MH Interview: Three-Time All-Star 1B Sean Casey

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure to talk to "The Mayor", three-time All-Star 1B and Upper St. Clair's own Sean Casey, on a variety of topics, including his MLB career, his time in Pittsburgh, the state of the Pirates,  his work on the MLB Network, his recent trip to Haiti with Max Talbot and Mike Rupp, and his new charity, Casey's Clubhouse.

Troy Polamalu Sets the Record Straight on His Twitter Account

This weekend, I linked to a Trib story talking about Troy Polamalu's Twitter account, which included a quote from Polamalu that said, "It's not me at all," referencing his popular online feed.

Well, that's not entirely true, as #43 directly addressed my recent post on his Twitter page today.

Steeler Roster Cuts Announced

No surprises today as the Steelers announce six roster moves to get down to 75 players remaining in camp...

The Pirate Limbo: How Low Can They Go?

The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to push the limits of how much bad baseball one city can tolerate with a 14-2 loss last night in Chicago, highlighted by a home run from Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Troy Polamalu's Hair Insured for a Million Dollars

Ever wonder what Troy Polamalu's hair was actually worth? Wonder no more, thanks to a new insurance policy taken out by Head and Shoulders shampoo on their spokesman.

15 Thoughts on Steelers-Broncos

That about sums it up, Potsie.

Thoughts from last night's football abomination in Colorado (brought to you by FOX!)

Charlie Morton's Great Stuff Falls to 1-10, 10.03

Just how many embarrassing performances do the 2010 Pittsburgh Pirates have in them? Well, how many games are left? 32? Then I'd say 32.

Troy Polamalu on His Twitter Account: "It's not me at all"

Sad news came into the light today for those of us following the soft-spoken Steeler's foray into social networking.

26 Pitt Panthers on NFL Rosters

As I watched former Pitt Panther Kris Wilson drop a perfectly-thrown ball from Philip Rivers on Friday night, I was reminded that he was still A. alive and B. active in the NFL.

With curiosity getting the best of me, I did a little digging to find the other Panthers still on NFL rosters at this moment, and there were actually 26 in all. The full list:

Projecting the Steelers' Final 53-Man Roster

I figured it was high time to take a crack at the Steelers' 53-man roster for 2010, and thus it became my latest project for 93.7 The Fan. In the piece, I actually talked about each player on the roster (even those who I projected as those on the outside looking in), so it's more than just a list of 53 names.

I know some things can change between now and September 12, mostly because half the preseason games are still to be played, but just think how much fun you can have telling me I was wrong in a few weeks!

Projecting the Steelers’ Final 53-Man Roster 

[93.7 The Fan]

On-air with John Phillips Sunday at 12:40 p.m. - listen online at 937thefan.radio.com

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Bill Guerin Done in Pittsburgh; Staal Facing Setback

"The Penguins have informed Bill Guerin he won't be brought back. Someone else will benefit from his experience." -- TSN's Darren Dreger, via Twitter

It was a sad but unsurprising exit from the Steel City for the 39-year-old Guerin, who had 21 goals and 45 points in 78 regular season games last season in addition to four goals and nine points in 11 playoff games.

Pitt Panthers Twitter Directory

Hot on the heels of last night's Steeler Twitter directory comes the Pitt Panther edition, which has many more active and interesting Tweeters for your perusal. The complete list of basketball and football players past and present:

Enter the Maurkice Pouncey Era

Today is a good news/bad news day: good news for Maurkice Pouncey, bad news for Justin Hartwig.

Pirates Sign 16-Year-Old SS Dilson Herrera, Beat Cardinals Again

Continuing a recent and welcome trend, the Buccos signed another talented international amateur today: SS Dilson Herrera, a 16-year-old from Colombia. Sorry, that's the best I could do for a picture. It looks like it was clipped out of his high school yearbook and glued crookedly onto my screen.

Pittsburgh Steelers Twitter Directory

Looking for a list of all past and present Steelers who have Twitter accounts? Of course you weren't. But here it is anyway, for those of you searching for the latest unfiltered news from the likes of Bubby Brister, Verron Haynes, and Frank the Tank.

Bill Cowher Talks Roethlisberger

Former Steeler head coach Bill Cowher recently opened up to the AP (which is having quite the week, between this scoop and the Pirate documents), and it sounds like his relationship with Ben Roethlisberger has gotten much better with age. That's good news, because it sounds like the relationship had nowhere to go but up.

The Hot Button

In this week’s rather lengthy installment of The Hot Button, we’ll tackle Pirate ownership, Jose Bautista's unexpected 2010 power surge, the direction of Pitt's basketball recruiting, your interest in the Pittsburgh Power Arena League team, and predictions for the big Pitt-Utah game next Thursday, September 2. I got carried away on a few of these topics, so bear with me through the extra wordage.

The phrase of the day is Vote or Die, and while death seems like a harsh penalty for not participating in the polls, you'll have to direct your displeasure at our weekly hostess, Ms. Hilton.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc: twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

The Pirates' 2010 Top 10 Prospects According to Baseball America

Did the Pirates have a good 2010 in terms of talent acquisition? According to Baseball America's new rankings of the team's top 10 prospects, the answer to that question would be a big "YES".

Dan Rooney Got Kicked Out of the Press Box

Lost in all the excitement of Ben Roethlisberger's comeback and Ike Taylor's amateur boxing match on Saturday night was another interesting storyline: Dan Rooney got kicked out of the press box at New Meadowlands Stadium.

Pens President David Morehouse Booed at Arena Meeting

The political gridlock over the Civic Arena's future continued Monday at a two-hour meeting, but one thing was for sure: at least some of the crowd wasn't enthused to see or hear from Penguin President David Morehouse.

Pitt Lands 6'11" Center Malcolm Gilbert

Malcolm Gilbert, the 16th-ranked center in the recruiting Class of 2011 according to Scout.com, will soon become a Pitt Panther, joining a talented recruiting class that already includes three players ranked nationally in the top 30 at their respective positions.

Mike Tomczak Resurfaces at Ohio Dominican University

Former Steeler QB Mike Tomczak, arrested earlier this year in a domestic situation but later cleared of assault charges, appears to have landed himself a new gig.

Tyrone Carter to Redskins; UFL Steeler Update

Safety Tyrone Carter, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers, is joining former teammate Willie Parker on the roster of the Washington Redskins.

Deadspin Unveils the Pirates' Books

Ever wanted to look at the books of a Major League Baseball team? Specifically Pittsburgh's MLB team? Then today is your lucky day.

10 Very Quick Thoughts on Steelers-Giants

With myself and my schedule squarely at odds this afternoon, here are some abbreviated thoughts on last night's Steelers-Giants contest:

Ben Roethlisberger To Start vs. Giants

Eli Manning won't be playing tonight for the New York Giants, but another celebrated QB from the Class of 2004 will be starting in this evening's Steelers-G Men preseason contest.

What Was John Russell Thinking, Episode 122

Bottom of the fourth inning. Your team is down 7-2. Two outs. Runners at second and third. And who does John Russell send to the plate? Reliever Sean Gallagher. I'm sure you can guess how the inning ended.

 

This team deserves the 18th consecutive losing season they clinched last night with moves like that.

Meet the Pittsburgh Power

More details have been released on Pittsburgh's 2011 entry into Arena Football, including ownership details, a name, logo, and website.

The 10 Greatest Football Head Coaches From SW Pennsylvania

I've been hard at work on another controversial list that you'll undoubtedly hate, and this time, it's a topic that was reader-suggested. We're sticking with the local theme, but instead of players, this time we're talking coaches.

No matter how many times I went over this, I'm certain that I've either missed someone or included someone who you would feel is not worthy; as you well know, that's what the comments section is for.

I'll be yapping about this on Seibel and Starkey Friday afternoon at 3:40, and if anyone is guaranteed to disagree with my rankings or choices, it's Starkey. Luckily, you guys do an excellent job of preparing me for ridicule before every on-air debate.You can hear it at 93.7 FM or online at 937thefan.cbslocal.com.

The 10 Greatest Football Head Coaches From SW Pennsylvania 
[93.7 The Fan]

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc: twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Pittsburgh Getting an Arena Football Team

Absent from the city since 1990, Arena Football is coming back to the city of Pittsburgh, and the team will play home games at the Consol Energy Center.

Pirates to Give $2.6 Million to Luis Heredia

As expected, the Pirates are finalizing a deal today for Luis Heredia, the 16-year-old pitcher from the Mexican Baseball League.

Paul McCartney Rocks the Consol Energy Center

For the first time in 20 years, Paul McCartney performed in the city of Pittsburgh, christening the Consol Energy Center with a three-hour performance on Wednesday night.

Hines Ward Says Dennis Dixon is the New Kordell Stewart

"He's the new Kordell Stewart. Newer, not better. I'm sorry,”

Those were the words of Hines Ward, describing the #10-wearing, trusting-his-legs-more-than-his arm quarterback that has taken the city by storm with his performance against next year's UFL players the Detroit Lions' backups on Saturday night.

The Hot Button

In this week’s installment of The Hot Button, we’ll tackle annoying athletes, bad officiating, the Steeler QB dilemma, Roger Goodell, and the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We won't be talking Paris Hilton, though. She's too busy impersonating Marilyn Monroe these days to worry about voting on Pittsburgh sports issues.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc: twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Neal Huntington Defends the Nuttings

I'm extremely psyched that the Pirates signed their top two draft picks, along with a few other above-slot players, but that doesn't mean the organization still can't find a way to annoy me in their comments after the fact.

Quick Hits...and Lots of Them

I've drifted away from bulk link posts recently, but there's a lot to catch up on after the jump...

Allie, Taillon Both Have Deals with Pirates

Papa Taillon told the PG that son Jameson Taillon has autographed his contract with the Pirates, and Jen Langosch reported that the team has reached terms with second-rounder Stetson Allie. Sounds like a profitable night for the Hendricks brothers. More to come as details are available.

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc: twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

Pitt Lands Durand Johnson; Jermaine Dixon to Bosnia

“I killed a lot of guys, I can’t really remember names.”

That's how Pitt's newest basketball recruit, Durand Johnson, humbly described his play last season. Sounds like confidence will not be an issue.

Longtime Pirate GM Joe L. Brown Passes at 91

Just days after the Pirate family lost Nellie King comes news that former GM Joe L. Brown has passed away at the age of 91.

Big Week For the Pirates

Signing their top two draft picks, an international pitching prospect, AND clinching their 18th consecutive losing season? One local franchise sounds like they're trying to make some headlines this week.

16 Belated Points on Steelers-Lions

If you missed the Steelers-Lions game on Saturday night, avoided all television, radio, newspaper, and internet, and talked to nobody about the game since then, here's what you missed:

Pittsburgh's 10 Biggest Rivals...Who is #1?

I'll make this short and sweet: I just wrote 3,000+ words on 10 teams that most of you hold great dislike for. There are lots of memorable YouTube clips, tons of links, and history on these rivalries. I'm trying to get a pulse on what the city thinks is THE #1 rivalry in Pittsburgh sports, so you're a key factor in the storyline itself. If I need any more of a sales pitch than that to sell a feature I think you'd really enjoy, I should probably turn in my Blogging Card right now. Have at it.

Pittsburgh's 10 Biggest Rivals [93.7 The Fan]

On-air discussion on the Fan Morning Show Monday at 9:20 a.m. and
The John Phillips Show Sunday at 4:20 p.m.

Listen online at 937thefan.cbslocal.com

Andre Frazier Out for the Season

LB/ST Andre Frazier, the owner of two rings with the Steelers, was placed on IR today, ending his 2010 season.

LaMarr Woodley Interns at Maxim

If LaMarr Woodley's NFL career ever stalls, it looks like he has a second career to fall back on, as this just-released video of his Maxim internship would illustrate. This is clearly the highest-profile athlete-magazine internship since Sean Avery's 2008 stint at Vogue.

Roethlisberger, Leftwich, or Dixon? Tomlin's Not Talking

Wondering who the Steelers will start at QB when the Detroit Lions invade Heinz Field on Saturday night? You're not alone, and that's just how Mike Tomlin likes it.

The Hot Button

This week, Ms. Hilton bring us five more topics to vote on and debate, including the pros and cons of trust funds, the world's best yachts, her five favorite champagnes, which caviars to avoid, when you've got the munchies, and clothing for your dog on $1,500 a day. 

But when I asked her for five sports topics for this week's Hot Button, we settled on Bill Leavy re-opening Super Bowl XL wounds for Seahawk fans, high expectations for the 2010 Pitt Panthers, the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, your sports TV viewing preferences, and your favorite Pittsburgh venues to watch a game. Not quite the same topics, but close enough.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Joe Paterno Nominated for Presidential Medal of Freedom

Technically this is old news since it happened on Sunday, but U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa, nominated Penn State coach Joe Paterno for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive, in a letter to President Barack Obama. As you can see, this made JoePa very happy.