Early Steeler Training Camp News and Notes

Lots of links to catch up on from the first two days of 2010 camp...

Pirates Complete Five-Player Deal with Arizona

Never content to stand pat at the trade deadline, Neal Huntington pulled the trigger on a five-player deal with Arizona, dealing P D.J. Carrasco, OF Ryan Church, and IF Bobby Crosby for C Chris Snyder and minor-league SS Pedro Ciriaco. To fill the holes on the Pirate roster, 1B Jeff Clement and SS Argenis Diaz will be recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis today.

The 29-year-old Snyder, who once suffered a fractured testicle, is batting .231 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs in 65 games. But more important than his mediocre bat is his strong defense, throwing out 30% of runners and compiling a .999 fielding percentage over the past three years. With the deal in the books, Dejan Kovacevic said that Ryan Doumit will be playing mostly outfield in the future, so Pirate fans will no longer be subjected to his offensive-to-the-eyes style of defense.

The 24-year-old Ciriaco was batting .256 for Class AAA Reno, with six home runs, 51 RBIs and 14 steals. Much like Snyder, he is considered a strong defensive player. I'm assuming hell slide into Diaz's vacated spot at Indy.

In exchange for the two defenders, the Pirates gave up a trio of players past the age of 30 who weren't in their long-range plans. Carrasco had made it known to Huntington that he wanted to be traded to a contender, so it's kind of funny that he ended up on another last-place team in Arizona. As for the bats, Church was hitting .182 and Crosby was at .224. Combined, all three players were scheduled to earn $1.23 million the rest of the season, money that could best be spent elsewhere.

Snyder is due $1.69 million for the rest of this season and $5.75 million for 2011, with a club option worth $6.75 million for 2012 and a $750,000 buyout. But don't fret, about $3 million will be sent to the Pirates by Arizona as part of the deal.

With the deadline approaching, there are still a few Bucs who may be playing elsewhere in the near future, especially Paul Maholm and Octavio Dotel, who have both been named in a number of potential deals. However, it sounds as if Garrett Jones will be staying put after his name was floated earlier in the week.

10 Steelers Under the Microscope in 2010

At long last, Steeler Training Camp has arrived, and I can barely contain myself. I might even splurge and drink two Diet Pepsis on Friday night to celebrate the arrival of players to Latrobe.

I figured we should commemorate the occasion with some hardcore Steeler talk, which is exactly what I attempted to do in today's feature for 93.7 The Fan, 10 Steelers Under the Microscope in 2010.

These are the guys who will really be feeling the pressure to step up, for a variety of reasons.Their level of play and their health will be crucial to the team's success this season.

I'll be debating the merits of this list with Seibel and Starkey at 3:40 p.m. on Friday, so if you can tune in, please do so. For those stranded at their computers, you can listen online at 937thefan.cbslocal.com.

10 Steelers Under the Microscope in 2010 

[93.7 The Fan] 

Update: The station was having some major phone line issues at Latrobe, so we're doing some re-shuffling. Here's the new appearance schedule:

8:00 p.m. Friday with Andrew Fillipponi

5:20 p.m. Sunday with John Phillips

3:20 p.m. Monday with Seibel and Starkey

Steelers Sign Flozell Adams

The Steelers have made a big move on the eve of training camp, signing plus-sized OT Flozell "The Hotel" Adams as a replacement for Willie Colon.  It's a two-year deal, with financial terms not yet available.

The 6'7", 335-pound Adams, 35, visited the Steelers earlier this month, as did fellow free agent Chester Pitts. Pitts also signed on the dotted line today, joining Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks.

Adams started all 16 games for Dallas in 2009 and was released this past offseason. He was due a $2.5 million roster bonus in April and base salary of $5 million in 2010. He was a second-round pick of the Cowboys in the 1998 draft and had the longest tenure of any Dallas player at the time of his release.

Adams had an eventful 2009, when he was fined $50,000 for an altercation with Justin Tuck in December and a hat trick of fines in consecutive weeks to start the season. So it looks like we may have some controversy to look forward to.

The arrival of Adams may push Max Starks from left tackle to right tackle, where he started in 2005 and 2006. Regardless of how the pieces fall into place, this was a move the team had to make, from a depth standpoint. As long as Adams can contribute (and I think he can), I'm hopeful that this will turn out to be a good signing for the team.

The Terrell Owens Era is Off to a Great Start

Terrell Owens had 55 catches for 829 yards last season, he's going to be 37 years old, he's known for his dropped passes, he owns no Super Bowl rings, and he's blown up virtually every locker room he's ever been a part of. Yet for some reason, his addition to the Cincinnati Bengals' roster has been celebrated only slightly less than the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Miami.

Fans with blinders on drool at the Bengals' receiving pool of Chad Ochocinco, Antonio Bryant, Matt Jones, Jordan Shipley, and Owens as a Madden game come to life. In reality, it should be looked at as one segment of arguably the league's most combustible locker room, as a quick glance at the roster would corroborate. 

Troublemakers off the field (Pacman Jones, Matt Jones, Cedric Benson, Tank Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Rey Maualuga), high-maintenance personalities on the field (Bryant, Owens, Ochocinco), and a coach in the final year of his contract (Marvin Lewis) add up to a recipe for disaster for a franchise that last won a playoff game in 1991. When the Pittsburgh Pirates have won a postseason contest more recently than you, that's a sign that your franchise has seen better days.

Thankfully (and I do mean thankfully), this hodgepodge of wayward football players resides in the AFC North, with their imminent self-destruction so close to our viewing area that you'll be able to feel it when it happens. Step One in this process came today, when Mr. Owens started off his Bengal Era by missing his flight to Cincinnati and Bengal physical this morning. The contract signing was scrapped, the introductory news conference was scrapped, all the Bengals' plans for the day were turned upside-down.

In the grand scheme of things, the missed flight is not a big deal. In fact, I'd say it was somewhat expected, for this attention addict to create a more dramatic entrance. But that's what the Bengals get with Terrell Owens. Another sideshow under a big top masquerading as a pro football team. 

We should all heed Owens' advice and get our popcorn ready soon. Watching this team come apart at the seams is going to be must-see TV for this Steeler fan.

Today's Headlines

KEVIN COLBERT signed a five-year deal to remain as the Steelers' Director of Football Operations, a job he's held since 2000. The team is also close to signing second-round pick Jason Worilds, which would leave first-rounder Maurkice Pouncey as the only unsigned draft pick from the 2010 class. The last Steeler to sign a contract after camp started was Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. [PG]

ROSS OHLENDORF left Wednesday's Pirate game in the first inning after being struck in the head with a Troy Tulowitzki line drive. It's the second such incident this season for the team, with Chris Jaukubauskas getting hit in similar fashion against the Astros on April 24. Ohlendorf's current condition is not yet available, but he did leave the field on his own power. Let's hope all is well with Mr. Wonderful. He's had a rough go of it in 2010. [By Gosh, It's Langosh]

RB JAMEEL POTEAT of Bishop McDevitt High, has made it official: he's headed to Pitt. Poteat is the cousin of former Panther standout Hank Poteat and was mentored by another Bishop McDevitt back, Shady McCoy.  Poteat turned down scholarships from Florida, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Cincinnati, Rutgers, and a number of other schools.  Wanny does it again! [Trib]

OF GORKYS HERNANDEZ will be out 3-4 months after fracturing his right ring finger, thus ending his season. One of the Pirates' top prospects, Hernandez was playing at AA Altoona, where he was hitting .266 with 2 HR, 26 RBIs, 11 doubles and 17 SB in 20 attempts. [KDKA Insider]

JABAAL SHEARD's preliminary hearing for his "throwing the man through the glass door" incident has been delayed until August 4. He remains on indefinite suspension from Team Wannstache. [Trib]

THE WINTER CLASSIC PRESS CONFERENCE was captured in all Steeler-and-Penguin-loving greatness on the Kiss Morning Freak Show blog. As the guys point out, Mayor Winter Classic-enstahl was somehow able to shoehorn in a little face time. [Kiss Morning Freak Show]

MARIO LEMIEUX and SIDNEY CROSBY became the first people to hit the Consol Energy Center ice, which they did on Tuesday afternoon. They were then joined by several children donning Crosby and Lemieux jerseys who got the chance to take some shots at 66, who stepped between the pipes. Talk about memories for a lifetime...[PittsburghPenguins.com]

DION LEWIS and GREG ROMEUS are headed to Bristol, Connecticut, on Friday to do TV, radio, and internet appearances on ESPN. And in a related story, The Sporting News was in Pittsburgh yesterday to do a major feature on Lewis. I smell some Heisman hype! [93.7 The Fan]

Don't forget...comments are now located at the bottom of posts, for those interested.

Remodeling of "The House"

I've gradually grown tired of the MH format that I installed last year, so I thought the timing was right for a few tweaks here and there on the site, which you will see now. The most notable changes are the Hot Topics being stretched across the top of the page (in photo form) and the comments section getting relocated to the bottom of each post. I also dumped the various "Best Of" sections on the side of the page. It was just becoming too cluttered. But other than a few color changes and some minor housekeeping issues, most of the site will be staying the same.

That being said, I don't think I'm totally through tinkering with things, so if you have any further suggestions, please let me know at mondesishouse@gmail.com. And as always, thank you for your continued support of the site.

The Hot Button

Three of my last six posts on MH have been about people dying, and to be perfectly honest, it's getting depressing. Even this column's mascot is having a bad week (as bad as you could have in St. Tropez). We're all in need of a picker-upper.

So to lift everyone's spirits, I've posted five new poll questions for your review, along with my takes on all five debates. That's been known to cheer up at least one in a thousand people, give or take a thousand. Although it probably won't help Paris' hangover.

This week, topics include The Human Controversy (aka Dez Bryant), Pirate frugality, fantasy football vs. real-life football allegiances, annoying celebration trends in sports, and to cap it off, some old-fashioned predictions on the AFC North. Hopefully, it cures what ails ya.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Former Raider Jack Tatum Passes at 61

Jack "The Assassin" Tatum, a former Oakland Raider defensive back who happened to be involved in one of the most memorable plays in Steeler history, has passed away at the age of 61 due to a heart attack.

Tatum, a ferocious hitter who once paralyzed New England's Darryl Stingley in 1978, collided with Frenchy Fuqua on a pass play in a 1972 AFC playoff game, with the deflected ball falling into the hands of Franco Harris. Harris scampered for a touchdown, the Steelers won the game, and the Immaculate Reception was born. The play was voted as the greatest of all time by NFL Film, and it also happened to be the first playoff win in Steeler history. Incidentally, it also kicked off the "Al Davis vs. the NFL" rivalry that continues on to this day, but that's another story for another time.

The Steelers would go on to lose to the undefeated Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship, but the Immaculate Reception game kicked off a fierce rivalry between the Raiders and Steelers that defined the anything-goes, 1970s-era NFL. The teams met in each of the next four postseasons, with the Steelers going past the Raiders twice in AFC Championships en route to the Super Bowl.

If you need a refresher on how tough Tatum was, take a look at the YouTube clip below. Tatum would more than likely be broke from paying so many fines had he played in today's NFL, which would probably be directly opposed to the "Assassin" style. 

Tatum was a very polarizing player, and while he was certainly disliked by many fans, he will certainly be missed by others.

Penguins PA Announcer John Barbero Passes

On the heels of the sudden death of Kaye Cowher comes more sad news out of the Steel City: longtime Penguins PA announcer John Barbero, famous for his trademark announcement of "MMMMMario Leeeemieuuuuuux", has passed away at the age of 65.

Barbero, the former principal at Waynesburg HS, had manned the Pens position for 36 years before missing the 2009-10 season due to the presence of Astrocytoma, an inoperable brain tumor. His familiar, friendly voice was immediately missed by the Mellon Arena faithful last season. All of a sudden, Penguin home games did not feel quite the same.

Tom McMillan, vice president of communications for the Penguins, said it best in a 2009 interview for a Trib story on Barbaro. Said McMillan:

"Pittsburgh is a unique place, different than most other cities that have professional sports teams. The fans are the best in the world, no question about that, and they are accustomed to broadcasters and announcers who have become fixtures here. Bob Prince, Myron Cope, Mike Lange and (longtime Pittsburgh Pirates public address announcer) Art McKenna are in that category. So is John Barbero."

My most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to the Barbero family. 

May John rest in peace.

Dejuan Blair Joins the Rap Game

For some reason, many basketball players think they can rap (Shaq, Kobe, Ron Artest, etc.) and conversely, a lot of rappers think they can play basketball (Master P's never-ending hoop dream springs to mind).This is by no means a new phenomenon.

The latest basketball-to-rap crossover making the rounds is one with a local flavor, as former Pitt Panther DeJuan Blair has teamed up with Pittsburgh-based rapper P.O.P. in the auto-tune heavy, "2 Hard Living". The video, which pays homage to  friends who've died young, was filmed in the Hill District.

While it isn't a song I'd listen to on a regular basis, I'm not going to be too hard on DeJuan. Everybody expresses themselves in their own way, and this happens to be a subject that's obviously close to his heart. But I do have one complaint for Mr. Blair: did he have to wear a Phillies hat in the video?

LaMarr Woodley Will Not Hold Out

The situation may continue to be "jacked up", but nonetheless, Steeler LB LaMarr Woodley will show up on time for this year's training camp and will not hold out, according to ESPN AFC North blogger James Walker.

The Steelers' decision not to discuss an extension with Woodley is a major roll of the dice, as the 25-year-old Super Bowl champion could be in line for a monster payday in the offseason. Walker specifically cites the recent extension of Denver's Elvis Dumervil ($61.5 million over six years) as the kind of deal that Woodley could eventually be expecting to receive.

One wonders how the recent drafting of LBs Jason Worilds and Thad Gibson will factor into the Steelers' long-range plans at the position. But keep in mind that in Woodley's situation, there's also the possibility of the franchise tag for 2011, although that remains up in the air until the new CBA is worked out.

Woodley will make $550,000 this season in the last year of his rookie year deal, which is an unbelievable bargain for a guy who's racked up 25 sacks over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, this is a conflict between player and team that looks like it won't be resolved for quite a while, if ever.

Pirates Quietly Swept by Padres

It doesn't happen often. In fact, it hasn't happened since 1998. But the 12-year drought is over, as San Diego finished off a three-game sweep in Pittsburgh for the first time in over a decade.

Irrelevant stats aside, the big story coming out of the weekend was the demotion of pitcher Brad Lincoln, who surrendered six runs on Sunday and raised his ERA to 6.57 in the Bucs' 6-3 loss to the Padres. It was a disappointing outcome at a time when the Pirates' young core finally started to look like it was coming together, at least on some level.

In addition to the Lincoln move, the Buccos also designated reliever Brendan Donnelly for assignment, a move that didn't sound like it went over well in the clubhouse:

"It amazed me," said Octavio Dotel, 36, signed in the offseason with Donnelly as back-end pitchers and private tutors.

"He was the only leader ... that would step up and say stuff and not care [about teammates' feelings]," Evan Meek added. "Any time you make a trade or get rid of a leader in your clubhouse, it's not going to be popular. There's a business side to the game, obviously."

Not surprisingly, economics were being blamed for the move. As Dejan Kovacevic notes in the PG, Donnelly signed a $1.35 million contract as a free agent in January, but incentives for games played nearly double the amount. The performances of Meek and Joel Hanrahan thus far seemed to have minimized the presence of Donnelly in the eyes of management. As the trade deadline nears, it could be the first of several moves Neal Huntington could make to alter the team's makeup heading into August.

Sunday's game was the continuation of a Pirate downward trend, one of a lack of offense. After last week's breakout performances against Houston and Milwaukee, the Bucs have scored 2, 3, 2, and 3 runs in their last four games, all losses. Not even a Saturday night postgame concert from Steve Miller, which drew a crowd of nearly 37,000, could inspire the Pirates, who fell to 13-4 in their last 17 games when home attendance is more than 30,000.

After completing a 4-6 homestand, the young Buccos will take to the road, with a three-game set in Colorado beginning tomorrow night. Zach Duke (4-9, 5.22) faces off against Jorge De La Rosa (5.65, 3-2) at Coors Field, and here's hoping the Denver altitude does some good for the once-again struggling Pirate bats.

RIP, Kaye Cowher

By now I suppose you've heard the very sad news out of North Carolina, where Kaye Cowher, 54-year-old wife of former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, passed away as a result of skin cancer.

When thinking about the Cowhers as a family, I always marveled at how they seemed to be such a normal, functioning unit in an era when NFL coaches are practically expected to lead chaotic family lives. You know the storyline all too well by now. While dad is busy watching film 21 hours a day, his kids begin to make poor decisions. Some coaches have dealt with children who have drug problems. Others have children who were in prison. And in the worst case scenario, some have children who fall into both categories.

The Cowher family was different. It was almost like the plot to a sitcom. A super-intense pro football coach gets in the face of 350-pound defensive linemen by day, and watches girls' high school basketball games with his all-female household by night. Pitch that to any network and with the right cast, you've got a home run. But this was no TV show. It was the real deal.

Although coaching was his career and he excelled at it, I never got the impression that football was Bill's entire reason for being, because of his love for Kaye and their daughters. Just how important were they to him? So much that he walked away from a high-paying job he probably could've had for life in exchange for a completely different, family-centic existence in his wife's home state of North Carolina. And for that, I always admired him.

Kaye met Bill while at North Carolina State in 1976, and they were married five years later in 1981, when Bill was a member of the Cleveland Browns. 11 years later, he would become the heir apparent to Hall of Famer Chuck Noll as the newest head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout Bill's career, Kaye always had a pleasant presence in Pittsburgh as a woman who supported her husband and let him follow his dream, which is summarized so poetically in the photo above.

It is unknown exactly when Kaye Cowher came down with skin cancer, which is a storyline nearly unbelievable in a day and age when everybody knows everything. But I'm virtually certain that her illness would explain Bill's longer-than-anticipated return to the pro football coaching ranks. 

Words can't express how badly I feel for Bill and all of the Cowhers at a time like this, but I know the family will have immeasurable support from the card-carrying members of Steeler Nation. Rest in peace, Kaye Cowher.

32 Questions Heading into NFL Training Camps

As you probably know, we're at t-minus one week until the Steelers report to training camp, so I figured it was time to get a jump-start on my 2010 NFL coverage with some questions not just about the '10 Steelers, but about every other NFL team as well.

I've come up with one key question for each team - even the boring teams - going into camp, and after hours of research I can say that this should be one fascinating season. Then again, I didn't need hours of research to tell me what I already knew.

There are storylines a-plenty, with many high-profile new faces in new places. Beyond that, we've got contract issues, combustible locker rooms, unanswered legal issues, all that fun stuff that makes the NFL what it is.

All of those topics will be covered, along with much, much more, in this week's article for 93.7 The Fan. The on-air discussion will be forthcoming, as I had a few schedule issues due to a charity event I'm attending today, but I'll update that info as soon as it's available. Until then, you're stuck with me only in written form.

32 Questions Heading into NFL Training Camps 

[93.7 The Fan]

Pirate News and Notes

A few quick links to pass along underneath Ryan Doumit's headshot...

I Don't Know Where the Real Pirates Are, But These Guys Can Hit

Five games, 48 runs, 71 hits. For a team that was hitting .235 and a fan base used to watching teams that hit .235, the post-All Star break Pirates have been a refreshing change of pace, with the exception of a toe-stubbing against Chris Capuano and Milwaukee on Monday night.

Last night was the latest example of the New and Improved Pirates, delivering another thorough beat-down to the Milwaukee Brewers, this time by a final of 15-3. It was a dose of poetic justice after the 20-0 thumping Milwaukee delivered to the Bucs earlier this season, which threw the young team into an early tailspin.

Neal Huntington has to be grinning from ear-to-ear, as his plan, at least for a few nights, has been falling into place. Pedro Alvarez homered twice for the second consecutive game, and was one of seven Pirates with multiple hits. Jose Tabata, with the story of his jail-bound estranged wife surely in the back of his mind, delivered two hits and three runs. Delwyn Young hit a two-out, three-run home run (very scarce in the Pirate Universe), had three hits, and drove in five. Even the man Huntington once labeled as a "utilityman", Neil Walker, had two more hits to send his batting average to .314. A decent effort from starter Zach Duke (six innings, six hits, three earned runs) was more than enough with that kind of run support.

Ross Ohlendorf (1-7, 4.62), who couldn't get out of the second inning in his last outing, goes tonight against Yovani Gallardo (8-4, 2.58). It's not practical to expect another 18 hits and 15 runs, but let's hope the Buccos give Mr. Wonderful a little more run support than they've done on most nights in 2010.

Quick Hits

CAL U on Letterman? Cal U on Letterman. [YouTube]

RB JAMEEL POTEAT looks like he's headed to Pitt, yet another nice score for the Wannstache. [Kristian Dyer/Fox Sports Twitter]

AMALIA TABATA-PEREIRA, the 44-year-old estranged wife of Jose Tabata, pled guilty on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping, interference with custody and impersonating a public officer. [Chron.com]

ZACH DUKE (3-9, 5.38) and Randy Wolf (7-8, 4.56) battle at PNC Park tonight as the Brewers try to avenge an 11-9 loss last night. 

Pedro Alvarez hit two home runs (including a grand slam) and Neil Walker added five hits for the Buccos. Brad Lincoln allowed nine hits and seven earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, nearly blowing a 9-0 first inning lead. [PG]

The JEROME BETTIS Asthma Sports Camp is underway at Heinz Field. [WPXI]


TIGER WOODS leads this year's SI Fortunate 50 list of America's richest athletes in 2009, earning over $90 million. No Pittsburgh athletes made the list, which included such names as Tracy McGrady, Darius Heyward-Bey, and Michael Redd. [SI.com]

The Hot Button

It's time for another round of voting or dying (or possibly dying alive) with this week's edition of The Hot Button.

Topics to ponder include Michael Jordan's comments on the Miami alliance, Paul Maholm's future, Jabaal Sheard's weekend, Terrell Owens and the Steelers, and Dwyane Wade's poorly-crafted statements on the 2010-11 Heat season. It's a virtual cornucopia of controversy!

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

LaMarr Woodley's Treatment is "Jacked Up"

Contract issues among young stars in the NFL are all the rage these days, most prominently with the Titans' Chris Johnson and the Jets' Darrelle Revis.

You can now throw LaMarr Woodley's hat into that ring as a bit of frustration with his employer peeked out in an interview with Mike Silver of Yahoo!:

“It’s kind of jacked up,” Woodley said. “Everything I’ve ever done for the Steelers, on and off the field, has been positive. Sometimes you don’t get the same thing back in return.”

I understand Woodley's situation, I really do. The guy is one of the top 'backers in the game, he's pulling down peanuts for a salary in 2010 (relatively speaking, of course), and the Steelers have made no overtures towards a new deal because of the CBA. He looks around at players in similar situations and sees a raise for Kevin Kolb in Philadelphia and accelerated escalators for Tennessee's Johnson, and wonders where his payday is:

“I’m not going to lie – I was a little disappointed that they didn’t offer anything at all,” Woodley said. “I felt that was a little weird. I guess they decided they’re going to sit back and wait for the CBA and all that to play out.

“You look around the league and you see different teams getting stuff done with their players in similar situations, and you think, ‘What, the Steelers don’t care about me?’ Stuff like that goes through your mind.”

Make no doubt about it, the Steelers have enough problems going into 2010 without having to worry about Woodley's state of mind. The easy response is to say, "A contract is a contract, so Woodley should shut his mouth and play," but in today's NFL, that really doesn't fly. Teams can cut players at any time. Contracts mean very little. The window for players to earn money is limited. None of this qualifies as breaking news.

But what does this mean long-term for Woodley? Well, with the CBA up in the air, there's no guarantee that the franchise tag option will exist in the future. There's no communication going on between Woodley and the team, and it sounds like that won't be changing anytime soon. By letting the season play out with no new deal in place, both sides are taking a calculated risk, and there's no absolute guarantee that the Super Bowl champion will be a Pittsburgh Steeler in 2011 or beyond. Surprisingly, that appears to be a risk the Steelers are willing to take. Like Woodley says, that is kind of jacked up.

Dodgers Interested in Maholm

It's that magical time of year when the Pirates start to shed some veterans, and to that point, Dejan Kovacevic of the PG is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers are interested in a trade for pitcher Paul Maholm.

Maholm's salary of $4.5 million is the highest on the team's active roster, and second-highest in the organization behind only the immortal Aki Iwamura at $4.85 million. Maholm is 6-7 with a 4.03 ERA thus far in 2010. 

Kovacevic cited a Yahoo! Sports report from yesterday mentioning the Dodgers' desire to add pitching in advance of some difficult divisional games. They've recently made inquiries on hurlers such as Houston's Roy Oswalt and the Cubs' Ted Lilly.

The Dodgers have a number of financial constraints due to their owner's ongoing divorce, so Maholm's relatively affordable contract should be looked at as a positive for Los Angeles. I have not seen any scenarios mentioning the Pirates' demands in return, but I would expect them to be lofty if they're going to weaken an already-awful rotation. 

As you know, there is a recent history between the two teams, with the 2008 Jason Bay-Manny Ramirez-prospects deal and the 2009 Delwyn Young trade, in which the Dodgers received prospects Eric Krebs and Harvey Garcia from the Pirates. So if you're tossing around potential trade scenarios, I'd call this one extremely viable.

Quick Hits

THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES allowed just three hits but still managed to drop a 3-1 decision to Milwaukee last night at PNC Park. Two of the Brewer hits were home runs, one by Rickie Weeks and the other by Prince Fielder. 

The Pirate offense, so potent over the weekend, was limited by spot-starter Chris Capuano and four Brewer relievers to six hits. The result was Capuano's first win since May 7, 2007.

Brad Lincoln (1-3, 5.14) and RHP Dave Bush (4-7, 4.07) square off tonight at PNC. [PG]

MAURKICE POUNCEY's family plans to deny any wrongdoing today. [Joe Schad/Twitter]

PENN STATE has some confusion over their next "Whitehouse" game. [Trib]

ANDREW McCUTCHEN has no set timetable for his return. [Bucco Blog]

JABAAL SHEARD's high school coach calls the Pitt lineman's weekend incident "out of character". [Trib]

ANDREW STOCKEY's slip of the tongue landed the WTAE newsman on Jay Leno. [96.1 Kiss Freak Show]

JIM COLONY and GREGG GIANNOTTI went white-water rafting over the weekend. I think they survived. [93.7 The Fan]

RANDY BAUMANN of WDVE recently visited the headquarters of Mr. Skin, and posted a video tour on YouTube. [YouTube]

THE CONSOL ENERGY CENTER got their new Zambonis. [PittsburghPenguins.com]

Lemieux Statue in December?

In my "Wish List" article last week, item #5 was a statue in front of the Consol Energy Center for Mario Lemieux. I pegged the probability at 90%, based mostly on a Dave Molinari column from last November that gave me a good feeling that it would happen.

Well, Lemieux statue supporters got another dose of good news today, with Mark Madden revealing that the inanimate doppelganger of #66 may be unveiled on December 27, 2010 - the 10th anniversary of his awe-inspiring comeback.

Madden noted that this anniversary, which falls just days before the Winter Classic on January 1, would be part of a week-long HockeyPalooza in the Burgh. That sounds to me like a pretty fantastic way to wind down 2010 and kick off 2011.

If ever an athlete has deserved such an honor in this city, it's clearly Lemieux, who has saved the Penguins so many times I've lost count. As Madden mentions, Mario  reportedly did not want the statue, but in this instance, I'm glad he was overruled.

Florida Under Investigation for Pouncey

The University of Florida and the NCAA are investigating a possible rules violation regarding 2010 Steelers first-round draft pick Maurkice Pouncey, reports Pat Forde of ESPN.com:

Florida is internally investigating what sources described as an allegation that a representative of an agent paid Pouncey $100,000 between the Gators' loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game to Alabama and their season-ending Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati. Florida apprised the NCAA of the allegation after it became aware of it.

Forde goes on to add that Florida may have to vacate the Sugar Bowl win if Pouncey is found to have accepted the alleged payment, as he would have been ineligible for the contest. Who says the Big East can't win a big bowl game?

Jabaal Sheard Threw a Guy Through a Glass Door

The Pitt Panthers got some bad news this weekend, as one of their star defensive lineman, Jabaal Sheard, was arrested for a Sunday fight on the South Side's E. Carson Street. But this wasn't any ordinary fight. This was rather ugly. Some details:

The officer said he identified himself as police, ordering the two to stop, but he said Sheard ignored him and continued to beat Parker in the face and body.

Other officers arrived and unsuccessfully tried to break up the fight, police said. One officer used a baton on Sheard, who grabbed Parker and threw him through the glass door of the LaFond Gallery, police said.

As Parker laid on his back bleeding, police said Sheard continued to hit him, which is when they used pepper spray on both men.

Sheard was taken to the Allegheny County Jail on aggravated assault and other charges, and has been suspended indefinitely from the Pitt football team. He was arraigned Sunday at 1:40 p.m. and will have a preliminary hearing July 28

The cause of the fight is unknown, and damage to the door was estimated at $600-$1000.

The damage to Pitt's football season is also unknown, because Sheard was being counted on as a key contributor on their much-celebrated D-line. Last season, Sheard had 42 tackles (10 1/2 for loss), five sacks and a team-high 12 quarterback hurries while starting all 13 games for the Panthers.

Today's Headlines

The PITTSBURGH PIRATES took two of three from Houston over the weekend, wrapping things up with a 9-0 win on Sunday that featured their first home run with a man on base since approximately 1993. OK, it was actually only 1,097 at-bats, the longest such streak since the 1984 Astros, but you get the point. They have been few and far between.

On Sunday, Paul Maholm limited the Astros to three hits in throwing a complete-game shutout, and the Pirate hitters claimed revenge on Roy Oswalt, who one-hit them in his last start on July 8 in Houston.

In addition to Garrett Jones' two-run blast, the Pirates got four hits from Ronny Cedeno and three each from Jose Tabata and Ryan Doumit. Every Pirates position player had at least one hit on the day. After Saturday night's 12-6 win in front of a full house of fireworks-loving fans, the Pirates are finally starting to show a few signs of competence, regardless of the fact that it came against a less-than-stellar Astros team.

Andrew McCutchen left the game in the eighth inning after making a diving catch, and the diagnosis was was a mildly sprained AC joint in the upper part of the right shoulder. X-rays did not detect a fracture, and he has not yet been ruled out of the lineup for Monday.

Milwaukee (42-51) comes to town next, with Chris Capuano (4.35, 0-1) and Jeff Karstens (4.87, 2-4) taking the hill Monday night at 7:05.

TERRY BRADSHAW has a new gig. He's now a part owner of EverGreen Recreational Vehicles in Middlebury, which is owned by Bradshaw golfing buddy Kelly Rose. Bradshaw said he would become the company's face by traveling to trade shows and publicizing its RVs. [WTAE]


JOE PATERNO's absence is again being blamed for recruiting problems with Penn State's Class of 2011, which currently numbers just three - the smallest in the Big Twelveleven. At this time, Scout.com has Penn State at No. 64 in its 2011 recruiting rankings, 10th among the 11 Big Ten schools. [PG]

LARRY FITZGERALD was the subject of artwork done on a fan's prosthetic leg, which was then signed by Fitzgerald. I must say, Steeler Nation has been outdone (for once). [Deadspin]

JOE STARKEY tackles a topic near and dear to my heart: the classic American game of Wiffle Ball. [Trib]

ROGER GOODELL will be visiting Steeler training camp on August 5. [WPXI]

BREON ALLEN is Pitt's first RB recruit for the Class of 2011. The 5'6", 170-pounder was recruited to Pitt by new LB coach Bernard Clark. [KDKA Sports Insider]

DARNELL STAPLETON, a starting lineman for the Steelers in Super Bowl 43, signed with the UFL's Florida Tuskers. Stapleton missed the entire 2009 season with injuries and was released by the Steelers. [UFL]

HAYDEN PENN of the Pirates will soon be sold to Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines, a team with an apparent opening for a journeyman pitcher. Penn allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks in a memorable 2 1/3 innings for the Pirates this season. [MLB.com]

The Pittsburgh Sports Fan’s Wish List

In the Steel City, we always have a wish list of things we’d like to see happen with our favorite sports teams. A trade. A free agent signing. A certain rival’s presence on the schedule. You know what I’m talking about.

In this week's Fan feature article, I've compiled a list of 10 wishes that Pittsburgh sports fans are holding out hope for, along with the odds of them happening in the next year. The Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, Panthers, and even the Nittany Lions pop up in this one.

For the on-air discussion, I'll be talking about this and all things Pittsburgh sports with Gregg Giannotti at 8:20 p.m. on Friday night. You can catch our chat at 93.7 on your dial and streaming online at 937thefan.com.

The Pittsburgh Sports Fan’s Wish List [93.7 The Fan]

Nerd vs. Food: KFC's Doublicious

It's back - the feature that more than 30% of you voted not to see again, and now it's got a name: Nerd vs. Food.

Today's subject: KFC and their Doublicious chicken sandwich.

Quick Hits

ALEKSEY LUKASHEVICH became the latest international experiment undertaken by the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he is the first-ever  player from Belarus to sign a Major-League contract. [PG]

ALBERT LEXIE of Monessen was the Pirates' representative at Tuesday's All-Star Game via the People Magazine "All Stars Among Us" program. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Since 1981, Lexie has traveled by bus to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh on Tuesdays and Thursdays to shine shoes, with all of his tips going to the hospital's Free Care Fund. To date, he has donated over $100,000. [AlbertLexie.org]

Filmmaker KEN BURNS (Baseball) will be at PNC Park as a guest of WQED for the Pirates-Mets game on Sunday, August 22. Tickets for the private reception in the World Series Suite are available to WQED members ($120) and non-members ($150) by calling 412-622-1500.

The FROZEN FOUR is coming to Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center in April, 2013. It will be hosted by Robert Morris, the Penguins, and the VisitPittsburgh travel bureau. [Trib]

Former Steeler punter JOSH MILLER will be joining 93.7 The Fan on gamedays and weeknights starting in August as a Steeler analyst.

Pitt baseball coach JOE JORDANO has been named the 2010 American Baseball Coaches Association East Region Coach of the Year [PittsburghPanthers.com]

ZACH DUKE will come off the DL to open the second half of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. His opponent will be the Houston Astros and Brett Myers. [PittsburghPirates.com]

MIAMI at PITT is listed as one of five games to earn respect for the Big East in 2010 by ESPN's Big East Blog.

MARK MADDEN gives his reasons to pull the plug on the MLB All-Star Game [WXDX/Mark Madden]

NATE BYHAM of Pitt got a four-year rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers [PG]

TAYLOR LAUTNER of Twilight fame excited fans at Hampton HS while filming his new film, Abduction. [WPXI]

A Transplanted Yinzer's In-Person Recap of the Anaheim All-Star Game

Longtime MH reader Beej of California (via the Burgh) was in attendance for the All-Star Game last night in Anaheim and was kind enough to send over some Pittsburgh-centric notes on the game:

The Hot Button

I've been holed up in my nerdery thinking up some new questions for this week's edition of The Hot Button, and here's what I've come up with: questions regarding the legacy of George Steinbrenner, the LeBron James-Dan Gilbert mess, the futures of LaMarr Woodley and Mike Tomlin, and the MLB Home Run Derby.

I've also posted the results of last week's polls, including which Pittsburgh athlete most of you would want to meet, the Penguins' team-building philosophy, and a few other topics spread across the sports world. I know many of you have been on pins and needles waiting for the results, but please try to contain your enthusiasm.

Now do as the Hiltons do and vote...or die.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan] 

Ben Roethlisberger Named in Public Urination Complaint

Take it away, TMZ...

According to the report, a woman named Nan Fowler phoned the pro shop at the Country Club at Muirfield Village around 6:53 PM and complained that a white, tall male -- sporting a blue golf shirt and khaki shorts -- was "urinating into some trees."

The report states that Nan was informed by the woman at the pro shop that the person who fit that description was Big Ben. Nan then called police and told them that the NFL star was peeing in public.

Cops eventually arrived to the scene and spoke with country club management -- and later determined that no crime had been committed. Sources connected to the investigation tell us cops never interacted with Roethlisberger -- because Ben was "long gone" by the time authorities had arrived.

TMZ spoke with reps at Muirfield who tell us, "We had a full slate of golfers that day ... it may have been anyone."

If people got arrested for urinating in the woods while golfing, I'm going to guesstimate that approximately 99% of golfers would have been nabbed for this crime in their lifetime. The difference is that Joe Sixpack taking a leak in the woods while golfing is not news. However, when Ben Roethlisberger does it, you see the result.

For what it's worth, Team Roethlisberger has no comment, nor do I expect one anytime soon.

And yes, for the record, I would consider an entire post about a guy urinating as a Sign of the Apocalypse.

Update: No charges will be pressed by the woman, confirms Carl Prine of the Trib.

Mike Tomlin Gets 3-Year Extension

They haven't yet solved the contract dilemma of LaMarr Woodley, but the Pittsburgh Steelers put another long-term distraction to bed today, extending the contract of Mike Tomlin three years. Ed Bouchette of the PG broke the news of the deal this morning, although financial terms were not yet available. The deal will keep Tomlin in Pittsburgh through 2014.

Tomlin's original deal had one year and one option year remaining, worth $2.5 million annually. Bouchette compared Tomlin's original deal to that of Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt, who received virtually identical contracts when both hired in 2007. Whisenhunt just re-upped for five years and an annual average of between $5.5 million and $6 million, so that could be the ballpark for Tomlin's deal. 

Bouchette also reported that football operations director Kevin Colbert is in line for a new deal as well, which should quiet the rumors of a reunion with Bill Cowher at some point in the future.

Although the team had its share of struggles on the field (9-7) in 2009 and off the field as well, I'm still a Tomlin fan. I put absolutely zero stock into the columns claiming that he won with "Cowher's Team". To come into an NFL locker room teeming with millionaire divas who can't wait to roll their eyes at you and win their respect is no small feat, especially when you have no prior record as a head coach and their last coach won a Super Bowl two seasons earlier. 

Just think for a moment about the men and egos Tomlin's had to work with. If you think it's easy to get the attention of a Roethlisberger or a Holmes, think again. The list of coaches that Roethlisberger alone has clashed with in his brief NFL career is a lengthy one, filled with a number of talented football minds, including Cowher and Whisenhunt. The fact that he and Tomlin are remotely in the same ballpark at this stage of the game is a minor miracle. Sure, Tomlin's been given some talented players. But how coachable are some of these guys? That is the multi-million dollar question.

Tomlin has absolutely had some less-than-perfect moments (his ridiculous explanation of the Jeff Reed police incident and lack of discipline immediately springs to mind). And there have been some major distractions that have come on his watch, although it's ridiculous to suggest that he's somehow responsible for the actions of grown men. But sadly, those are issues that virtually every NFL coach has to deal with in 2010. Since Tomlin's introduction, the team has an overall record of 31-17, with a Lombardi Trophy to boot. I don't know what your definition of a good coach is, but that certainly fits my criteria. 

When a person suggests firing a coach or getting rid of a player, my immediate response is to ask who they would bring in to do a better job. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure there are many men I'd rather have other than Mike Tomlin coaching the Steelers for the next five years. 

Chad Ochocino Compares Steelers to Girls

The next time nine-year NFL veteran WR Chad Ochocinco wins a playoff game will be the first. In the meantime, he'll keep busy snowing the general public with reality shows, name changes, touchdown stunts, and dancing with D-listers to create the perception that he's one of the highest-profile and therefore best players in the league.

With that being said, it's unfortunate that Ochocinco (I still feel dumb typing that, by the way) still makes news when absurd words come out of his mouth. Promoting his latest show, a reality-dating program on VH1 called, "The Ultimate Catch", Ochocinco had this to say on Good Day New York Monday morning:

Host: "When's the last time you saw so many girls on one field?" 

Ochocinco: "When we played the Steelers"

Ha, ha, ha. Because the Steelers are girls! Get it! Girls who've beaten Ochocinco 11 of 16 times in the regular season and the only time they met him in the playoffs (which was en route to a Super Bowl win, mind you). He's right, the Bengals are totally better than the Steelers.

Just remember, people aren't laughing with you, Chad. They're laughing at you. And best of luck in your next attention-seeking endeavor. Maybe one of these days you'll actually be famous for your exploits in the postseason and not your latest PR stunt (of which I'll try not to fall for).

A Wrapup of the Pirates' First Half of 2010

The PITTSBURGH PIRATES' struggles continued on Sunday, as Corey Hart's two-run walk-off home run gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 6-5 win and a series sweep. The Brew Crew has now won eight of 11 this season against the Pirates, taking all three games by one run each in this series. Some thoughts on the game and the season to this point after the jump.

The 10 Biggest Pittsburgh Sports Events Still To Be Played in 2010

The first six months of 2010 have been incredibly busy in the world of Pittsburgh sports. We've had the Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes incidents, an early Penguins exit in the playoffs, another disappointing finish for Pitt in the NCAA Tournament, more Pirate losing, the debut of the next generation of Bucs, a Penguins defensive spending spree, the defection of Sergei Gonchar, the Steelers' going back to the future in free agency, and the drafting of new Pittsburgh athletes such as Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Beau Bennett, Maurkice Pouncey, and Jonathan Dwyer.

Yes, we've already experienced a wide variety of highs and lows through the first six months of the year. But could the best of the year be yet to come? I think that's a big YES. And to prove that fact, here are 10 games I think will be of tremendous interest to both you and I as the 2010 Pittsburgh sports calendar continues to play out.

For the on-air discussion of this article and all things Pittsburgh, I'll be chatting with Seibel and Starkey at 3:40 p.m. today. You can listen at 93.7 on your dial and online at The Fan website.

  The 10 Biggest Pittsburgh Sports Events Still To Be Played in 2010 [93.7 The Fan]

Oswalt One-Hits Pirates to Complete Houston Sweep

Lance Berkman continued to feast on Pirate pitching with two more home runs, and Roy Oswalt surrendered only a first-inning single to Neil Walker as Houston completed the three-game sweep of Pittsburgh by a 2-0 final on Thursday.

Being that the game was played in the afternoon on a day dominated by Lebronageddon, this one got quietly swept under the rug by a distracted sports world, even in Pittsburgh. And "quiet" would once again describe the Pirates' bats in this series, with an output of just five runs in the three games. The Bucs currently rank 30th in MLB in batting average, hits, and RBI, and 29th in home runs, so this was basically just more of what we've seen all year.

Other than those two Berkman dingers, Pirate starter Ross Ohlendorf struck out five and did not allow any other runs on the afternoon. Unfortunately, that was two runs too many, as Mr. Wonderful fell to a lowly 1-7 on the season, just a year after winning 11 games in 2009. In Ohlendorf's 10 starts in 2010, the Pirates have scored more than three runs only twice, which makes those Ws rather hard to come by. But this does not exactly qualify as breaking news.

This series followed a familiar theme of "one step forward, two steps backward" for the Bucs, which took three of four against the NL Champion Phillies before a sweep at the hands of the offensively-challenged Astros. Berkman, who had eight HR coming into the series, put up four over the three games, and the 'Stros as a team hit eight home runs against the Bucs.

Conversely, the Pirates' youth movement seemingly stalled in this trifecta of games. Pedro Alvarez was 1-for-10, Andrew McCutchen had just two hits, and Jose Tabata was 1-for-12. Only Neil Walker handled himself reasonably well, with a hit in each game.

After this step back, the Pirates will try to lick their wounds and redeem themselves against the team that beat them 20-0 earlier this season. Milwaukee's Doug Davis (7.56, 1-4) takes on Paul Maholm (4.50, 5-7) on Friday night at Miller Park as the Bucs and Brewers meet at 8:10 p.m., the first in a three-game series.

Quick Hits

Today's news features another Pirate loss, Octavio Dotel, Dion Lewis, The Bus, Bryan Morris, Delwyn Young, Daniel McCutchen, Patrick Bailey, and much, much more...

The Hot Button

After a relaxing holiday, it’s time to stir up some passion with another edition of The Hot Button, the new feature that marries interactive polls and opinions, with some national topics mixed in.

Among the subjects up for debate and voting: Pittsburgh athlete popularity, how the Pens should be built, Amar’e Stoudemire's $100 million contract, the Summer of LeBron, and baseball’s Midsummer Classic. The message, as always, it delivered on the t-shirt of the trust-fund-powered female depicted below: Vote or die!

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Michelle Wie is No Phi Beta Kappa

As you probably know by now, the 2010 U.S. Women's Open is just days away from getting underway at Oakmont, and the players are already in town, busy with practice rounds and such.

It takes a lot for a women's golf post to be presented for the approval of the discriminating MH audience; but I thought this exchange with the heavily-hyped Michelle Wie at Oakmont would serve as a nice intro for the upcoming tournament that will be held in our backyard (emphasis is mine):

MODERATOR:  I was thinking about it, and when Michelle won the LPGA tournament that she won earlier in the year, I was thinking I believe you were the only college student to ever win a tournament in the LPGA Tour. That's another little feather in your cap. Just tell us a little bit. You won a tournament now. You're still in college. Are you a Phi Beta Kappa yet?

MICHELLE WIE: No sorority for me yet, but it's been fun. It's been a lot of fun. You know, it's great, but I want to do better this year, and I just want to keep doing better and better. College is fun; it's a lot of hard work. It all pays off in the end.

Apparently, the worldly Wie doesn't realize that Phi Beta Kappa is actually a widely-known academic honor society, so I'm guessing she probably won't become a card-carrying member anytime soon.

Then again, she wouldn't be the first Stanford student to be so fixated on golf that they eventually lose touch with the rest of the world.

HT: The Seibel and Starkey Show

Weekend Newsmakers

PEDRO ALVAREZ hit his second home run in as many days, and Garrett Jones knocked in three runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Bucs took three of four from the reigning NL Champs, and have now won five of their last seven.

Evan Meek picked up the win, his fourth of the year, in his one inning of relief, and Octavio Dotel threw a scoreless ninth for his 19th save of the season. Starter Jeff Karstens allowed nine hits and five runs in his six innings of work to come away with a no-decision. Delwyn Young and Jones each drove in two runs during the Pirates' momentum-turning six-run 7th inning to aid the cause. 

The Pirates have a day off before they take to the road on Tuesday night, as Brad Lincoln (4.65, 1-2) takes on Wandy Rodriguez (5.30, 5-10) in Houston

My take: Quietly, the Pirates have built a little bit of momentum after seemingly hitting rock bottom yet again, and it's welcome news around these parts. Pedro Alvarez is starting to show some power, the starters have had a few nice outings, and for once, the team appeared to actually have fun playing the game on Sunday. Their next opponent, Houston, is having nearly as bad a season as the Pirates, so this upcoming series could provide a rare opportunity for some real momentum.

EVAN MEEK was named as the Pirates' representative for this year's All-Star Game, to be played July 13 in Anaheim. 

While a case could certainly be made for Andrew McCutchen, no one is complaining with the choice of Meek, who has had an outstanding season, with a 0.98 ERA, 4-2 record, 42 strikeouts, 11 walks and a .178 opponents' batting average in a staff-high 37 appearances. He is the first Pirate middle-reliever to get an All-Star nod since Mace Brown in 1938.

My take: Meek has emerged as a good story in a sea of unfortunate Pirate tales, and he certainly didn't take the usual path to get where he is. This team always seems to strike gold in the bullpen, and it looks like Neal Huntington has unearthed another gem in Meek, a 2007 Rule 5 draft pick via Tampa Bay.

ROB NIEDERMAYER is the next veteran on the Penguins' radar, according to the PG's Dave Molinari. Niedermayer would potentially fill the third-line center role in the event that either Jordan Staal or Evgeni Malkin is moved to winger, as expected. If things don't work out with Niedermayer, other possibilities on the market include Dominic Moore, Jeff Halpern, John Madden, and Ryan Johnson, many of whom are very familiar with the Pens.

My take: Niedermayer isn't expected to bring much offense to the table (he hasn't scored 20 goals or more since 1995-96), but the numbers could work (he earned $1 million last year for New Jersey) and he brings the presence of an elder statesman, for whatever that's worth to this particular team. If Jordan or Geno make the move to wing, someone's going to have to fill that hole, and given the Pens' budget, it's going to be someone the likes of Niedermayer.

TAKERU KOBAYASHI, one of the world's most prolific competitive eaters, was arrested yesterday when he showed up and rushed the stage at the conclusion of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Championship in New York, once again won by Joey Chestnut. There was apparently a contractual dispute between Kobayashi and Major League Eating that caused the impasse. And no, I'm not making that up.

My take: The only loser in this was competitive eating fans. Chestnut was not pushed by any of the also-rans making up the field, therefore eliminating any of the drama of previous competitions. He ate "only" 54 hot dogs this year, which is still a lot, but not when you consider he downed 68 at the 2009 event. The Penguins need the Flyers, Batman needs the Joker, and Chestnut needs Kobayashi. Arch-rivals are a necessary evil in life.