Big Lead Sports Bar

3/27/2007

Below XPectations

If you weren't paying attention (and the attendance looks like you weren't), the much-ignored inaugural CBA season of the Pittsburgh XPlosion came to a conclusion on Friday night. I've been hard on the XPlosion in the past, but as I told a reader who asked for my thoughts on the team, "at this point, it's like kicking a guy when he's already down."
The team finished with an amazing 10-38 record on the year. The P-G described it as "...a mess on the court with a coaching change, 52 roster moves, 32 different starting lineups and a last-place finish in the American Conference."
Even the shining star known as Kevin Pittsnogle couldn't rescue this team from their abysmal run. As the P-G article notes, Pittsnogle was injured midway through the season and eventually went home for the final eight games of the campaign. He was placed on the inactive reserve list by the XPlosion on March 12.

The conclusion of the XPlosion season was a Friday-night doubleheader. The JV game was a Pittsburgh Steeler charity game against local celebrities (how did I miss coverage of that?) and also featured an appearance by former heavyweight champion Roy Jones, Jr.
(By the way, how long until a Steeler gets hurt in one of these charity games, then everyone gives the predictable knee-jerk reaction that it's stupid for them to play in these games?)
The XPlosion, refusing to cut their losses and move on, insist that they'll be back for another season of punishment in 2007-08. Why? I have no idea. Basketball is a tough sell in Pittsburgh beyond the Panthers. I doubt an NBA team would even generate much interest in the city, especially considering the state of the Penguins. So I'm not surprised when 50 people turn out to watch a 10-38 minor-league team take the floor. Of course, about 2.6 million Pittsburghers turned out to watch a 67-95 baseball team, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.
"Mondesi Classic" XPlosion articles:

1 comment:

Rinsem's Rink said...

Mondesi - did you really just compare some high school basketball league to the Pirates? I mean - I'm not a Pirate shill or anything, but there is some history there.