SteelCityBlog: "You're now rockin with the champion"

Never Give Up, Never Surrender

Alright, so we win tomorrow.  Then we win out.  Then we win the Superbowl.  No problemo...

Good Grief...

Raiders 20, Steelers 13

Don't Let the Door Hit You...

Surprise, surpise.  The Bucs bought out the remaining year on Jermoy Burnitz's contract today for $700,000.  Maybe they'll do the right thing and put that money towards Teixeira.

It sounds like they might choose to pick up the $3 million option on Damaso Marte though.  I'd be pleased.  He was solid last year.  Nothing spectacular, but a consistent, experienced left arm in the bullpen for 3 million?  I'll take it.

Lynn Swann Straight Drains Shots Suckas

Swanny...

AARRRGGHHH

Falcons 41
Steelers 38

I don't want to think about/read about/write about this one for a long time.

Sigh

Ollie got it done. 

What I always liked about Ollie is this: he's a competitor who sucks at competition but still instists on competing.  You can see him on the mound, playing mental games with himself, trying to stay tough - and more often than not he he fails.  He psychs himself out.  He's got all the athletic tools.  Mentally, he just isn't quite there.

But when he stays tough, like he did last night...damn he's good.  And you can see it on his face, he's overcoming something that's difficult for him. Makes him fun to watch.

It's too bad we don't get to see him in the World Series.  Man, if they went on to win that thing - Ollie would have been a hero.  Chavez's catch would have been the catch. 

Friggin' Cards...

Absurdity

Our old friend Oliver Perez is starting Game 7 for the Mets tonight.  Yep, Oliver Perez, headcase extrordanaire...Game 7, Mets, New York, biggest market in the world.  And it's weirding me out man.

Not sure why the whole situation is making me uncomfortable.  Can't quite wrap my head around it.

Is it a secret fear that he might pitch really, really well?  Nope.  I'm rooting for him.  I love Ollie, always have.  He drove me nuts, but I loved him.  It's not his fault he got shipped out.  Well, it is his fault in the sense that he sucked this year, that's true.  But it's not his fault Littlefield gave up on him.  Giving up on players is a Littlefield classic.

Maybe it's a secret fear that he might really, really suck?  Nope, not that either.  'Cause more than likely, he will suck.  That's his style.  He's a headcase.  Up and down like Jenna Jameson on a see-saw.   

Am I nervous he's going to suck and everyone's going to say "well that's what you get with an ex-Pirate?"  Nah, not really.  'Cause it's pretty much true.  Whatever.

So what the hell is it?  Why am I weirded out?  Please, someone tell me, 'cause I'm clueless.  All I can do is sit around, watch the game, and think about what a strange little career he's had so far. 

• 2004 - Ollie, out of nowhere, amazing.  The next big thing.  The new face of the franchise.  He's a local hero in Mexico.  Oliver Perez billboards everywhere.  He's a God. 
• 2005 - He's gonna be an All-Star.  Hell, he's gonna win the Cy Young.  No question, this kid's the man.  Pirates fans are pumped.  But...disaster.  No consistency.  Gets so mad at himself he kicks a laundry basket and breaks his toe.  How you break your toe on a friggin' laundry basket is beyond me.  Season's wasted.
• 2006, Part 1 - High hopes.  He's gonna bounce back.  He is.  We all got faith.  He's a trooper.  But...no.  More inconsistency.  Gets so bad he gets sent to the bullpen, Charlie Sheen style.  Then it's down to the minors.  Yes, sent to the minors, by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Not good.  Finally, he's traded as part of that Xavier Nady deal.  Pirates fans are pissed.
• 2006, Part 2 - Mets, NLCS, Game 7

That's three interesting years for my boy Ollie.

What's going to happen tonight?  Who knows.  Logically, he should get his tits lit. 

But, in my gut, I got a feeling he's going to get it done.  I do.  I really, really do.

Thanks to Katielady for finding the Ollie picture. 

Back on track

You'll have to excuse the scantily clad Asian gal.  I got all excited about photoshopping the whole "back on track" pun.   I spent about a half hour searching for a picture of somebody on their back and this was really the only half decent one. 

Anyways, game thoughts.

• Ben looked great.  What a relief.  When he dropped back to pass I didn't get that "oh shit" feeling in my gut.  Always a good sign.  Anyways, I don't want to talk to much about Ben or analyze his performance or predict what's going to happen next.  I just know that he looked damn good on Sunday and I hope he keeps it up.  Plus, the beard was back.  Coincidence?  I'm not so sure anymore. The boy could seriously have magic facial hair.

• O-line was so much better.  Ben had all day back there and Willie and Najeh looked great.  Speaking of -

• Willie.  Still loving him.  Consistently impressive.  Always a threat.  Willie's the man.

• Najeh.  Looked decent.  His numbers are gaudy, but when you break it down he wasn't so amazing.  He had a lot more trouble working the goal line than I would have liked.  Still, you have to be pretty pleased with his overall numbers.  On a side note, his new nickname "The Dump Truck" is pretty much the greatest thing ever.  Here's the story that led to the name...it's a good one.  How'd you like to wake up to that at 3 am?  Frightening.  I can't help  but picture Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters at his little party.  "Ok, who brought the dog?"  And then out busts Najeh.  Good stuff.

• Our run D is absurdly good.  Last week we held LT to 36 yards.  This week it's Larry Johnson and 26 yards.  I doubt we give up a 100 yard rusher all season.

• Santonio finally looked worthy of a first round pick.  Showed that playmaker quality we've all heard so much about.  If he doesn't slip on that horrific Heinz turf he goes all the way on that first drive.  Of course, he did muff two punts.  That's not good.  But we won, so I'm going to forgive it.  Hopefully Willie Reid's back soon and can take over punt return duties.  I love Santonio on kick returns, not punts though.

• Our special teams still sucks.  Pathetic.  Needs to change fast.

• Troy might want to think about cutting the hair.  I have mixed feelings.  I love the hair.  It looks badass.  I like things that look badass.  But it's a liability.  If LJ doesn't get a hand on it Troy takes it to the house.   His hair cost us 6 points.  Can't be having that.

• Cedrick continues to be woefully underwhelming.  The sooner Santonio locks up that number 2 spot the better.

• Ryan Clark continues to impress.  He's not quite the ball hawk that Chris Hope was, but he tackles well, he doesn't get beat deep, and he hits hard.

• Last, but not least, we caught our first glimpse of a good old-fashioned Hines smile. 

All in all, the game was great.  But, as Cowher's so fond of saying, we haven't accomplished anything yet.  And that's the truth.  We beat up on a mediocre team.  That's what the defending champs are supposed to do.  We've got a losing record.  We're in third place in our division. Still, I'm feeling a helluva lot better than I was last Monday.

Bottom Line

Our QB made this play.  He can do no wrong this year.  Next year?  Maybe...

But this year he gets a pass.

 

All Eyez on Ben

Unfortunately, this one is all Ben.  His to win or lose.  Normally, that'd be fine with me.  But not recently.  Ben's been shit.  The offense, except for Willie and at times the O line, has been shit. 

If Willie's able to run, we win.  No doubt in my mind.  But I don't think he'll be able too. That Chargers D is too good. 

Which is why it's all on Ben. 

I'm not panicking.  I'm not going to panic.  I did my share of panic last preseason when Ben sucked.  I thought the sky was falling.  And I learned my lesson.

So I'm not gonna panic now.  But I am going to be awful pissed if we lose this one.

My prediction: 17-10 Steelers

Freddy Sanchez - 2006 NL Batting Champ

Congrats Freddy boy.

Final stats: .344, 200 hits, 53 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 85 RBIs, 2 SB

Thanks for keeping things interesting Freddy...

Ready Freddy?

My buddy got it locked up!  They won't get him out...

Lookout world, NL batting title here we come.  As of tonight, with 3 games left, Freddy has a 7 point lead on Caberera.  Boo yea!  I don't see the kid losing.

Besides the NL batting title, he's got a few more achievements in sight, like:

• MLB batting title.  Joe "my name rhymes with a million things" Mauer has 4 points on him. 

• 200 hits.  Freddy needs 4 more.  I'm guessing he's got it.

• Lead league in doubles.  Currently he's got the lead with 53.  Good stuff.

Freddy's my new favorite Pirate.  And I don't toss stuff like that around lightly.  I'm not the type of guy - y'know, someone gets hot, all of a sudden, they're my new favorite player.  Not how it works. You gots to earn that.  Freddy did.

Bottom line, Freddy's the man.

Also, how sick it would be if Freddy's batting glove looked this:

This makes it all OK

I can deal with the tough losses for now...

Clinch what?

Didn't you hear?  The Mets were supposed to clinch this weekend.  It was a foregone conclusion, ask anyone...

Surprise.  Didn't happen. Why?  'Cause the Bucs don't lay down.  Instead, they finished off a 3 game sweep with a beaut by Duke, who tossed 8 shutout innings.

Little Pedro was close to tears in the dugout after game one, so I don't know what happened to the whole "there's no crying in baseball" thing.  But I can tell you this, there's no clinching in Pittsburgh.

1-0

Typical Steelers win.  A little stressful, a little sloppy, a little gutsy.

As has become standard now, us Steelers fans have to wake up to people bitching about the refs.  Give me a break.  If anyone got shafted by the refs this time, it was the good guys.  The passing interference no-call on Ced Wilson?  That would have handed the game to the Steelers early on.  And I don't even want to hear about the Heath Miller play.  No one to blame there but Nick Saban.  I've never seen someone pump fake with the challenge flag.  When you need to get ahold of a ref, you do it.  You don't pussyfoot around. 

It should look something like this:

 

Or when it's flag tossing time, you do it like this.  Put a little back into it:

Anyways, back to the game.  All in all, I was pleased.  Willie showed that there's no question he can be a tough, every down kind of back.  The only question is his durability.  Can he run like that for a full 16 game season?  Can he do it year after year after year?  I sure as hell hope so, cause if he can, he's going to be one of the best backs in the NFL for years.

Speaking of undrafted stars, Nate Washington's going to be a beast.  His TD catch was a beaut. 

I loved the Joey Porter kiss.  Ridiculous?  Yes.  Fuel for the phoney Fins fans fire?  Sure.  Are we going to have to hear about it from immature Bungles fans for the next decade?  Most certaintly.  STEELERS ARE GAY!  JOEY PORTER'S GAY!  BILL COWHER'S GAY!  I can hear it already.  Whatever, screw 'em all.  Like Joey said, he loves the guy and he'll go to war for him.  Good stuff...funny as hell.  You can get a nice screenshot of it over at Deadspin.

Other stuff:

• The Bettis entrance was cool as hell.  I'm pretty sure he got off the bus scratching his crotch though.  Not sure about that, gonna have to go back and check the replay on that one.
• Hines, man.  What else can you say.  Hines is just Hines.  When you need a first down, when you need a touchdown, every Steeler fan is thinking one thing.  It's sort of like in Temple of Doom when Indy's trapped on the rope bridge and the camera zooms on him and he just says "oh shit."  It's perfect, 'cause what else can you say there.  Everyone at home is looking at Indy thinking the exact same thing, "oh shit."  Same thing with Hines.  When you need a big play every Steeler fan in the country is sitting on the edge of their chair thinking one thing: "Hines.  Go to Hines."
• Polamolu and Porter are absolutely terrific.  And their personalites couldn't be more opposite.  Polamalu, the cerebral safety.  Porter, the Goddamn monster truck.  It's too great.  I'm going to have to write more about that later.
• Duce Staley is the biggest, ugliest, most expensive cheerleader in professional sports. 
• Ike Taylor is the most frustrating guy ever.  He shuts dudes down, plain and simple. I love it.  BUT HE CAN'T CATCH!  AT ALL!  It's ridiculous.  Has to be mental now.  If he learns how to catch, which I suspect he will, he'll be one of the 3 or 4 best corners in the league.  My prediction:  week 5 or 6 he intercepts two balls and never looks back.

Anyway, it was a good game, good win. 

Bottom line, we're going to be good this year.  Very good. 

Heeeeere we go

2 hours until we start defending this thing...

Using some Seinfeld as a crutch to make it through 'till 8:30.

Official Freddy Sanchez batting title watch

I've been putting this off for a long time 'cause I didn't want to jinx our boy FredEx.  Sort of like not talking about a no-hitter.  But, with 28 games left, it's now a distinct possibility that Freddy could win this thing.  He'd be the first Bucco since Bill Madlock in '83.

Here's the current standings:

1. Freddy - .347

2. Miguel Cabrera - .338

3. Matt Holliday .327

Cabrera's definitely a huge threat.  He's a serious player and he's right in the middle of a nice hot streak.

Plus, there's Brian McCann.  He's batting .346 but doesn't have enough at-bats to qualify for the title.  I'm not about to do the math to figure out how many plate apperances per game he has and how many more he needs - but I'll be sure and let everyone know if he gets close enough that it's an issue.

Props to Freddy for keeping Pirates fans interested...

Anthony Smith hit

The hit.  I love it.

the impersonator is back

Remember the guy who was out pretending he was Big Ben and Brian St. Pierre so he could get laid?  Well, he's at it again...this time doing his best Jerame Tuman impression.  And, again, he got busted.

Got to be pretty dumb to try this thing again.  Then again, you have to be even dumber to hand somebody $3200 in cash because he said he was Jerame Tuman.

Deep down, I think I kind of like this guy.

I like Ike

 

Shows how much I know.  I was just putting the finishing touches on a post about how there's no way the Steelers will get a deal done with Ike when I read this.  Great news. 

I love Ike...I just really didn't think the Steelers could afford to keep him.  The going rate for corners is too high right now.  But, apparently Ike doesn't care about the going rate.  Ike cares about playing for the Steelers.  I had no idea this guy had this sort of attitude.  I love it.

Imagine.  You get Ike locked up, plus McFadden's about to have a break out year.  Those two alongside Troy and Anthony Smith?  We might be looking at the best secondary in the league...