Pitt Wins in Hoops and Recruiting, Anna Benson vs. PETA

--Big win for the Pitt Panthers in West Virginny on Wednesday night. Pitt is 21-3 with seven games left on the slate.

--The Wannstache has another top-25 recruiting class coming to Pitt. Just a few of the MANY highlights of the incoming freshmen:

-RB LeSean McCoy (who we have all come to know), 5'11"/204, 4.4 40 time, former Miami commit who spent a year at prep school

-QB Pat Bostick (#5 rated QB), 6"3"/220

-DT Tommie Duhart, 6"2"/275, chose Pitt over Florida and Kansas State

-OL Chris Jacobson, 6"3"/284, 9th rated OL, chose Pitt over PSU and WVU

-DE Tony Tucker, 6'2"/225, 10th rated DE, chose Pitt over 5 ACC schools

-DE Jabaal Sheard, 6'4"/240, chose Pitt over Miami, Auburn, Rutgers

-FB Henry Hynoski, 6'/234, 7th ranked FB, chose Pitt over Ohio State, Iowa, Rutgers

-WR Aundre Wright, 5'11/185, 4.4 40 time, chose Pitt over WVU

-WR Maurice Williams, 6'/184, 4.47 40 time, chose Pitt over PSU, WVU, Michigan State

-LB Brandon Lindsey, 6'2"/220, chose Pitt over Ohio State, WVU, Boston College

-RB Greg Williams, 6'2"/205, chose Pitt over WVU, Nebraska, Minnesota

-OL Dan Matha, 6'6"/311, chose Pitt over WVU, Michigan State, Maryland

-CB Sherod Murdock, 5'11"/165, chose Pitt over Alabama, South Carolina

-RB Sharif Harris, 6'1"/190, 4.4 40, chose Pitt over WVU, Rutgers, Maryland

Well done, Wanny. Well done.

--Pitt had a great class, but ESPN says that USC pulled in the top three players in the country. They can live together in Reggie Bush's house.

--Don Banks thinks that Norv Turner will be the next Cowboy coach. Hopefully Tony Romo won't drop any snaps under his regime.

--Everyone's favorite former Pirate wife, Anna Benson, goes to war with PETA. She's the anti-Pam Anderson.

--Who knew that Harold Reynolds had a contract worth nearly $5 million with ESPN?

--Everyone's favorite wrist-slapper, the ESPN Ombudsman, is back with thoughts on black coaches and MJ's kids

--If the NBA Draft were to go down today, Aaron Gray would be the successor to Shaq in Miami. Of course, this was the same site that said Chris Taft would be drafted #2 overall in 2005, so take the prediction for what it's worth.

--Keeping with mock drafts, this NFL mock draft says the Steelers will take Florida DE Jarvis Moss at #15. Let's hope he turns out better than the last Florida Gator the Steelers snagged in round one.

Steeler Free Agents, Pens Lose, Bush & Revis Declare, NFL Mock Draft, Belichick Video

NHL:
Despite their best attempts to force an eventual shootout loss, the Penguins fall in regulation to the Lightning. That's 11 losses in a row against Tampa.

Congrats to Sidney Crosby, your top vote-getter for the NHL All-Star Game.

NFL:
Listen up, Steeler fans: Michael Bush, the object of your dreams, is declaring for the NFL Draft

Also in for the '07 draft: Pitt Panther Darrelle Revis

Wondering how hard Plex took the Giants loss on Sunday? He was partying with Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, and Nick Cannon a few hours later

Ron Cook takes a look at the Steelers' pending free agent decisions. Entering the last year of their contracts: Polamalu, Faneca, Porter, Haggans, Kreider, Simmons, and Smith. Can you hear the ka-ching sound?

Speaking of the 2007 NFL Draft, here's an updated mock draft I found while scouring the web. This one has the Steelers taking Lamarr Woodley, a 6-2, 270-pound DE from Michigan. Not going to happen. And Brady Quinn is NOT going #2 overall. Write it down.

Terrell Owens is taking his 25 million reasons to live to a new publicist

Video of Bill Belichick's Shove Heard Round the World



NBA:
Jason Kidd files for divorce from Juwanna Mann. I mean Joumana Kidd. Jason is claiming extremely cruelty. Sounds like a great time to bring up Bob Ryan's controversial 2003 comments on the Kidds.

Aaron Gray, lurking at #15 in the latest 2007 NBA Mock Draft.

MLB:
On the day of Hall of Fame inductions for Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, what are we talking about? A publicity whore of a sportswriter who appeared on every show known to man on Tuesday.

RANDOM FUN STUFF:
Pretty much the worst photo of Britney Spears you've ever seen

Pretty much the worst photo of Kelly Clarkson you've ever seen

Cheers Casting Call, Joey Porter vs The Solider, RIP Colts Defense, 2007 NFL Mock Draft Update, Hot Stove Index, Whipple to BC, Rap Impressions

NFL:

SI.com does a sports casting call of TV's Cheers. Highlights include Joe Namath as Sam Malone and Terry Bradshaw as Woody.

Joe Starkey is critical of the Steelers' lack of comment on Joey Porter's "derogatory term often used to describe someone's sexual orientation" about Kellen Winslow. Joey was just trying to be like Ozzie Guillen, that's all.

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli gives us his eulogy of the 2006 Indianapolis Colts defense after their Sunday performance vs. Jacksonville.

NFL Draft Countdown gives us a new 2007 NFL Mock Draft, and they're sticking to Texas' Justin Blalock, a guard, becoming a Steeler next year. Also of note: Brady Quinn, #1, to Detroit; Adrian Peterson to Cleveland at #9; and Darrelle Revis to San Fran at #11.

This just in: NFL players are fantasy football nerds, too.

MLB:

ESPN has crafted a 2006/2007 Hot Stove Index, which gives us a team-by-team breakdown of projected starters, who they've gained, who they've lost, and their current free agents.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

Boston College is considering playing Whipple Ball in 2007, as they try and woo the Steelers' QB coach to replace the departed Tom O'Brien as head coach.

COLLEGE HOOPS:

SI.com's Luke Winn gives us his revised Power Rankings. Pitt has moved up to #5, yet still rank behind Wichita State and Butler. After watching the Panthers barely squeak by Buffalo on Saturday, I'd have a hard time arguing the Panthers to be much higher, though.

NHL:

In a story that sounds like it came from a Discovery Channel lost at sea special, Canadiens GM Bob Gainey's 25-year-old daughter was washed off the covered deck of a Caribbean-bound vessel by a large wave Friday night.

RANDOM FUN STUFF:

I've become a very tough judge of comedic talent. There seems to be a lack of quality material these days. But after witnessing Mad TV's Aries Spears' rap impersonations on Conan O'Brien last week, I laughed out loud. I couldn't find the Conan appearance, but I did manage to dig up Spears doing his thing on BET. He does dead-on impressions of LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX and Jay-Z in the span of a few minutes. This is my five-star recommendation. You must watch this video.

Giant Magazine gives us 50 great 1980s commercials, with Youtube evidence, of course.

Deadspin tells us that Will Ferrell is making a movie about the ABA. Too bad the Pittsburgh Xplosion just moved to the CBA.

Brangelina made a Pitt Stop in Fayette County this weekend. They did not hang out with Sienna Miller.
On the count of three, Say "Blitzburgh"

Comedic genius and star of Mondesi favorite Freddy Got Fingered, actor Rip Torn did like Deltha O'Neal and got himself a DWI.
With a name like Rip, what did you expect?

Dallas Clark is Mad, Vick Fined $20K, Shula Fired, Manny Trade?, 2007 NBA and NFL Mock Draft, Kid Rock Dumps Pam Over Borat,

A sad day for Jerome Bettis, as his father John died suddenly after an apparent heart attack.

Jeff Suppan back to the Pirates? Doesn't seem like a tremendously great idea.

The latest 2007 NFL Mock Draft is out, and we now see the Steelers drafting 6'4", 329 pound Texas OG Justin Blalock at #13. We're getting on the right track.

Aaron Gray is up to #17 in the latest NBA 2007 Mock Draft.

Manny being Manny may find a new home. I mean, who wouldn't want J.D. Drew instead?

Cost of Michael Vick giving his home fans the middle finger? $20,000. Cost of giving millions of football fans yet another reason to take a shot at Vick? Priceless.

That Madden 2007 commercial where Dallas Clark gets blown up again and again? Turns out, no, he's not too happy about it.


Mike Shula is fired at Alabama, and the once-proud Crimson Tide are looking for a new coach for the fourth time since 2000. Call them the Anti-Rooneys.

For all you video gamers, here's the Top 10 Cheat Code searches in one convenient article.

Sit down for this one: Kid Rock broke up with Pam Anderson over her appearance in Borat. As this article points out, "The star of Joe Dirt and Biker Boyz is looking down on Pam because of her movie choices?"

Mr. Vogelsong Goes to Japan, Paul Rhoads to Iowa State?, 2007 NFL Mock Draft, Jessica and Romo?, Michigan-OSU News

Ryan Vogelsong, Hanshin Tiger. (top-notch work by Bucs Dugout)

I can only top that with...Paul Rhoads, your next Iowa State football coach?

The latest 2007 NFL Mock Draft is up, and it is projected that Brady Quinn will absorb the beating Andrew Walter is currently taking in Oakland. The Steelers, in at #19 in the writer's eyes, will take RB Kenny Irons from Auburn.

Three things I know: 1. Dr. Z. is a cranky old man 2. He ranks the Colts #1 in his Power Rankings. 3. He ranks the Steelers #21. And unlike the "short-memoried" Peter King, he did not rank Miami #15 this week.

Is Jessica Simpson dating Tony Romo? Does that make her a RomoSexual?

Boo hoo, Nickelback's ticket request for Michigan-OSU was denied.

In other news on the biggest game in the history of sports, Michigan extremists have threatened to behead Ohio State's mascot.