SAINTS 20
STEELERS 10
Thoughts from Sunday night's 20-10 Saints victory over the Steelers in New Orleans....
Showing posts with label New Orleans Saints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans Saints. Show all posts
11/01/2010
10 Thoughts on Steelers-Saints
Thoughts from Sunday night's 20-10 Saints victory over the Steelers in New Orleans....
9/23/2010
Previewing the Top 5 Games This Weekend
We’ve got a full lineup of games to cover on the pro and college level this week, including Steelers-Bucs, Falcons-Saints, Bears-Packers, Alabama-Arkansas, and LSU-WVU.
Will I improve on my lackluster 2-3 record last week? Will Jay Cutler continue playing way above his head? Can West Virginia do what few teams can, winning at LSU? These are the questions begging to be answered in my preview of the weekend's top five pro and college games at The Fan's website.Have at it.
Previewing the Top 5 Games This Weekend [93.7 The Fan]
Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
1/24/2010
TODAY'S HEADLINES
Cooke saves the day: Matt Cooke scored on a power-play goal with 1:47 left in the third period to lead the Penguins past the Flyers, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia in front of a national NBC audience. The Pens lead the season series, four games to one, with a final regular-season meeting between the teams coming March 27 in the Steel City.
It wasn't the most memorable Pens-Flyers tilt in history, but as I like to say, a win is a win is a win. Is a win. And we've been historically beaten down enough in the past as Pens fans to appreciate any win in that city, where the Penguins failed to record a single W between 1974 and 1989 - 42 games.
The story of this game was penalties and power plays. The first period alone featured a combined 12 penalties, with two coming in the second and nine more in the third. Luckily, the Penguins were able to convert twice on six power play chances, giving them just enough offense they would need on the day. The Flyers' PP unit was not nearly as successful, going just 1-for-9 against a solid Pens PK unit.
The Pens' first goal was a power play score in the first period from the game's top star, Sergei Gonchar, whose shot in the third period was deflected in by Cooke for the game-winner. They also got a nice effort in goal from Brent Johnson, who stopped 27 of 28 to raise his record to 7-5 on the season. Johnson has won two of three as a replacement for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury in the past week.
The Penguins don't have much time to enjoy the spoils of victory, with a 7 PM game at the New York Rangers on Monday night. [ESPN]
It wasn't the most memorable Pens-Flyers tilt in history, but as I like to say, a win is a win is a win. Is a win. And we've been historically beaten down enough in the past as Pens fans to appreciate any win in that city, where the Penguins failed to record a single W between 1974 and 1989 - 42 games.
The story of this game was penalties and power plays. The first period alone featured a combined 12 penalties, with two coming in the second and nine more in the third. Luckily, the Penguins were able to convert twice on six power play chances, giving them just enough offense they would need on the day. The Flyers' PP unit was not nearly as successful, going just 1-for-9 against a solid Pens PK unit.
The Pens' first goal was a power play score in the first period from the game's top star, Sergei Gonchar, whose shot in the third period was deflected in by Cooke for the game-winner. They also got a nice effort in goal from Brent Johnson, who stopped 27 of 28 to raise his record to 7-5 on the season. Johnson has won two of three as a replacement for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury in the past week.
The Penguins don't have much time to enjoy the spoils of victory, with a 7 PM game at the New York Rangers on Monday night. [ESPN]
Panthers fading fast: A frigid shooting percentage killed the Pitt Panthers at Seton Hall on Sunday, where the Pirates came away with the 64-61 victory, the biggest win in the turbulent tenure of coach Bobby Gonzalez to date. Coupled with the Panthers' loss to Georgetown last week, it marks the first time since the 2007-08 season that Jamie Dixon's club lost two games in a row.
The Panthers shot 35% from the floor and 23.5% from three-point land, the latter actually being outdone by Seton Hall's 15.4% shooting from beyond the arc. To say this was not the prettiest of games would be a massive understatement.
Ashton Gibbs led Pitt with 23 points, but was 4-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-7 from three-point land. Gibbs' last three shooting nights also include 4-for-12 (Louisville), and 3-for-16 (Georgetown), giving him a three-game total of 11-for-43. Ouch.
Aliquippa's Herb Pope (profiled in the PG on Sunday) had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Pirates, who moved to 12-6 and 3-4 in the Big East. The Pirates' win was even more impressive due to the fact that their leading scorer this season, guard Jeremy Hazell, played just 16 minutes due to foul problems. Hazell is averaging 23 PPG this season for Seton Hall.
The Panthers try to rebound on Thursday at the Pete against St. John's (12-7, 2-5). Tipoff is slated for 7 PM, with TV on ESPNU. [ESPN]
Colts, Saints advance to Super Bowl 44: And here are your local connections...
The Colts feature LB Clint Session (Pitt), punter Pat McAfee (West Virginia and Plum HS), and Sr. Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore, who was a Steeler assistant from 1977-89 under Emperor Noll.
The only player with local ties on the Saints' roster is TE Darnell Dinkins, who attended Schenley HS and played safety, wide receiver, and linebacker while at Pitt. He started his post-Pitt career with the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team.
Woodley to hoop it up in Miami: Freshly-minted Pro Bowler LaMarr Woodley will be playing in the Mike McKenzie Superslam celebrity basketball game during Super Bowl week in Miami.
Woodley will be joined by the likes of Chad Ochocinco, Willis McGahee, Anquan Boldin, and DeAngelo Williams, among others. The game benefits Mike McKenzie’s 34 Ways Foundation and takes place on February 5. [Boudoirmag.com]
A rarity: I agree with Ron Cook: It doesn't happen often, and that's why it's worth pointing out. But Cook is right on the money: Joe Namath is still The Man. [PG]
The Panthers shot 35% from the floor and 23.5% from three-point land, the latter actually being outdone by Seton Hall's 15.4% shooting from beyond the arc. To say this was not the prettiest of games would be a massive understatement.
Ashton Gibbs led Pitt with 23 points, but was 4-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-7 from three-point land. Gibbs' last three shooting nights also include 4-for-12 (Louisville), and 3-for-16 (Georgetown), giving him a three-game total of 11-for-43. Ouch.
Aliquippa's Herb Pope (profiled in the PG on Sunday) had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Pirates, who moved to 12-6 and 3-4 in the Big East. The Pirates' win was even more impressive due to the fact that their leading scorer this season, guard Jeremy Hazell, played just 16 minutes due to foul problems. Hazell is averaging 23 PPG this season for Seton Hall.
The Panthers try to rebound on Thursday at the Pete against St. John's (12-7, 2-5). Tipoff is slated for 7 PM, with TV on ESPNU. [ESPN]
Colts, Saints advance to Super Bowl 44: And here are your local connections...
The Colts feature LB Clint Session (Pitt), punter Pat McAfee (West Virginia and Plum HS), and Sr. Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore, who was a Steeler assistant from 1977-89 under Emperor Noll.
The only player with local ties on the Saints' roster is TE Darnell Dinkins, who attended Schenley HS and played safety, wide receiver, and linebacker while at Pitt. He started his post-Pitt career with the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team.
Woodley to hoop it up in Miami: Freshly-minted Pro Bowler LaMarr Woodley will be playing in the Mike McKenzie Superslam celebrity basketball game during Super Bowl week in Miami.
Woodley will be joined by the likes of Chad Ochocinco, Willis McGahee, Anquan Boldin, and DeAngelo Williams, among others. The game benefits Mike McKenzie’s 34 Ways Foundation and takes place on February 5. [Boudoirmag.com]
A rarity: I agree with Ron Cook: It doesn't happen often, and that's why it's worth pointing out. But Cook is right on the money: Joe Namath is still The Man. [PG]
1/08/2010
DAWSON, GRIMM, JACKSON, LEBEAU ARE HALL FINALISTS
The 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame were just announced, and the city of Pittsburgh is well represented.
Steeler center Dermontti Dawson, Pitt Panther and Steeler assistant Russ Grimm, and Panther Rickey Jackson are among those with a shot at induction. Steeler DC Dick LeBeau is eligible as a senior nominee. Those eliminated in the cut from 25 to 15 include the Steelers' Kevin Greene and Pitt's Chris Doleman.
Dawson, a 2nd round pick in 1988 out of Kentucky, was a Steeler his entire career, retiring in 2000. He was a member of seven Pro Bowl teams, six AP All-Pro first teams, and the 1990s Team of the Decade. He has reached at least the semi-final round of voting every year since 2005, reaching the final round the last three years. He's never been at the head of his class, but falls into the group of players who should eventually get the call.
Grimm, who hails from nearby Scottdale, PA/Southmoreland HS, was an All-American at Pitt and played 11 seasons in the NFL, all with the Washington Redskins as a member of their "Hogs" offensive line. He was a semifinalist for the Hall in 2004, and a finalist every year from 2005-2010. In his pro career, he was a member of four Pro Bowl squads, three AP All-Pro first teams, and three Super Bowl championships, as well as the 1980's Team of the Decade. He also won a ring with the 2005 Steelers, where he was an assistant from 2000-2006, nearly getting the job in 2007 that Mike Tomlin currently holds.
And as a sidenote, here's a fantastic Grimm story from Mark May:
Jackson, a second-team All-American at Pitt, was a 2nd round pick of the Saints in 1981. He was a Saint from 1981-1993, finishing his career in San Francisco where he was a member of their Super Bowl XXIX championship squad. During his NFL career, Jackson was a member of six Pro Bowls and three AP All-Pro first teams. He still leads the Saints in career sacks with 123, and had his number retired by the team.
Jackson was a member of the famed "Dome Patrol" group of linebackers with the Saints, a group that had 20 Pro Bowl appearances among them. The Dome Patrol was rated by NFL Network as the #1 linebacker corps of all-time. It was good, but I'm not sure I'd go that far, showing my obvious hometown bias.
Jackson has four sons: Tyler Rickey Jackson, Rickeem, Rickeyvs, and Rashard. He's not quite George Foreman when it comes to naming kids, but he's pretty close.
Originally drafted by the Browns but cut as a rookie, LeBeau joined the Lions, where he played from 1959-1972 and was a member of three Pro Bowl teams. His 62 interceptions rank 7th all-time.
He started his pro coaching career in 1973 as the special teams coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, he has made stops in Green Bay, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, back to Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh a second time. He was the head coach of the Bengals from 2000-2002, and is considered the inventor of the zone blitz. That alone should eventually earn him a spot in Canton.
And here's a tidbit about LeBeau that I never knew until today: he can also be seen in the 1970 movie Too Late the Hero, where he played Michael Caine's double in a scene. I guess it's good for the Steelers that his acting career never took off.
Front-runners for this year's class include Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, and Tim Brown. This year's class will be selected by the selection committee the day before Super Bowl 44, which could be a happy day in these parts.
Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith Among Hall of Fame Finalists [FanHouse]
Steeler center Dermontti Dawson, Pitt Panther and Steeler assistant Russ Grimm, and Panther Rickey Jackson are among those with a shot at induction. Steeler DC Dick LeBeau is eligible as a senior nominee. Those eliminated in the cut from 25 to 15 include the Steelers' Kevin Greene and Pitt's Chris Doleman.
Dawson, a 2nd round pick in 1988 out of Kentucky, was a Steeler his entire career, retiring in 2000. He was a member of seven Pro Bowl teams, six AP All-Pro first teams, and the 1990s Team of the Decade. He has reached at least the semi-final round of voting every year since 2005, reaching the final round the last three years. He's never been at the head of his class, but falls into the group of players who should eventually get the call.
Grimm, who hails from nearby Scottdale, PA/Southmoreland HS, was an All-American at Pitt and played 11 seasons in the NFL, all with the Washington Redskins as a member of their "Hogs" offensive line. He was a semifinalist for the Hall in 2004, and a finalist every year from 2005-2010. In his pro career, he was a member of four Pro Bowl squads, three AP All-Pro first teams, and three Super Bowl championships, as well as the 1980's Team of the Decade. He also won a ring with the 2005 Steelers, where he was an assistant from 2000-2006, nearly getting the job in 2007 that Mike Tomlin currently holds.
And as a sidenote, here's a fantastic Grimm story from Mark May:
According to Mark May, a teammate both at Pittsburgh and on the Redskins, no one lived up to the "Hog" persona more than Grimm: "He was a blue collar stiff and proud of it." In his 2005 memoir, May recalled a Christmas party at his house in 1982: "I iced down a keg of beer and stationed it on the landing between the first floor and basement. Russ turned the landing into his headquarters for the evening. He grabbed a chair and a Hog shot glass (a 60-ounce pitcher) and parked his butt on the landing next to the keg. Except for an occasional trip to the bathroom, we didn't see Russ on the first level all night..."
Jackson, a second-team All-American at Pitt, was a 2nd round pick of the Saints in 1981. He was a Saint from 1981-1993, finishing his career in San Francisco where he was a member of their Super Bowl XXIX championship squad. During his NFL career, Jackson was a member of six Pro Bowls and three AP All-Pro first teams. He still leads the Saints in career sacks with 123, and had his number retired by the team.Jackson was a member of the famed "Dome Patrol" group of linebackers with the Saints, a group that had 20 Pro Bowl appearances among them. The Dome Patrol was rated by NFL Network as the #1 linebacker corps of all-time. It was good, but I'm not sure I'd go that far, showing my obvious hometown bias.
Jackson has four sons: Tyler Rickey Jackson, Rickeem, Rickeyvs, and Rashard. He's not quite George Foreman when it comes to naming kids, but he's pretty close.
Originally drafted by the Browns but cut as a rookie, LeBeau joined the Lions, where he played from 1959-1972 and was a member of three Pro Bowl teams. His 62 interceptions rank 7th all-time.
He started his pro coaching career in 1973 as the special teams coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, he has made stops in Green Bay, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, back to Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh a second time. He was the head coach of the Bengals from 2000-2002, and is considered the inventor of the zone blitz. That alone should eventually earn him a spot in Canton.
And here's a tidbit about LeBeau that I never knew until today: he can also be seen in the 1970 movie Too Late the Hero, where he played Michael Caine's double in a scene. I guess it's good for the Steelers that his acting career never took off.
Front-runners for this year's class include Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, and Tim Brown. This year's class will be selected by the selection committee the day before Super Bowl 44, which could be a happy day in these parts.
Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith Among Hall of Fame Finalists [FanHouse]
Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group
11/19/2009
COMING TO A TV NEAR YOU: TROY POLAMALU AND BARACK OBAMA
Troy Polamalu has really taken his crossover appeal to another level since winning a second Super Bowl (unless you've missed the endless Head and Shoulders ads, Madden cover or Jimmy Fallon appearance), and as the latest example, he was chosen to appear in a public service ad alongside President Barack Obama.
The 90-second PSA promotes the league's "Play 60" campaign, which encourages physical activity to combat childhood obesity, as well as the president's community service initiative, "United We Serve". Also appearing in the spot will be New Orleans' Drew Brees and Dallas Cowboys Demarcus Ware. The ad, which shows Obama and the players on the White House lawn playing touch football with local kids, will debut during the Thanksgiving day games and will run in an abbreviated version throughout the remainder of the season.
Steelers' Polamalu to Appear in PSA with President Obama [WPXI]
The 90-second PSA promotes the league's "Play 60" campaign, which encourages physical activity to combat childhood obesity, as well as the president's community service initiative, "United We Serve". Also appearing in the spot will be New Orleans' Drew Brees and Dallas Cowboys Demarcus Ware. The ad, which shows Obama and the players on the White House lawn playing touch football with local kids, will debut during the Thanksgiving day games and will run in an abbreviated version throughout the remainder of the season.
Steelers' Polamalu to Appear in PSA with President Obama [WPXI]
Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group
8/05/2007
Why The New Orleans Saints Will Be Better Than the Steelers in 2007
I've thrown out a challenge to the followers of every other NFL out there: tell us why your team will be better than the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. And plenty of eager writers are lined up to tell you exactly why they will be superior to the Black and Gold. In the coming weeks, be prepared to get a gauge on exactly where the rest of the country ranks us in the NFL hierarchy this season.
Today is the first installment, so what better team to lead off with than tonight's opponent, the New Orleans Saints? Your author is Sunil from the excellent Saints blog Canal Street Chronicles.
Please visit his blog for all things Saints, including a preview of tonight's kickoff to the NFL season. And now, I turn it over to Sunil...
Full Disclosure: My parents lived in Pittsburgh during the 1970s and picked up an allegiance to the Steelers. Growing up, I always watched Steelers games with my Dad, so I have a soft spot in my heart for the Steelers. I would like to see them do well. Like, say, losing in the Super Bowl to the Saints.
Five Reasons why the Saints will be Better than the Steelers in 2007
- Process of Elimination: No team has ever won the Super Bowl after playing in the HoF Game. Since the Saints are going to do it this year, well, the Steelers can't.
- Consistency: Bill Cowher is a sure-fire Hall of Fame coach, but even he couldn't take last year's Steelers squad to the playoffs. His staff also included Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm (who should also be a Hall of Famer), both of whom are turning the Arizona Cardinals' offense into an irresistible force. Look, nobody is saying that Mike Tomlin won't be a terrific coach, but to ask him to do something that Cowher couldn't do may be too much. To make things even more difficult, all world linebacker Joey Porter is now a Miami Dolphin and Alan Faneca is a lame-duck. The Saints, meanwhile, return most of their 2006 team, including the coaching staff. No signs of contract dissatisfaction, either.
- Attention to Detail: Who is the last coach listed on the Official Steelers coaching staff? Ken Whisenhunt. Might want to fix that.
- Stuff I Shoulda Graphed: In 2005, the Steelers won eight-straight games, including their four playoff games, en route to the franchise's fifth Super Bowl. For those eight games, the team was certainly on a roll. But not counting those eight games, the team has been 15-13 over the past two seasons. This is clearly a team on the decline. Meanwhile, the Saints' win total jumped from 3 to 10 over that same span. Sure, the Steelers have more aggregate wins, but they are moving in the wrong direction. Yeah, this point would have been much more powerful with the graph.
- Schedule: The Steelers play in the AFC North, which has two teams with legitimate cases for being better than the Steelers. The Ravens were better than the Steelers in 2006 and have upgraded their offense with Willis McGahee. They may have the most dominant unit in the conference, their defense, and the best overall team. Although the Bengals finished at 8-8 last season, they were certainly distracted by the endless parade of arrests. As long as they aren't distracted by off-field issues, they should have a strong enough team to make the playoffs. It's also worth noting that the Bengals have finished above the Steelers in both of the past two seasons. Hence, the Steelers will probably play four divisional games against playoff teams. Godspeed. The Saints, on the other hand, play in the NFC South, where the opposing quarterbacks are Jake Delhomme, Joey Harrington and a three-headed hydra named Jeff Simmkowski. The Saints may not be a better team than the Steelers, but their record will be better.
- Bonus Insult I: I think we all know who the best quarterback in Pittsburgh was last season: Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette High School. (Just kidding, it was Tyler Palko, New Orleans Saints.)
- Bonus Insult II: The Curse of the Dump Truck: No team with Najeh Davenport has ever made it to the Super Bowl. Will this be the season that the greatest player ever to be arrested for taking a shit in someone else's closet finally drops that load (from his shoulders)?
- Bonus Insult III: Rolling Rock. Ewwwwwwwwwwww.
- Bonus Insult III: As a Cardinals fan, Matt Morris is one of my absolute favorite players. Ever. As a Cardinals fan, I'm also really looking forward to having him pitching in the NL Central. (Just so you know, he has the best pre-at bat music.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)