MEMPHIS' LOSS, PITT'S GAIN?

Now that former Pitt assistant coach John Calipari has accepted the Kentucky job, a few shockwaves will undoubtedly be felt. Obviously, Memphis is going to have to look for a new coach. And they might have to find some new players, too.

KDKA is reporting that Pitt could possibly have a shot at landing one of the top Juco players in the country, 6'9", 230-pound power forward Will Coleman of Miami, Florida. Coleman signed with Memphis in August, turning down his only other offer, which was from Pitt. He was also pursued by UConn, Missouri, Minnesota, Clemson, and Tulane. But with the departure of Calipari, Coleman looks to be the odd man out should he opt to get a release from his commitment, as only some recruits will be able to follow the coach to his new home.

Coleman played this season at Miami Dade County College, averaging 16 points and 16 rebounds. He would have three seasons of eligibility remaining and would provide some instant help to the Panthers up front with the potential loss of Dejuan Blair.

Says Slam Online:

Despite not playing organized ball until his junior year at Glennwood HS, where he was state champion in the 100-and 200-meter dashes, Coleman originally signed with Arkansas-Little Rock. Instead, Coleman went the junior college route because of academics. At the time, he weighed (just!) 220 pounds and has since beefed up with 40 pounds (most accounts actually report 50 pounds) of sinew. Coleman appears to be a classic late-bloomer whose coach shielded him from recruiters.

Here's a little taste of Coleman's athletic ability from January of this year.

Will Coleman, Dante Taylor...this could be the start of something interesting, don't you think? But still, one has to wonder what Coach Cal was thinking in turning his back on the #1 recruiting class in America. I'm guessing that $34 million or so will probably soften that blow. I just hope he knows what he's getting into.

POSSIBLE TARGET FOR PITT HOOPS [KDKA/PSI]

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LET THE FUN BEGIN

Today the Steelers brought in their first college player from outside the area for a visit, and you may be just a tad surprised to find out that it's a wide receiver. Mike Thomas, a 5'8", 195-pounder from the University of Arizona, was hanging out at the home of the World Champions today.

Thomas holds the Pac-10 record for career receptions with 259, and ran a 4.3 40 at the combine in Indianapolis. He was all-Pac 10 as a wide receiver in 2008 and 2007. Last season, he had 74 catches, 826 yards, and four touchdowns for the 8-5 Wildcats. His season was highlighted by an 11-catch, 127-yard, one-touchdown game against New Mexico in September. As a junior, he reeled in 82 catches for 1,027 yards and 11 touchdowns. If nothing else, he has proven to be a highly productive pass-catcher, although you can see that his production dropped off from '07 to '08.

The PG's Ed Bouchette said the Steelers "would like to draft a receiver with good speed who also could return punts and/or kickoffs for them," hence the visit from Thomas. Thomas is ranked as the #15 wide receiver prospect by Walterfootball.com, who would have ranked him higher if he happened to be a bit taller. The Steelers are permitted to bring in a total of 30 players to their facility prior to the draft.

Draft prospect visits Steelers [PG]
Mike Thomas official bio [Arizona]

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ALYONKA LARIONOV IS BECOMING A BIG STAR

This is Alyonka Larionov, shown with a certain Washington Capital you might be familiar with. Ms. Larionov, who once earned a "golden ticket" in American Idol, happened to be the co-star of a Penguin-produced web segment last week co-starring Evgeni Malkin and a batch of homemade pierogies that became quite the instant internet sensation. In fact, it made such an impact that Joe Starkey profiled Larionov recently for the Trib, taking a closer look at the young lady that calls former NHL star Igor Larionov "Dad".

The soon-to-be-22 year-old, who moved to Pittsburgh to attend The Art Institute and major in fashion retail management, joined Penguins TV in December. The "Cooking with Geno" piece has over 58,000 views and counting just a few days after the release, and has created quite the buzz around the net.

So now that Pittsburgh is getting to know Larionov in greater numbers, what's up with her and Ovechkin? Says Larionov:

"I've known him since I was a kid. He asked me to go to the Awards with a large group of friends. I didn't think people would make such a big deal of that. I also took pictures with (Red Wings forward Pavel) Datsyuk, and no one said anything about me and Datsyuk. I've known him my whole life, too."

Larionov goes on to add that she thinks the relationship between Ovechkin and Malkin is fine, and that she would like to arrange for the two stars to join her in another cooking segment, a proposition that Malkin found acceptable.

Could Alyonka Larionov and some webcasted cooking broker a long-term peace treaty between the sometimes-feuding stars? Well, that sounds like a possibility. But if peace between Russian hockey greats was the goal, we probably could've used her last year:



Larionov stars for Penguins [Trib]
Cooking with Geno [Mondesi's House]
Ovechkin parties, gets friendly with Igor Larionov's daughter [Puck Daddy]
Video: Evgeni Malkin and Alyonka Larionov heat up the kitchen [Puck Daddy]

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WILL OHMAN IS CONFUSING

Relief pitcher Will Ohman is by no means a superstar. I think signing a contract for the 2009 season on March 30th would probably indicate that. But the deal he settled for? It's interesting, to say the least.

Ohman passed up a major league contract with the Pirates nine days ago to take a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers today. That's right, guaranteed money and a roster spot now comes second to taking a shot at possibly making the Dodgers' roster.

This proves that the Pirates are still at the point where their dollar is not worth the same currency of other MLB franchises. But you can't fault the team on this one. Previous administrations probably would've vastly overpaid for a guy like Ohman, so at least they didn't go down that road again.

Ohman went to Pepperdine and had a desire to play on the West Coast, and apparently that was worth more in his mind than what the Pirates presented him. But really, is his presence or non-presence going to have a tremendous impact on the outcome of this season? I highly doubt it. Save the money for some draft picks or young players who will actually make a difference when we need them. Which probably isn't 2009.

Ohman chooses Dodgers, not Pirates [PBC Blog]
Will Ohman career stats [Baseball Reference]

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THE WORST KICKBALL GAME EVER

I played in many a game of kickball as a young blogger-to-be, but not once did any contest result in the discovery of a human skull. Which is exactly what happened to some kids playing some kickball in South Franklin Township of Washington County on Saturday. From WTAE, which adds video:

According to investigators, the children were playing in a yard on Jolly School Road around 5:30 p.m. Saturday when they found the skull on top of a tree stump. Coroner Tim Warco said he'll have the skull examined by two forensic scientists, including Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, an anthropologist at Mercyhurst College in Erie. Dirkmaat is an expert at examining human remains.

I'm pretty sure if this happened to a six-year-old version of me, I'd still be having nightmares. And I'm also sure I'd announce my retirement from kickball the day after.

Kickball Game Finds Skull In Yard [WTAE]

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STEELERS PRESEASON TO INCLUDE CARDINALS, T.O.

The NFL just released the 2009 preseason schedule, and I know no one cares about the preseason, but I'm going to mention it anyway.

The Steelers will open on August 13 at Heinz Field as they host the Arizona Cardinals on ESPN in a rematch of Super Bowl 43. Perhaps this time Kurt Warner won't throw a backbreaking interception before the end of the first half. We'll also get a good look at Bryant McFadden in his new uniform.

The Steelers then travel to Washington for some time with Albert Haynesworth in Week 2, followed by a home date with Terrell Owens and the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. The preseason closes up the weekend of September 3/4 with the Steelers traveling to take on the Carolina Panthers. That makes me smile, because a 2007 Steelers-Panthers preseason game would turn out to become one of my all-time favorite posts, forever burning the image of a Ricardo Colclough jersey in my brain for all the wrong reasons.

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ANDREW MCCUTCHEN DEMOTED

Following a spring in which he hit .318 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, and two steals in 26 games, highly-touted Pirate outfielder Andrew McCutchen was sent to minor-league camp. Said Neal Huntington:

"He slowly but surely has ticked off a lot of the elements we wanted to see from him. The defense, the patience at the plate, all have been strong. We still have to work on the base-stealing, on the bunting, so that, when he does struggle, he can pull that third baseman in and find his way on base."

McCutchen said all the right things in taking the demotion, which was nice to hear. It's probably going to be only temporary anyway, because he certainly has the talent to be on the roster right now. This falls more under the category of business decision than baseball decision, which is usually the case with the Pirates. I'm sure that won't sit well with some percentage of the fan base, but as the saying goes, "It is what it is".

The demotion leaves Craig Monroe, Jeff Salazar and Garrett Jones for the team's final outfield bench spot, with Monroe probably having the inside track because of the fact that he's a right-handed bat.

The Pirates also sent SS Brian Bixler to their minor league camp. Bixler hit .345 with 3 three RBI and three steals this spring.

McCutchen made Bucs' decision hard [MLB.com]
Pirates cut McCutchen, Bixler [PBC Blog]

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THE PITT WOMEN LOST TOO

Tough weekend for the Pitt basketball programs. The men's team got its heart ripped out in front of a prime-time, national TV audience on Saturday night, and the women's team got bounced from the Sweet 16 with a 70-59 loss to Oklahoma last night on ESPN2.

The Panthers accomplished their mission of stopping center Courtney "Daughter of Bubba" Paris, the player who famously said she would give back her scholarship if Oklahoma failed to win the national title this year - a bet worth about $64,000. Paris had only 10 points after dealing with early foul trouble - kinda like Dejuan Blair Syndrome. But it would be teammate Whitney Hand's 22 points that would ultimately do in the Panthers on this night.

As far as other Oklahoma players with famous relatives, Carlee Roethlisberger finished with only a three-pointer in 22 minutes of action. She was 1-for-6 from the floor. I saw that big brother was going to make an appearance on ESPN's First Take to talk about his sister, which means there's probably video of that floating out there somewhere in the internets if you're interested.

Senior Shavonte Zellous led Pitt with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Panthers finished 25-8. Oklahoma moves on to the Elite Eight against Purdue on Tuesday night.

Pitt Women: Sooners, Paris turn out lights on Panthers [PG]

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WRAPPING UP THE 2008-09 PITT BASKETBALL SEASON

I can't imagine how the Pitt Panthers players must feel in the wake of the Instant Classic that was their gut-wrenching, last-second, two-point loss against Villanova in the Elite Eight, but somehow I have a feeling that even the dramatic photo above does their collective mood no justice. It was devastating, crushing, heartbreaking, and any other appropriate adjective you could think of. And that was just the fan's perspective.

To watch the Pitt basketball program grow and mature over the last decade has been highly enjoyable. For Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon to build a highly-respected basketball institution (the right way, I might add) year-in and year-out has been nothing short of amazing. And as a fan, it's inevitable to become emotionally attached. Through the annual pre-Big East appetizers, the conference schedule, and the end-of-the-regular-season gathering at Madison Square Garden, there's a natural arc of events that you're mentally prepared for. You become accustomed to the Panthers starting, say, 15-0, getting a national ranking, winning a couple big Big East games, and having their way in the conference tournament. But throughout it all, there's been one thing that's given even the most loyal Pitt fan cause for worry: the NCAA tournament, where they rarely seem to peak at the right time of year.

It's only the success that Pitt's enjoyed that's created this monster of increased March expectations. With each year of only advancing so far in the tournament while leaving their fans wanting more, the monkey on their backs grew to a near-unbearable weight. I recently compared it to what Bill Cowher went through with the Steelers and what Peyton Manning experienced with the Colts before finally breaking through. But for the most part, those men would retain the bulk of their team the following season. Manning had Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Edgerrin James or Joseph Addai year after year. Cowher knew he would be returning Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, and a great defense for many of his 15 years in charge. But in Pitt's case, the bitter pill to swallow is that Saturday was the last time we'll see this team as we know it.

A friend of mine recently compared the 2008-09 Panthers to the 1992 NLCS-losing Pittsburgh Pirates. With the pending fate of the team, you knew it was championship or bust. The window was only going to be open for so long. In the Pirates' case, the worst-case scenario soon came to pass. Barry Bonds went to San Francisco. Bobby Bonilla bolted to New York. Doug Drabek and Andy Van Slyke soon found themselves in different uniforms. And 17 years later, the organization still hasn't recovered.

With the '08-'09 Pitt Panthers, whose final game was every bit as painful as that of the '92 Pirates, you have a team that's likely going to produce two NBA first-round draft picks in Sam Young and Dejuan Blair. The team's emotional leader, Levance Fields, will also be moving on, as is senior Tyrell Biggs. Is there incoming talent? Sure, and plenty of it. The cupboard is not bare. Freshman-to-be Dante Taylor is rated as a top-10 prospect. Gilbert Brown is like a rising stock. But by no means will it have the same level of expectations as this year's squad.

And that's the toughest part about the brutal defeat the Panthers suffered at the hands of the Wildcats on Saturday night. After years of building to a zenith, Pitt is due for somewhat of a fall. Based on the tournament, the program finished somewhere between the fifth and eighth spot in the country this year. In reality, that's fantastic. And instead of wallowing in our somewhat predictable disappointment, we should appreciate what an accomplishment it was to make it this far. Because few fan bases should appreciate it more than Pitt's.

The structure of the NCAA tournament has gradually pushed the Cinderella stories to the side. With scheduling changes putting the top seeds closer to home, major upsets are few and far between. This year, 14 of the top 16 seeds made it through the first two rounds unscathed. It's become a home of the power players. And Pitt has definitively earned their seat at that table.

As Pitt basketball fans, we've become spoiled by success. We were prepared to turn our noses at any anything less than the Elite Eight this year, saying it would be "unacceptable". But if you think it's easy to win and win and win and win some more, take a look in the direction of Kentucky, where their program has been turned upside-down. Or how about once-proud St. John's, who's become a Big East also-ran? Or maybe DePaul, which went 0-18 in Big East play this year? That was a school that Ray Meyer took to postseason play 21 times.

It's taken a long time to get to my point, but it's simple: don't be upset at Sam Young, Dejuan Blair, Levance Fields, Jamie Dixon, et al., for ruining your bracket or your prospective Championship Party. They wanted it. They gave it their absolute best effort. But in the end, for whatever reason, it just wasn't meant to be. Looking back on the game, people are second-guessing this play or that decision. But you could do that on both sides. I'm sure Jay Wright wishes he didn't call for the home-run pass in the game's closing moments. What happened happened, and as hard as it is, we must eventually move on.

Rather than dwelling on the negative, we should celebrate the accomplishments of the outgoing players, who gave us a lifetime of great memories in one season. What Fields did against Xavier will go down in the annals of memorable moments in Pittsburgh sports history for a long time. And how about Blair flipping over Hasheem Thabeet in front of a national audience? Priceless. This team gave us more great moments than many other Pittsburgh teams have, professional or amateur. And for that, I'm glad I was around for the ride. Because there are worse things in life than watching your favorite basketball team fall in the Elite Eight. As sports fans, that's a different story; but still, our city just celebrated a Super Bowl victory and is in contention for a Stanley Cup. We've got a lot of suitable distractions until the next Pitt basketball season.

I feel for you, Panthers. What you've built is incredible. Your season gets an A+ for effort. And maybe one day, you'll advance even deeper in March. After all these close calls, I can assure you that your fans will appreciate it.

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ABOUT VILLANOVA

(1) PITT VS. (3) VILLANOVA
7:05 PM ET, March 28, 2009
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
CBS

NICKNAME: Wildcats

LOCATION: Villanova, PA

ENROLLMENT: 6,250

COACH: Jay Wright, 299-174 career (15 seasons), 177-89 at Villanova

RECORD: 29-7, 13-5 Big East

RPI: 13

TOP RPI WIN: vs. Pitt (#2) 67-57

TOP RPI LOSS: vs. Louisville (#5) twice, 61-60 and 69-55

LEADING SCORER: F Dante Cunningham, 16.3 PPG

LEADING REBOUNDER: F Dante Cunningham, 7.4 RPG

NOTABLE ALUMNI: Governor Ed Rendell; disgraced NBA official Tim Donaghy; NFL stars Howie Long, Brian Westbrook, and Jumbo Elliott; NBA 50 Greatest Paul Arizin; NBA players Kerry Kittles, Randy Foye, and Kyle Lowry; actress Maria Bello; singer Toby Keith.

GAME NOTES:
-Beat Pitt 67-57 on January 28 behind a career-high 18 from Reggie Redding. Dejuan Blair had foul trouble and was limited to seven points in 20 minutes.
-ESPN's Andy Katz talks about the two teams' last meeting.
-Katz also writes about Jamie Dixon and Jay Wright setting a new standard in the Big East conference.
-SI's Alex Wolff says Pitt doesn't mind winning ugly...
-While Bob Smizik says Pitt is in a four-game slump.
-Is some level of pressure off Pitt for finally getting past the Sweet 16?
-Blair promises he won't get into foul trouble.

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VINCE THE SHAMWOW GUY GOT ARRESTED

It's a sad state of affairs in this country when even our favorite telemarketers can't stay out of trouble. Yes, that's right, 44-year-old Vince Shlomi, better known as the TV pitchman for the Shamwow and the Slap Chop, was recently arrested on a battery charge following a violent confrontation with a prostitute in South Beach. The apocalypse is truly upon us. From The Smoking Gun:

According to an arrest affidavit, Shlomi met Sasha Harris, 26, at a Miami Beach nightclub on February 7 and subsequently retired with her to his $750 room at the lavish Setai hotel. Shlomi told cops he paid Harris about $1000 in cash after she "propositioned him for straight sex." Shlomi said that when he kissed Harris, she suddenly "bit his tongue and would not let go." Shlomi then punched Harris several times until she released his tongue.

I know this is neither Pittsburgh nor sports related, but there's some odd linkage between the Shamwow and Pittsburgh. Maybe it's the fact that it's similar to a certain towel that gets waved at football games. Maybe it's the fact that Mark Madden mentions his affinity for it on a regular basis. Or maybe it's the fact that Vince's TV spots often pop up on ESPN. But all I can tell you is that this story showed up in my inbox in far greater numbers than any other story of late.

So other than the arrest, what's the more alarming part about this story: the fact that the Shamwow guy stays in $750-a-night rooms, or the fact that his TV persona looks like it could be his son? I don't know the answer, but all I can say with certainty is one thing: our REAL role model should be the legendary pitchman who hails from McKees Rocks.

ShamWow Guy In Slap, Chop Bust [The Smoking Gun]

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MARVEL SMITH SIGNS WITH 49ERS

Former Steeler lineman Marvel Smith has officially moved on, signing with the San Francisco 49ers. Smith, a 2004 Pro Bowler who's struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, inked an incentive-laden two-year deal, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Smith, who hails from Oakland, California, was selected by the Steelers out of Arizona State in the second round of the 2000 draft. He signed a six-year, $26 million contract in 2003 that the Steelers opted to lapse this offseason. He started 108 games in the Steeler black and gold, but completed an entire 16-game season just four times in his nine years with the team. Smith has primarily held the tackle spot since starting nine games as a rookie. He departs with two Super Bowl rings and ample financial consideration for his efforts.

49ers Strike Deal With Marvel Smith [PFT]

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FORMER STEELER SMITH ARRESTED

Vinson Smith, a linebacker who played ever so briefly for the Steelers years ago, spends his time as a bail bondsman in North Carolina these days. You know, along the lines of Dog the Bounty Hunter. But Smith's in a bit of hot water after charges of pistol-whipping a man so bad that he needed 15 staples to close the wound. However, Smith's attorney claims it's a conspiracy to run his client out of the bail bondsman business. Sports by Brooks featured the story and all of its painful-sounding details:

The STATESVILLE RECORD & LANDMARK of North Carolina says that Smith was paying a visit to Jamarr Scott, who failed to appear before the court on DWI charges. What happened next is a matter of dispute, to say the least. Scott, who admits to ditching his court date because he was “scared,” claims Smith nearly killed him.

Scott said he was asleep and still waking up when Smith and Hicks came into his bedroom. “I was trying to put my pants on,” he said.

Scott said Smith got around Hicks and then hit him on the top of the head.

“When he first hit me, the gun came out of his hand,” he said.

Scott said he fell back onto the bed, and Smith grabbed him by the neck before retrieving the gun.
He said Smith then hit him several more times and told him that he lost money because Scott failed to appear on the DWI charge.

Scott said he begged Smith to call an ambulance, but he replied, “You’re not going to the hospital. You’re going to jail,” Scott said.

Smith's time as a Steeler is about as memorable as that of Richard Seigler or Jon Dekker, but he did manage to hang around the league for 12 years as a special teams ace, winning a Super Bowl with the Cowboys in 1992. Unfortunately, he hitched his wagon to the Dave Wannstedt Train and signed with his old assistant coach in Chicago, so he missed out on a few more rings with Dallas. But that looks to be the least of his problems today.

EX-NFLer & “Dog” Wannabe Arrested For Assault [SPORTSbyBROOKS]

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TABATA: "WHAT WOULD CLEMENTE DO?"

That's the question Jose Tabata is asking himself in a statement just released concerning his kidnapping, 43-year-old wife, who uses multiple identities. How Roberto's name gets brought into this mess is beyond me, but here's a snippet of what Tabata had to say:

“What I do know is that I am a Pittsburgh Pirate and my life-long idol is Roberto Clemente. And because of that, when presented with this difficult situation, I asked myself “what would Clemente do in this situation?” I know Clemente was a man known for his decency, responsibility, doing what he says, and always doing the correct thing. And I believe the only correct thing in this moment is to tell the truth."

Yeah, I'm going to go on out an limb and say that Roberto Clemente probably didn't get married in a Florida check-cashing joint. To a woman 23 years older than him. When he was 19. But other than that, yes, I'm sure Clemente would've totally done the right thing.

So back we come to "What Would Clemente Do?" To me, this could finally be the great Pirates marketing slogan for 2009. It sums up the franchise so nicely for so many different reasons. And sure, it's already been done by another team's fanbase in this town, but that season seemed to work out pretty good, no?

Tabata Issues a Statement [KDKA/PSI]

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LEVANCE SAVES THE DAY

Stifling defense. Big plays. A player who steps up at the biggest moments. These were the key components of the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. And coincidentally, these are also the key components of the 2008-09 Pitt Panthers.

Defense, you ask? How about a grand total of 18 points surrendered in the second half? And big plays? They don't get any bigger than Levance Fields' ridiculous three-pointer, followed by a steal and layup, in the closing minute of last night's contest. If you're looking for the college basketball equivalent of Ben Roethlisberger, look no further than Fields. You can feel confident when the ball is in his hands at crunch time.

And that's why, despite the close calls, this Pitt team is in great shape to continue to move on even further: they've proven that they can handle adversity. Sure, being down eight at the end of the first half was certainly disheartening. But the Panthers came out as a different team for the final 20 minutes. Guys stepped up on D. Shots were falling. Hustle plays were paying dividends. And even though they were still down entering the final 60 seconds, this team somehow found a way. That's the sign of a true champion.

You can look at the 33% shooting, at the 26% three-point shooting, or the 63% free-throw shooting with skepticism. You can look at Dejuan Blair's line and wonder how a guy who plays that close to the basket can go 5-for-16. But those numbers only tell part of the story. The fact is that Pitt still topped Xavier in field goal percentage and three-point percentage. And while Blair only had 10 points, he had a priceless 17 rebounds. And guess what? He stayed out of foul trouble, too, something that's quietly gone unnoticed during this series of close shaves.

So Pitt moves on, despite an awesome effort from Sean Miller's Musketeers, who certainly did their school proud. Would it have been nice to win as decisively as, say, Villanova did over Duke? Sure, but guess what: when the two teams tip off this weekend, the score will be 0-0, and what happened in previous rounds will have no bearing on the outcome. Except for the end of the game. Which has proven time and time again to be owned by one Levance Fields.

Xavier-Pitt boxscore [ESPN]
Fields' late 3-pointer lifts Pitt to Elite 8 [PG]
Pitt's Levance Fields is one guard who gets the point [Daily News/Mike Lupica]
Drama Nothing New For Pitt [ESPN/Andy Katz]
Fields' heroics lift Pitt past Xavier [SI/Pablo Torre]

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THE NEWS: FIGHT!

--Britney Spears is performing in Pittsburgh tomorrow night, and a few of her roadies mixed it up in a street fight with Pittsburgh cops. Sounds like a bad idea. [TMZ]

--The Meadows race track had their first-ever triple dead-heat win this week, and here's the video:

--Pittsburgh is hosting the USA hockey 18-and-under championships April 1-5 at the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island. Shattuck St. Mary’s of Minnesota, the hockey powerhouse that helped produce such NHL stars as Sidney Crosby, Zach Parise and Ryan Malone, will be one of 12 teams participating. [KDKA]

--A 28-year-old Clairton youth football coach was fatally shot outside his home. [WPXI]

--Here's a very cool gallery of Dock Ellis pop art. [Jay Kaplan Studios]

--Looks like celebrity Steeler fan Shawn Johnson has a pretty serious stalker on her hands. [Deadspin]

--The explanation is in on that controversial Steeler comp pick, and it looks like Alan Faneca's age was a factor in the decision. [FanHouse]

--I know how many of you adore beer pong, but did you know Anna Kournikova played last night against Jimmy Fallon? [The Big Lead]

--KDKA did a segment on the new Fallout 3 video game depicting a post-apolcalpytic Pittsburgh. [KDKA Video]

--Have you heard about the new Three Stooges movie? It's slated to be a Farrelly Brothers production, with Sean Penn as Larry, Jim Carrey negotiating to play Curly, and Benicio Del Toro rumored to play Moe. I don't like where this is headed. [Hollywood Reporter]

--Here's your first look at Madden '10. The Steelers' line is struggling there, too. [Shutdown Corner]

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JOSE TABATA WAS MARRIED AT A CHECK-CASHING PLACE

Finally, some details about the bizarro case of Jose Tabata's wife, 43-year-old Amalia Tabata Pereira (shown above), kidnapping a 2-month-old kid are starting to trickle out. Chuck Finder had a great article in the PG about the case today, uncovering numerous facts, such as:

--The couple being wed in January 2008 at a check-cashing and tax outlet called Amscot.
--Her bail is set at $750,000.
--Tabata is not a suspect.
--Tabata's wife "spent two years and nine months in a Florida state prison stemming from a 1999 incident in which she was accused of stealing $20,000 from a Paycheck Advance where she worked in the Temple Terrace neighborhood north of Tampa, then staging a fire at the business to conceal the theft."
--"She had so many aliases, it's kind of tough to check," said Plant City sheriffs department spokesman Dave Bristow.

Lots of sites have predictably had fun with this (personally, I recommend Sports Pickle's "Tabata Timeline"), and some have joked that this was an elaborate stunt to get the Pirates back in the national news. But in all seriousness, let's recap the top "national" Pirate stories of 2009: we've got Rinku and Dinesh, the quest for a record 17th consecutive losing season, and now this. Oh well. It's still not as bad as A-Rod's offseason.

Police trying to decipher curious case of Tabata's wife [Chuck Finder/PG]

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ABOUT XAVIER

(1) PITT VS. (4) XAVIER
7:27 PM ET, March 26, 2009
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
CBS

NICKNAME: Musketeers

LOCATION: Cincinnati, Ohio

ENROLLMENT: 6600

COACH: Sean Miller, 5th season, 117-45

RECORD: 27-7, 12-4 Atlantic 10

RPI: 17

TOP RPI WIN: vs. Memphis (#4) 63-58

TOP RPI LOSS: vs. Duke (#1) 82-64

LEADING SCORER: G/F BJ Raymond, 14.1 PPG

LEADING REBOUNDER: F Derrick Brown, 6.0 RPG

NOTABLE ALUMNI: MLB HOFer Jim Bunning, NBA Players David West, James Posey, and Brian Grant, and Bill Kelley, Vice Chairman of the Jelly Belly Company.

GAME NOTES:
-Xavier reached the Elite Eight last season as a 3-seed, eventually falling 76-57 to UCLA
-As mentioned numerous times, Xavier is coached by former star Pitt guard and Blackhawk alum Sean Miller, the 1988 Big East Freshman of the Year.
-His former Pitt teammates knew Miller would be a successful coach.
-ESPN game preview can be found here.
-Three reasons why each team will win from the Sporting News.
-CBS's Mike Freeman doubts Pitt's mental toughness.
-Levance Fields is on the cover of this week's SI:

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ROETHLISBERGER VS. PITTSBURGH

As I put two and two together this morning, I came to the realization that the highly successful Pitt women's basketball team will be playing Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. And guess who suits up for the Sooners? That's right, a 6'1" sophomore from Findlay, Ohio, by the name of Carlee Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger is a reserve and averages four points and 1.5 rebounds in about 13 minutes per game. Will big brother make the trip to watch her and eat some Dippin Dots, like he's been known to do at Pitt men's games?

The Pitt women, 25-7 and seeded fourth, beat 12-seed Gonzaga 65-60 in the second round of the NCAA tournament behind 24 points from Shavonte Zellous. They'll meet Oklahoma on Sunday night at 9 PM in the third round.

It's worth noting that six schools have teams in both the men's and women's Sweet 16s: Pitt, Oklahoma, UConn, Louisville, Purdue, and Michigan State. I think it's pretty safe to say that those institutions know what they're doing in terms of basketball programs.

Carlee Roethlisberger [Oklahoma official bio]
Pitt-Gonzaga [Sportsnetwork.com]

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COOKING WITH EVGENI

Forget Guy Fieri. The Food Network needs to make this featured programming. I could watch Malkin make pierogies and not speak English all day. But my favorite part is around the 7 minute mark, when Geno gets a phone call and bails on the segment. Obviously, it would be asking too much to edit that out.

Cooking With Evgeni [Pens TV Online]

Also, Puck Daddy had a pretty funny take on the video that's worth a click:
Video: Evgeni Malkin and Alyonka Larionov heat up the kitchen

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HINES WARD GOT HIS OWN RULE

Joining the likes of Mel Blount, Roy Williams, and Tom Brady, Hines Ward became the latest player to get a rule unofficially named in his honor, as the NFL announced they are outlawing blind-side blocks to the head of a defender using his helmet, forearm or shoulder. This comes as a knee-jerk reaction to Ward's hit on the Bengals' Keith Rivers in October last season.

The NFL is also becoming more proactive in defending receivers. From now on, any hit to the head now warrants a 15-yard penalty. If you'd like to give that a name as well, Ryan Clark would probably spring to mind for the hit he delivered on Wes Welker last year.

As per Ed Bouchette, the league also approved two other rule changes:

-Teams kicking off must have four players on each side of the kicker with three lined up outside each inbounds line. The rule was passed to prevent "bunching" on onsides kicks.

-No more than two players on the kickoff receiving drill can form a wedge to block for the runner.

Clearly, these rules were all put in place as safety measures. But I think we're getting perilously close to the point of football not looking like football anymore. No one, myself included, wants to see anyone get hurt. But I think everyone involved knows what they're getting into when they sign a contract to play in the NFL. This is not a knitting club - although it might be headed in that direction.

Hines Ward Influences NFL Rule Change [The Pittsburgh Channel]
NFL approves 'Hines Ward rule' [PG]

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JOSE TABATA'S WIFE SUSPECTED OF KIDNAPPING

Yeah, I'm guessing that's probably not a good headline to read about the wife of the centerpiece of last summer's Pirate-Yankee blockbuster trade. From John Perrotto:

The wife of Pirates outfield prospect Jose Tabata is suspected by police of abducting a 2-month-old girl in Plant City, Fla.

Amaila Tabata Pereira was found with 10-pound Sandra Cruz-Francisco standing at a street corner in Bradenton, Fla., the city where the Pirates hold spring training, on Tuesday afternoon. The baby had been reported missing by her mother, Rosa Sirilo-Francisco, at 9 p.m. Monday.

More shocking details: Tabata's wife has not one, but four different identities, and none of the four match the one Tabata gave Pirate media relations director Jim Trdinich, which means she actually has five IDs. And how about the fact that the 20-year-old Tabata is married to a 43-year-old woman? That's certainly a unique age combination for a baseball marriage. Was he inspired by 33-year-old A-Rod and 50-year-old Madonna?

If you read the entire story (which I highly urge you to do), this definitely has the sound of something fishy. So far, Tabata is not believed to have any involvement, but this is still a pretty major distraction to be hovering over any person's spouse, ballplayer or not.

Tabata's wife suspected of kidnapping [Pirates Report/John Perrotto]

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UPDATED: THE PENS GO TO WORK

Reader Jon sends over this pic, shot today, featuring Jordan Staal, Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy and Max "Superstar" Talbot donning hardhats and visiting the site of the Penguins' new arena. Does Dan Bylsma know some of his key guys are moonlighting in the construction industry during their down time?

UPDATE: The Pens' website has a full story on the event, which included free pizza, autographs, and a lot of goodwill.

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THE STEELERS GOT RIPPED OFF

Remember that talk a few weeks ago about the Steelers getting a third-round pick as compensation for the free agent defection of Alan Faneca? Yeah, that didn't happen. To balance the loss of Faneca and Clark Haggans and the acquisition of Mewelde Moore, the Steelers were given the 33rd pick of the fifth round, which is the 169th selection overall. Once again, the NFL blows me away with their generosity.

The guy who apparently knows everything about the process and goes by the internet handle "AdamJT13" had this to say about the compensation:

"The one surprise that I can't explain is the Steelers getting only a fifth-round pick after losing two players (Alan Faneca and Clark Haggans) and signing one (Mewelde Moore). Haggans and Moore had seventh-round values and should have canceled out each other. Faneca played 99 percent of the snaps, made the Pro Bowl and got a huge contract ($7.8 million per season, plus a little more that doesn't count in the equation). He clearly had a third-round value, so I'm curious about why the Steelers got a fifth. Hopefully the media in Pittsburgh will look into it and get an answer."

How the league has such a vague policy in place for an important part of the roster-building process is a true mystery. How (and why) is this a gray area that's basically left to a guessing game? And if there is a formula in place, then why can't the general public know what it is? It's so confusing, even Bob Smizik's at a loss for words.

That being said, the Steelers have had some recent success in round five. Since 2000, they've plucked Dennis Dixon, William Gay, Clark Haggans, Chukky Okobi, Verron Haynes, and Brian St. Pierre in that round, among others. They've also selected forgettable players such as Tee Martin, Omar Jacobs and Charles Davis, but for the most part, it's a been a round where they've proven to identify NFL talent. I'm sure if there's value to be had, they will find it. Unfortunately, I wish it would've happened two rounds sooner.

Steelers Get Jobbed on Comp Picks [FanHouse]

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PUCK DADDY STIRS THE CROSBY POT

With Sidney Crosby-hating nearing Tom Brady-esque levels, more and more people are starting to notice the trend. At the forefront of the Crosby-bashing chronicling has been Yahoo's Puck Daddy/Greg Wyshynski, who put together quite the photo collection following the Pens-Caps game a few weeks ago (as illustrated above).

On Saturday, Wyshynski struck back with a follow-up, this time in video form, where he tries to get to the bottom of just why Sidney Crosby is so polarizing. For a player who came into the league with so much goodwill, hype, and fanfare, how did we get to this point just a few years later?

Wyshynski interviewed a few random Penguin fans, and the ones who made the cut for the video certainly look like they were included strictly to make the fanbase look bad. As The Pensblog adds, "Out of the millions....mmmmhaaaa....and the millions of the Pens fans in Washington for a Caps game, Greg grabs this guy, two old ladies (who he subsequently jobs in his narration), a guy in a penguin suit, and some dude that was wasted. Come on."

The conclusion reached by Puck Daddy? It was pretty much the same conclusion reached by The Pensblog on January 28. I won't totally spoil the ending, but let's just say it involves a very familiar pro wrestling angle.

UPDATE: Puck Daddy made Crosby/Rock comparisons in a December 22 post after Sid delivered a few shots to Boris Valabik's five-hole. Click on it for further perspective into the ongoing "Sid as bad guy" debate.

Puck Daddy Mini-Doc: The Hate and Love of Sidney Crosby [Puck Daddy]
Ways The Penguins Can Save Their Season [The Pensblog]
The Bus Heads To Yahoo [The Pensblog]

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ARENA FOOTBALL RETURNING TO PITTSBURGH?

The Arena Football League, currently frozen in time for the 2009 season, is considering putting an expansion team in Pittsburgh when it defrosts in the future, according to a report in Sports Business Journal. Details from AFL Commissioner Ed Policy were sparse, but he did say he hoped that it would happen and that “Pittsburgh is a great football market and there is lot of interest from various groups."

If it happens, this would be the second go-round for Arena ball in the Burgh. Many of the younger readers probably don't remember the Pittsburgh Gladiators, who spent all of four seasons here before relocating to Tampa Bay in 1991. In true Pittsburgh professional football fashion, the Gladiators were successful, qualifying for Arena Bowl I and III. Unfortunately, they lost both games. But hey, there's no shame in second place, especially in a start-up football league.

Pittsburgh team part of AFL plans [Sports Business Journal]

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JOHN STALLWORTH IS THE MYSTERY INVESTOR

At last, the mystery Steeler investor has been revealed, and it is a name you're familiar with: Hall of Fame receiver John Stallworth. Stallworth, who's been a successful businessman since his retirement in 1987, is currently the president and CEO of family based investment group Genesis II following his involvement in a successful technology company.

Stallworth is joined by several other new investors in the team: Bruce V. Rauner, chairman of venture capital firm GTCR Golder Rauner; Pilot Travel Centers CEO James Haslam III; movie executive Thomas Tull; the Pittsburgh-based Paul family and the Varischetti family of Brockway, Pa. All of the partners have been approved by the NFL.

The Steelers were recently valued at $1 billion by Forbes.com, placing them 18th among NFL franchises. Which means John Stallworth and friends could be getting a nice return on their investment if things play out the right way.

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STEELERS-TITANS TO OPEN 2009

The Steelers confirmed today that they'll be opening the 2009 season on Thursday, September 10 against the Terrible Towel-stomping, Chris Hope and Nate Washington-employing Tennessee Titans. I'm guessing the above incident will be mentioned roughly 2,500 times between now and then, so let me take this opportunity to be one of the first to take this unoriginal angle.

The last time the Steelers played in this game, the year was 2006, their quarterback was Charlie Batch, and their opponent was the Miami Dolphins, featuring the short-lived combination of Culpepper-to-Welker. Heath Miller had an 87-yard touchdown. Joey Porter kissed Bill Cowher on the cheek. Jerome Bettis entered Heinz Field on a bus that took him onto the turf. Nick Saban was on the Dolphin sidelines. Needless to say, it was as interesting as it sounds some three years later.

Steelers to open 2009 season against Titans [Trib]

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LUNCHTIME LINKS

--Says DeJuan Blair: "I keep telling you we're going to Detroit." Sounds like confidence is not an issue with at least one player. [PG]

--Bob Smizik brings ants to the picnic by reminding us that Pitt could be in for a down season next year. [PG]

--The Ravens are officially afraid of the Steelers. That's right, they've asked the league to not make their annual trip to Pittsburgh a prime-time game. [Inside Nova]

--Steeler basketball update: they'll be at Valley High School, playing police officers from New Kensington and Arnold, on Wednesday night. They'd better be on their best behavior. [Trib]

--Could Marvel Smith be a San Francisco 49er? Sounds like he's headed in that direction. [Sacbee.com]

--Evgeni Malkin is fined for his hit on Wayne Simmonds and promises that it won't happen again. [PG]

--Stock is falling in LeSean McCoy. Unfortunately, he can't blame the economy. [KDKA]

--Finally, is anyone else having a problem viewing the site with the new format? I got an email from a guy that said he could only see the writing on your blog when I highlight it, and that everything just appears as a black field. Is this an isolated incident, or do I have a bigger problem on my hands?

*By the way, the new design is still a work-in-progress. That header is giving me fits. If you have any feedback pro or con, please email me.

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SWEET

84
76

Pitt (more specifically, Jamie Dixon) has entered a rare territory in sports. You know what I'm talking about. Every year, they're ranked and perceived among the best at what they do. But for some reason, they just can't break through to the next level of winning. Some finally reach it, like Peyton Manning, Bill Cowher, or Kevin Garnett. Others never enter that cherished territory, like Karl Malone or Charles Barkley. And another group actively fights the "can't win the big one" battle to this day, players such as Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, and Alexander Ovechkin. At times on Sunday, I thought another chapter would be added in Pitt and Dixon's ever-growing library of not reaching the next level. Luckily, Sam Young and Dejuan Blair had other thoughts, because the Panthers will get another opportunity to try and alter that existing perception based largely on their efforts.

Playing all 40 minutes, Young finished with 32 points and eight boards following a pre-game in which he listened to 1970's Go-Go funk music. Hey, whatever it takes, 23. His teammate, the unstoppable force that is Dejuan Blair, added 10 points and 12 rebounds, yet another double-double to add to his storied archive. But the X-factor in this game was not Carl Krauser, but another Panther point guard. Levance Fields had, by all accounts, a rough go on Friday afternoon against East Tennessee State. He looked tentative, his shot was off, he was uncharacteristically committing turnovers; it was not the same Levance Fields we all knew and loved. Sunday's performance was more akin to the Fields we've watched the past four seasons.

It was the guard from Xaverian that helped set up a third-round matchup with Xavier, scoring 13 (nine from three-point range) and dishing out nine assists in a truly gutsy performance, given his recent bouts with injury. In a way, Fields has a bit of Ben Roethlisberger in him, in that he always seems to save his best for last. If ever I see Fields lining up a three-pointer with, say, three minutes or less, I'm going to say that's probably a high-percentage shot.

I'm not making the point that Young or Blair shouldn't get their due for what transpired today, because that would simply be absurd. They were both invaluable. But what Fields did on this day should not get lost in the shuffle, either. It was Fields who hit a three to tie the score at 49 at the first-half buzzer. It was Fields who hustled for a rebound on a missed foul shot when all the other players stood around and watched. And it was Fields who nailed a three with his team nursing a two-point lead with 1:30 left, setting up a five-point cushion that would only grow from that point on.

So Pitt lives to see another day, despite back-to-back tests that might have caught some fans off guard. Sure, we would all hope to see the Panthers blow out each opponent by 30, but this is March. Memphis has struggled. Louisville has struggled. Michigan State struggled too. But the fact remains that 14 of the top 16 seeds remain, with only Wake Forest and Washington dropping the ball. We've moved up to the heavyweight round, and Pitt has earned their ticket., thanks in great part to the aforementioned triumvirate of talent. Now it's up to them whether they want to be remembered as the NCAA basketball equivalent of Kevin Garnett or Tony Romo going into the offseason.

---

Notes:
--Obi Muonelo led Oklahoma State with 19 points
--Pitt held the edge in rebounding, 39-21
--The Cowboys held a lead as big as eight (23-15) in the first half
--Thursday's game against Xavier tips at 7:27 Eastern in Boston
--In case you've forgotten, Xavier is coached by former Panther Sean Miller, the 1987-88 Big East Freshman of the Year and a Pitt assistant under Ralph Willard in 1995-96.

--In our Mondesi Madness bracket, "JLo43" leads the field with 57 poins through two rounds. Meanwhile, I'm holding down 260th place quite nicely. You can see the full standings here.

And while you're there, check out some of the inspired team names, like "Dixon Normous", "Blair Stearns", "Welcome to Tradio" (a great Stern Show reference), "Ernest Saves Dionte Christmas", "The Dejuan Blair Witch Project", "Dijon Blair", "InClemente Weather", and many, many more.

--One more thing while we're on the topic of contests...dtascuba220 is the winner of the Roethlisberger caption contest, with the entry, "This is the fist I'm going to use to punch Kevin Colbert for putting together the same line that got me killed last season." So dtascuba220, please contact me for details on getting your prize.

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ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE

(1) PITT VS. (8) OKLAHOMA STATE
2:50 PM ET, March 22, 2009
University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OH
CBS

NICKNAME: Cowboys

LOCATION: Stillwater, Oklahoma

ENROLLMENT: 31,800

COACH: Travis Ford, 1st year at Oklahoma State, 12th career season (143-125 career)

RECORD: 23-11, 9-7 Big 12

RPI: 18

TOP RPI WIN: vs. Oklahoma (#6) 71-70

TOP RPI LOSS: vs. Oklahoma (#6) twice - 82-78 and 89-81

LEADING SCORER: G James Anderson, 18.3 PPG

LEADING REBOUNDER: G Obi Muonelo, 7.3 RPG

NOTABLE ALUMNI: Garth Brooks, Gary Busey, Doug Gottlieb, Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, John Starks, T. Boone Pickens, "Dick Tracy" creator Chester Gould, James Marsden (X-Men's Cyclops), Jeromy Burnitz, Randy Couture, Pete Incaviglia, Robin Ventura, Eddie Sutton, Mike Gundy, Don Haskins, Tatum Bell, and Big Country Reeves.

NOTES:
--OSU lost at Pitt, 85-68, on December 15, 2007. Dejuan Blair had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
--OSU beat #9 Tennessee 77-75 in first round of this year's tournament.
--As the #3 seed, OSU beat 2-seeded Pitt, 63-51, in the 2004 NCAA tournament.

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THEY SURVIVED

ROUND ONE:
72
62

The 72-62 final score won't tell the entire story of just how close Pitt's first-round game was against East Tennessee State, but don't be fooled: this contest could've gone either way.

Pitt was extremely sloppy with the ball, committing oodles of turnovers and being consistently outhustled throughout the game by the Bucs, who had 20 offensive rebounds. Basically, two Panthers showed up: Dejuan Blair had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Sam Young had 14 and 13. The rest of the team? I think they stayed back in Pittsburgh.

Levance Fields struggled mightily on the afternoon. He was just 3-10 (and 0-5 from three-point land) from the floor and did not look himself. Clearly, he is playing at much less than 100%.

Ashton Gibbs did have 10 points off the bench (including two three-pointers), which was a nice little bonus. But all in all, it was as rough of a performance as it sounds for a #1 seed. Let's just say my confidence in this team winning it all just got rocked back and forth, upside-down and inside-out.

You have to take your hat off to ETSU, for it was a Herculean effort even in defeat to hang with a team as accomplished as Pitt. But whether it was the bright lights or some other factor, the Bucs' shooting did themselves in, as they shot 30% from the floor, 18% from three-point land, and 50% at the line. Heck, their two leading scorers (Kevin Tiggs and Courtney Pigram) shot a combined 13-for-46!

You've got to wonder where the Panthers go from here. As the CBS crew mused after the game, is this a wake-up call, or is their confidence shaken? They'd better figure it out quickly, because Oklahoma State is waiting.

Pitt-ETSU [ESPN.com]

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PITT'S FIRST HALF: VERY UGLY

AT THE HALF:
26
23

A #1 seed is playing a 16-seed, and for the first half, it's been hard to tell which team is which. In Pitt's case, they're trying to avoid history as the first #1 seed to lose to a #16. At the end of the first half, they've outplayed that 16-seed...to the tune of three points.

Despite holding ETSU to 24% shooting from the floor (and 1-13 from three-point land) and a first-half double-double from Dejuan Blair (11 and 11), Pitt's been unable to get in any sort of rhythm. They've turned the ball over a mind-blowing 13 times. No one other than Blair has more than three points. And Blair got a technical - for hanging on the rim, of all things. It's been horrific. Let's just say they'd better seriously refocus at halftime.

Pitt-E. Tennessee State [ESPN]

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ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE

(2) MICHIGAN STATE VS. (15) ROBERT MORRIS
9:50 PM ET, March 20, 2009
Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN
CBS

NICKNAME: Spartans

LOCATION: East Lansing, Michigan

ENROLLMENT: 45,520

COACH: Tom Izzo (14th seasons, 331-135, 1 National Championship)

RECORD: 23-10, 14-6 ATLANTIC SUN

RPI: 8

TOP RPI WIN: vs. Kansas (#10) 75-62

TOP RPI LOSS: vs. North Carolina (#3) 98-63

LEADING SCORER: G Kalin Lucas, 14.8 PPG

LEADING REBOUNDER: C Goran Suton, 7.6 RPG

NOTABLE ALUMNI: Mike Prisuta, Plaxico Burress, Magic Johnson, Andre Rison, Jason Richardson, Muhsin Muhammad, Derrick Mason, Spiderman director Sam Raimi, actor James Caan, actor Tom Sizemore, Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling, James Hoffa, Kirk Gibson, Mark Mulder, Steve Garvey, Rod Brind'Amour.

NOTES:
-Robert Morris is a 17-point underdog.
-Michigan State's Kalin Lucas said he never knew Robert Morris existed until Sunday.
-Only four #15 seeds have ever beaten a #2 seed: Richmond stunned Syracuse in 1991, Santa Clara defeated Arizona in '93, Coppin State beat South Carolina at Mellon Arena in '97 and, most recently, Hampton edged Iowa State in 2001.

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OVECHKIN BECOMING HOCKEY'S T.O.

Watching Alexander Ovechkin celebrate his 50th goal last night by dropping his stick and pretending it was on fire (then pretending to warm his hands), I must give him credit. He is becoming Pittsburgh's anti-hero in a way few others not named Ray Lewis ever have. And this wasn't even in a game against the Penguins.

Some people think his antics are good for hockey. I suppose if obnoxious is your angle, then yes, that's the fastest ticket to getting you and your sport featured on SportsCenter. I've got a suggestion for Alex Ovechkin: concentrate more on winning a playoff series and less on your "look at me" antics.

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ORGANIST VINCE LASCHEID DEAD AT 85

Unfortunately, the early part of this day will be clouded with some extremely sad news. Vince Lascheid, longtime organist for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Penguins, passed away overnight at the age of 85. He worked for the Penguins from 1970-2003, the year he was also inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was still working part-time for the Pirates, where he also started in 1970.

Lascheid will be honored by the Penguins with a moment of silence before tonight's game at Mellon Arena.

I'm sure the vast majority of you are familiar with Lascheid's work. He was the entertainment in the simpler days, before flying hot dogs and pierogi races were deemed a necessary part of the sports experience. His subtle song commentaries, like playing "Three Blind Mice" when NHL refs took the ice, were noticed....so much that the league made him stop. Of course, his art went by the wayside when the Pirates began playing player-selected at-bat songs in 1999, which meant instead of "Brian's Song," Brian Giles took the field to the Black Crowes' "Hard To Handle," and instead of the theme to "Gilligan's Island," Jose Guillen chose Led Zepplin's "Heartbreaker." But regardless of which direction pro sports teams went in for entertainment, we'll always have a soft spot in our Pittsburgh sporting memories for Vince Lascheid's work. Rest in peace.

Longtime sports organist Vince Lascheid dead at 85 [Trib]
Vince Lascheid [Ballpark Tour]

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ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE STATE

(1) PITT VS. (16) EAST TENNESSEE STATE
2:55 PM ET, March 20, 2009
University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OH
CBS

NICKNAME: Buccaneers

LOCATION: Johnston City, Tennessee

ENROLLMENT: 12,600

COACH: Murry Bartow (12 seasons, 6th at East Tennessee State), career record 221-154 (118-71 at East Tennessee State)

RECORD: 23-10, 14-6 ATLANTIC SUN

RPI: 121

TOP RPI WIN: vs. Belmont (#126) twice

TOP RPI LOSS: vs. Temple (#30) 79-65

LEADING SCORER: F Kevin Tiggs, 21.5 PPG

LEADING REBOUNDER: G Mike Smith, 7.7 RPG

NOTABLE ALUMNI: County singer Kenny Chesney, Falcons Coach Mike Smith, Actor Timothy Busfield ("Thirtysomething").

NOTES: "Twenty years ago as a No. 16 seed in Nashville, the Buccaneers had No. 1-seeded Oklahoma on the ropes before losing 72-71 in the Southeast Regional. Two years later as a No. 10 seed, ETSU lost a three-point heartbreaker to Iowa. But in 1992, the 14th-seeded Buccaneers finally finished one off with an 87-80 win over No. 3 seed Arizona, cementing them as upset specialists.There were two other close calls: a three-point loss as a No. 15 seed to Wake Forest in 2003 and a three-point loss as a No. 13 seed to Cincinnati." - ESPN.com

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