Big Lead Sports Bar

11/05/2009

NEWS AND NOTES



--Looking for a classy OSU response to the Terrelle Cryer shirts? I guess this is the best they could do. [LeBrownsTown]

--Keep your November 21 open: Sarah Palin's book tour is stopping at the Washington, PA Sam's Club. Where else can you can get a 10-pound box of mozarella sticks and meet the VP runner-up in one stop? [KDKA]

--Hines Ward was talking about his "dirtiest player" label, among other things, with the gang at the Kiss Morning Freak Show on Thursday. [96.1 Kiss Freak Show]

--Here is the immediate fallout from the interesting Akinori Iwamura-to-the-Buccos trade. Too early to order World Series tickets? [PG]

--How can Dejuan Blair play without ACLs? I don't know...how about asking Hines Ward? He's missing one, right? [Slate]

--Looks like Travis Kirschke will not play against Broncos, which is good news if your name is Nick Eason. Mine is not. [PG]

--John Clayton breaks down the Steeler-Bronco game, and reveals that the key is Ben Roethlisberger. Groundbreaking stuff. [ESPN]

--Skippy's got nothing on Drunken David Robinson, the man who challenged a lamppost to a fight. But can he kick at Heinz Field? [STV News]

--The Mr. Rogers Neighborhood set is being rebuilt and will be open to the public this weekend. And to answer your next question, yes, Mr. McFeely will be in the house. [WPXI]

--There's a ridiculously-loaded Giant Eagle Market District store opening in Robinson (complete with Gelato bar!) and Food Network celebrity chef Ted Allen will be on hand to do cooking demos and a signing this weekend. Sarah Palin, Mr. McFeely, AND Ted Allen in the same month? Who said there's nothing to do in Pittsburgh? [Talent Network News]

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23 comments:

AJ said...

That new Giant Eagle is like the Cowboys Stadium of supermarkets.

They have a freaking crepe bar.

HomeRunFromBehindTheMeatballs said...

Ah, a JoePa poop joke. Really raising the bar. You'll notice though that even when it comes to depends, King Pryor can't help but turn it over.

The pirates just can't win! Either people are p*ssed off that they're trading all of their talent for minor leaguers, or people are p*ssed that they're trading a young player for a good veteran that can help this season. I like Jesse Chavez, but it's like NH said: 600 quality plate appearances outweigh 60 bullpen innings. I guess after 17 losing seasons and counting the benefit of the doubt is gone (and rightfully so in most cases).

John Clayton, hard hitting reporting as always.

I was hoping that Drunken David Robinson would be former San Antonio Spur David Robinson. Then, at least, a fight betwixt the admiral & a lamppost would be a fair one.

Gotta love Grand Openings of grocery stores as a huge event!!! What did you do last friday night? Me 'n the Mrs went dahn er to the new giant iggle for some chipped ham 'n at. It was awesome! To paraphrase Don King: "Only in Western PA!"

Steve said...

"The pirates just can't win!"

Ummmm, isn't that the root of the problem?

Constant Gardener said...

Sorry, but only Penn State fans wouldn't find that shirt the proverbial shit. The rest of us (you know, the ones who don't drink the Paterno kool-aid) think the incident in question was freaking hilarious. You insist on giving a senile old man that much power over your entire school for so long, you live with the consequences.

Adam said...

What consequences? Big Ten titles? Bowl wins? Success? I'm not seeing your point sonny.

BURGH08 said...

I guess that's what 'success' is defined by these days: Two wins against Division I programs that are over .500 this season.

The programs? Northwestern....and Temple.

You probably don't see that point either.

Adam said...

Success is 48-13, 2 Big Ten titles, and 3 bowl wins including a BCS win in a full 5-year recruiting cycle.

BURGH08 said...

"Success" is also having your only two marquee games on your schedule (Iowa/Ohio State) at home, and winning them both.

Adam said...

No, that's "undefeated".

10 wins is a damn good year, and I say that from the perspective of someone who's actually experienced it in the last 25 years. Baring a collapse, that's what we're going to get. That's what most of us said going into the year as well, when OSU still looked legit(well, more legit than they've been), and Iowa looked more like a blip on last year's radar than the team they've become this year.

Anyone who took a step back from the hype saw that this wasn't going to be last year's team. Penn State builds great teams every 3 years. 1999 lost its composure after the Minnesota upset. 2002 could have been huge if not for the Big 10 refs. 2005 was a Big 10 title, and so was 2008. 10 wins in what should be an off year in the 3 year plan is fine with me, and I'm not going to hang my head.

I'm just gonna pack the beach chair, head to Tampa, and relax after a pretty good year.

BURGH08 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BURGH08 said...

I guess that's exactly what the Penn State faithful were calling the talk shows with after the game yesterday: being content with the 'success'. Guess I missed that.

Ten wins isn't a guarantee (MSU may be over .500 by then), and the eight won so far include a I-AA team, and the other DI teams they beat owning a collective 31-35record

Dan Claycomb said...

I'll start this by saying I do realize Pitt has there 3 toughest games coming up so the schedules will even out but just to look at the schedules to date in order of difficulty.

USF - Iowa
Rutgers - OSU
UConn - Northwestern
Navy - Temple
NC St - Minn/Mich
Louis - Ill
Syr - Syr
Buff - Akron
YSU - E Ill


Putting them side by side, we've played a better schedule so far, I don't get all the hatred for PSU's schedule, it's as hard as the average BCS team and by the end of the season I think our schedules will be about even.

Temple is 7-2, they've beat Navy and they are only 4 votes being Rutgers. They're no TCU but they're one of the better mid-majors this season. Northwestern is having a decent season and just beat #4 Iowa on their field.

Also to mock our schedule when USF and Rutgers have played 4 FCS teams along with Western Kentucky, Army, and FIU as their OOC opponents?!? Their record may be 6-2 but they are not 6-2 quality teams.

Dan Claycomb said...

Sorry forgot to add this: As a PSU fan I am disappointed in this season. I wanted a Big 10 Title again. We had a lot of talent coming back. To win out the rest of the season and play in the Capital One or Outback bowl will be nice but, it wasn't what I had hoped for.

Adam said...

How is the schedule relevent anymore? It's not like we're in the MNC race, so I'm not seeing what our schedule has to do with the price of eggs in Denmark right now.

If you're argument was "Penn State hasn't proven they're a top 10 team" you've been proven correct. That doesn't mean we're not a good football team.

BURGH08 said...

I find it interesting that Pitt is brought into the discussion when the topic was about Penn State. I thought to hear it here from some of you, that's incomprehensible.

Also, as happy as I am for Temple to have some success, to read a Penn State fan trying to rationlize their record and place on a Penn State schedule is simply baffling. They beat Navy, but did you also mention they lost to I-AA Villanova? The MAC also has NINE teams playing .500 or below football.

At least you admit you are disappointed in this season as a Penn State fan. That's more of the norm from most of the fan base and my friends that follow the program (from between the lines).

Dan Claycomb said...

Burgh wrote 2 posts on our schedule so I commented on it. Our schedule wasn't that bad was the point I was trying to make. Nothing to do with the Pitt vs. PSU, just that our schedule received more of a beating than it deserved.

I forgot Temple lost to Nova. Ummm, well Nova is #4 FCS team and they beat #1 Richmond this week!!! Yeah, that's not a great argument.

This season has to be considered a disappointment. OSU and PSU we're considered the favorites to win the conference. We didn't and we're line to finish 3rd at best. There is no way for this season to finish above expectations.

BURGH08 said...

You can't have it both ways. You can't boast about Temple beating Navy and blindly not looking at losing to a I-AA school (regardless of ranking) or how many poor teams are in the MAC this year. Actually that's pretty easy to dissect.

Again, at least you are admitting what the typical Penn State fan feels, so your disagreement is probably more with Adam than myself.

Dan Claycomb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dan Claycomb said...

Sorry my Temple comments in the most recent post weren't to defend Temple it was to admit I made a mistake. The 'Yeah, that's not a great argument.' was at myself not at you.

BURGH08 said...

My apologies for the reaction Clint.

Adam said...

I haven't said "Pitt" yet on this thread.

But seeing as the pollsters granted us a gift today, we aren't dead yet for a BCS berth.

Read the long version here:
http://www.blackshoediaries.com/2009/11/8/1121832/posting-on-the-fly

But the short version is, us, Miami, USC, and Boise are in the race for the final 2 at large bids, and we're probably the safest pick to run the table.

The Mad Bubbler said...

They way these two programs are going, pretty soon Pitt will be paying Penn State $500,000 to come to Heinz Field to get their butts whipped.

BURGH08 said...

All I know is that a Penn State fan posted here earlier this football season that the Big Ten was better than the Big East based on ranked teams in the Top 10 and Top 25.

I just wonder what that poster would say now after looking at today's rankings.

For the record, I didn't take much stock in that theory now...or then.