The News

A recap of your favorite links, named in honor of Mike Tomlin
"I'm not telling a story. I'm reporting the news."

Got news? Email it to mondesishouse@gmail.com

--Raise the Jolly Roger! Pirates win! Pirates win!

--Maxime Talbot is headed to the World Series of Poker. This sounds like a developing awesome story.

--This Chris Benoit story keeps getting worse and worse.

--Hey, look...Tiger's new kid!

--TheStarterWife gives us an excellent recap of a gut-wrenching Pirates experience against the Angels.

--Check out Brady Quinn and The Adonis Advantage.

--A homeschool phenom drops 118 points on his mom.

--Ryan Vogelsong, Hanshin Tigers SUPERSTAR!

--A 2008 NFL mock draft has PSU's Justin King going to the Packers at #12. And according to this site, the Patriots will beat the Saints in the Super Bowl. Just thought you might want to know ahead of time.

--Governor Rendell said he'd consider vetoing the entire state budget if it doesn't include money for a new Penguins arena.

--Take the Steeler Steroid Poll on Rizzo Sports. I said it before and I'll say it again: there is simply not enough coverage of this story.

--JoeSportsFan, one of my favorite sites, tells us what to expect from NBC's ever-expanding football crew this season.

--Remember that frivolous $54 million lawsuit over the missing pants? Well, it looks like the dry cleaner won.

--ESPN gives us a new system to evaluate college basketball prospects. Really interesting stuff, and definitely worth a read. In fact, it sounded really good...until I saw that Curtis Borchardt was ranked as #4 in the 2002 class.

--"One-eyed gator pulls golfer into pond". Sounds like Happy Gilmore come to life.

--A 13-year-old girl's feet are cut off on the Superman ride at Six Flags in Kentucky.

--This dog sent his owner's car into the river

A LIST OF TODAY'S TOP LISTS

101 things all sports fans must experience before they die

Reasons Why You Don't Want an IPhone

The Top Big Men in the NBA Draft

SI.com's 25 Best NFL Wide Receivers

The Ryan Vogelsong Wedding Album

Courtesy of Michael at Rizzo Sports, here's the Official Ryan Vogelsong Wedding Photo Album, featuring plenty of appearances by Pirates past and present, along with other notable Pittsburghers. Nothing like seeing Kip Wells in a pink shirt to make my day.

You may not know this, but Vogelsong was not the groom when the day started. Things went really bad for the original groom, who was then replaced by Vogelsong shortly after the ceremony started. Vogelsong worked the room for a few hours, did some good things, some bad things, was a little wild, hit a few guys, then gave way to Salomon Torres.

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.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Last Stop Part II

The second in a two-part expose! For part one, click here!

PART II: THE HURLERS

Brian Boehringer: This 1996 Yankee World Series Champion spent three seasons with the Pirates. They never gave him the chance at getting back to the World Series that Cam Bonifay promised when he signed.
Post-Pirate Career: None. Out of MLB after 2004.

Francisco Cordova: Think a less muscular Pedro Sanchez
in a Pirate uniform. Also known as the guy who combined on a no-hitter in 1997 with Napoleon Dynam...I mean, Ricardo Rincon. As Greg Brown said that star-crossed night, "It's a freak show!"
Post-Pirate Career: None. Out of MLB after 2000. Vote for Pedro.

Jabba the Jimmy Anderson: If anyone has that picture of him from a few years back with his gut sticking out, please email it and I'll pop it in this article to further illustrate my point.

UPDATE: Thanks to Mondesi's House reader Ryan, he of sites Pittsburgh Dish and Oddsnark.com, for providing the picture I was looking for of Jimmy.

For those of you unfamiliar with Jabba, think David Wells, minus 200 wins, a World Series ring, and charisma. Here is the much-anticipated side-by-side comparison:


Released following the 2002 season.
Post-Pirate Career: Reds, Giants, Cubs (twice), Red Sox. Started seven games over that span and won one. Out of MLB after 2004. Lives off of Star Wars residual checks.

Jeff D'Amico: Brought in to round out a 2003 pitching staff, and his 16 losses certainly fit right in. Released after 2003.
Post-Pirate Career: Had stomach problems caused by eating too many innings for Pirates. Out of MLB by 2004.

John Ericks: How do you sum up a highlight-less career spent entirely in Pittsburgh, spanning three years, 8 wins, 14 losses, and a 4.78 ERA? With a boring sentence like the preceding one.
Post-Pirate Career: Signed with Cleveland, they thought better and refused to let him play. Maybe if they were the Browns, and he was a Steeler, they would have been able to use him. Because the Browns are bad. And the Steelers are really good. And Ericks was a Pirate. Out of MLB after 1997.

Jose Silva: The on-again, off-again starting pitcher actually spent parts of five seasons trolling in the land of Primanti known as Pittsburgh, PA.
Post-Pirate Career: 12 games with Cincy in 2002 wrapped up his MLB career. Signed with A's, then Padres, then Cubs, then Diamondbacks, but never played in another MLB game.

Josias Manzanillo: Once a member of the Flying Manzanillo Brothers circus act, he converted to baseball and appeared in 71 games for the reliever-eating 2001 Fighting McClendons. Released mid-season in 2002 when his right arm fell off.
Post-Pirate Career: Cups of coffee with the Reds, Marlins and Red Sox. Out of MLB by 2004. Signed with Ringling Brothers in 2005.

Mark Redman: Messrs. Littlefield and McClatchy thought he could build upon his 2004 season, and signed him as a starter for 2005. He didn't disappoint, showing the Pirates that he was able to up his losses from 12 to 15.
Post-Pirate Career: Somehow dumped on Kansas City for 2006, where his 5.35 ERA is just what the Royals were looking for.

Mark Wilkins: 6 MLB seasons, all in black and gold. The undisputed high point was his breaking of teammate Jeff Tabaka's jaw in a drunken brawl while in Arizona.
Post-Pirate Career: Signed and released by the A's during the 2000 offseason. Never played in MLB again. Jeff Tabaka refuses to speak to him.

Mike Williams: This should speak volumes about Mike Williams' years in Pittsburgh: 2 time All Star with the Pirates, in 2002 and 2003. This should speak volumes about Mike Williams' trade value coming off straight 2 All Star seasons: traded for pitcher Frank Brooks.
Post-Pirate Career: Helped the Phillies miss the playoffs in 2003, signed with Tampa Bay, and never appeared in another MLB game.

Omar Olivares: $4 million for 6 wins in 2001. That was some keen GM work by Cam the Man.
Post-Pirates Career: None. Out of MLB following 2001. Still sends Christmas cards to Cam Bonifay.

Paul Wagner - Wagner's tenure in Pittsburgh was highlighted by his 16 losses in 1995. Just think, Oliver Perez is on pace to top that mark by August! Can we vote him to the All Star Game too? Released mid-season in 1997.
Post-Pirate Career: 9 starts over 2 1/2 years with Milwaukee, Atlanta, Cleveland, and the Mets. Out of MLB after 1999. Hopes Oliver Perez keeps losing.

Pete Schourek: One year, 4-7, 5.34 ERA in 1999. One would think that would deserve, oh, a $5 million a year contract, but this time, the Pirates couldn't find a pen.
Post-Pirate Career: 4-15 with a 4.99 ERA with Boston. Out of MLB in 2001.

Ramon Martinez: Honestly, I totally forgot that the Pirates had Ramon Martinez for 4 games and an 8.62 ERA in 2001. Did you ever wonder how cool it would have been if the Pirates had all these free agents from over the years signed in their primes? Martinez, Lofton, Sanders, Burnitz, Santiago, Mondesi...laugh now, but even I will admit that they had some good years in there.
Post-Pirate Career: Watching his brother dominate major league hitters for a 15th season.

Rich Loiselle: The Pirates' Closer (is that a double negative?) in 1997 and '98, he spent six years in the Steel City until a new, hotshot GM decided he didn't want him back for 2002.
Post-Pirate Career: ________________

Ron Villone: Ever wonder how bad the Pirates have been? Just think back to Opening Day 2002, when a career journeyman like Villone trotted out and took the ball from Bruce Froemming. And then look at the Opening Day starters around him: Adrian Brown, Kevin Young, Armando Rios, Mike Benjamin, et al. And then look at the fans' faces when they realized the season was over on the first day.
Post-Pirate Career: Converted to the bullpen, he's pitched for the Diamondbacks, Astros and Mariners. Somehow has found his way to the Bronx Zoo, and has tossed in 31 games for the '06 Yanks.

Ryan Vogelsong: I'm taking full advantage of the fact that he was released only hours ago. Let's face it, we all knew he was destined for this list. He was remarkably consistent as a Pirate starter---just look at his ERA in 2003 (6.55) and 2004 (6.50).
Post-Pirate Career: Ryan plans on joining the Bucco Brigade, tossing t-shirts to fans and writing in votes for Ronny Paulino for the All Star Game.

Steve Cooke: Lingered five years in a Pirate uniform. Asked to vacate the premises after 1997.
Post-Pirate Career: Pitched 6 innings with the Reds (and won!), was cut but did not bleed, signed a deal with Tampa Bay but never appeared in another game after 1998.

Todd Ritchie: I swear, I witnessed him throw at least two near no-hitters back in the day when I was duped into buying season tickets (2000 and 2001). As far as I knew, he was Cy Young reincarnated and poured into a Pirate vest. In retrospect, as bad as I felt about dropping $8 grand on 2 years of BucBall, just imagine the look on the White Sox's collective faces when they traded 3 pitchers for Ritchie and he gives them a year like 2002: 5-15, 6.06 ERA.
Post-Pirate Career: Surprisingly, the Sox did not re-up Ritchie for 2003, but he found a taker in Milwaukee. Think 15 losses and a 6 ERA could scare them? He started 5 games for the Brewers in '03, 2 with the D-Rays in 2004, and signed with, yep, you guessed it...the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2005. He was released before the season started.

Zane Smith: He was acquired in August of 1990, in the days that the Pirates were buyers at the trading deadline, not sellers. Sure, they gave up Moises Alou to get him, but the World Series win was all worth it. Wait...
Post-Pirate Career: Released by Pirates midseason in 1996. Never played in MLB again. Still wears his phantom 1990 Pirates World Series ring.