there and see if anyone agrees with me, but the most annoying part of the Pens game is when an altercation breaks out and they immediately cut away. Pushing and shoving? Let's cut to Fleury skating back and forth in the crease and miss the first punch. Fox did this no less than three times on Thursday night. Drove me nuts.
--The Teapot Dome Scandal website has issued a scathing indictment of the suddenly gabby Jack Wilson. His televised comments to Staniscool@hotmail.com (also known as Stan Savran) on FSN Pittsburgh concerning one Slowpoke Rodriguez have the locals buzzing. Comparisons to Hines Ward and Alan Faneca are coming from the mouths of fans. Signs of life are emanating from the Pirates' usually morose locker room. But does it really mean much from a player who was kinda disappointing in his own right?
Personally, I think these are conversations Wilson and Castillo should be having behind closed doors. I also think if anyone has a beef with the way Castillo is playing, it should be his manager. But he's too sidetracked with listening to himself talk to worry about little things like having focused players.
--Stories out of Philly about Andy Reid's kids are pretty disturbing. One points a gun at a motorist, and hours later, his brother gets in a car wreck as a result of using heroin.
Yep, just another example of the glamorous life of an NFL coach. Endless hours, constant pressure from ownership/media/fans, dealing with prima donnas, moving all over the country...sounds fantastic.
Tony Dungy has a son who commits suicide. Bill Belichick gets divorced and then breaks up other people's marriages. These are the things that happen when dad/hubby's at work 17 hours a day. In the end it all comes down to the priorities they set in life. And for most of these coaches, that priority is football, football, football.
Bash Bill Cowher all you want, but family means something to the guy. I know he worked hard, but I don't believe he ever worked Gruden-esque hours. And I know he ultimately moved on because of money, but you have to admit that he went to an awful lot of girls' high school basketball games over the years.
--Jeff Hartings has retired, clearing the path for Chukky Okobi at center. His retirement also clears some sweet, sweet cap space for the '07 team. He took home $2.2 million in 2006. Hartings will retire to Utah where he plans on starting a church. Hartings was a good solider and a truly gutsy player. He was a shell of himself in 2006 and it was time to move on, but he was a great member of the team.
--Great shot of Fergie and ET, seperated at birth
--The Altoona Sheetz is now selling beer, but don't look for it in PA supermarkets anytime soon. We wouldn't want to look like a progressive state or anything.

8 comments:

Dirty Sanchez said...

God forbid someone in the Pirates clubhouse calls out a teammate for putting in a half-assed effort. Maybe we need to bring back Kendall and Giles. They both had a higher OBP than Wilson (although Kendall only got on base via single or HBP), so they must be more qualified to speak in a leadership role.

hyzdufan said...

I live in NC and even we have beer in our supermarkets and gas stations. Apparently Jesus thinks it's ok, PA!

Unknown said...

You won't see beer in other Pa. supermarkets or convenience stores any time soon. Too many beer distributors would be affected, too many unions would get involved.

save the steagles said...

Have you ever seen the NFL network piece on Cowher and his daughters? It makes me want to cry everytime I watch it. The fact that he could be so demanding and successful on the field and still come home and be the best dad that he could is just so heartwarming. If I didn't love my own dad so much, I would seriously want Bill Cowher to adopt me.

Dirty Sanchez said...

I'll adopt ya Steagles.. ;)

Hartings frees up $3.6M for 2007, which hopefully will NOT be used to give J Peezy a contract extension.

If you've ever been to Altoona, you know why they need beer.

AJ said...

One more reason to go to Curve games... MTOs and Miller High Life are the staple of my diet.

Matt said...

The most annoying part of watching a Pens game is that every time there is an odd man break, they cut to a close-up of the player who just passed the puck away. If I miss one more shot because of that useless technique, I'M...GOING...TO...LOSE...MY...MIND! Just stick with the regular game view and stop attempting to be fancy. It doesn't work.

Matt
Wait 'Til Next Year

HotDog_Zanzabar said...

Did Hartings retire or did the Steelers tell him he was retiring?