Mini Pony of the Day 6-30-07

Dude, the grunge phase has been over for some time. Go back to Seattle.

Or just cut your hair and stick around. That works, too.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-29-07

Yes! A mini pony playing ball with a great dane.

Pretty much the greatest thing that could happen. And by greatest, I mean randomest.

Visitor of the Week: Last Week of June

Its back!

Here's the next chapter of the newest addition to PSaMP, Visitor of the Week.

Its funny how, as a blogger, you can type one word, and so many people will find your site by googling some version of it. The word of the day is shirtless.

I used it when Jeff Reed gave us a bevy of new pictures, and I felt inclined to report on them. Thanks, Jeff Reed, and your shirtless manscaping.

Plus, I haven't updated on Geno for awhile, save for when he dominated the Calder field for his first piece of hardware.

However, someone in the Steel City wanted to find some tell-tale sign of Geno's chest, when they googled "Evgeni Malkin shirtless." I'll tell you now, there are no pictures of a shirtless Geno on PSaMP. Anywhere.

This crazy googling does earn this reader a spot as Visitor of the Week, though.

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Andy Chomos of Fans for Change

Don't get it twisted, PSaMP isn't going to bring you awesome interviews every few days. The past week just happened to be really good if you're a Pittsburgh sports fan. First, Torina Henley stopped by, then Don from Mondesi's House gave some of his time. Now, Inside the Athletes Studio brings you the 3rd installment in the series.

Who would've thought that the hottest topic in Pittsburgh sports at the end of June would be the Pirates? Its not because of their play, despite winning 2 of their last 3. The Buccos have been making news because of a proposed walk-out, which has finally caught the eye of the organization. Fans for Change is a grassroots campaign that is hoping to use a protest to voice displeasure with decisions made by the Pirates organization.

Leading the way is Andy Chomos, CEO of Caracal, Inc., which works with Silicon Carbide. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a wide bandgap semiconductor with the potential to dramatically improve energy efficiency in a wide range of industries, including lighting, power electronics, and telecommunications. He has spent much of his recent time spreading the word about Fans for Change, and the walk-out of the June 30th home game against the Nationals.

PSaMP is happy to bring you, the reader, an exclusive interview with Andy Chomos, who has been all over the local sports scene in the last few weeks. Andy has way more important fish to fry, between his work at Caracal and Fans for Change, so PSaMP is proud to give you access into the mind of the the one and only Andy Chomos.
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Are you a lifelong Pirate fan? If so, what’s your fondest Pirate memory?

I am 43 years old and have been a Pirate FAN since age 6. Many great memories! Steve Blass leaping into the air after the '71 series win. Clemente throwing out a runner going to third from DEEP right field. Dave Parker gunning out a runner trying to tag up from 3rd in an All Star Game. Rennie Stennant going 7 for 7 batting. Or even more simple memories, as a young child listening to Bob Price and Nellie King on my small transistor radio, listening intently on each pitch while pulling out the baseball card of the particular Pirate that was involved in the play.

How did Fans for Change come about? Was it planned for some time, or was it spur of the moment?

FANS FOR CHANGE came about via the “perfect storm." The Pirates had just had a disappointing series with the Yankees, and then drafted the 5th best pitcher in the draft with the 4th pick overall. The failure to draft the highest caliber player available gave me the realization that this Ownership and Management team does not place a priority on fielding a championship caliber team.

Why now? Is this something that can’t wait any longer?

The State of PA is in a budget crisis. Programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters (of which I volunteer for), work force development programs are all facing budget cuts. Additionally, the State was debating raising our Sales Taxes. Then I came across the Forbes article that listed the Pirates as the 3rd most profitable team in baseball and the sweetheart stadium lease deal, and I thought these guys committed to fielding a winning team when they got over $240 million in a taxpayer-financed stadium.

Last year, Orioles fans had a walk-out of their own. This season, they’re still below .500, and their manager has been canned. Can Fans for Change get real results?

The Pirates are just starting to get a sense of the level of FAN frustration. This movement has awakened the passion of the Baseball Purists. A smart business person pays attention to his customers. Our goal is to have the Pirates take TANGIBLE measures to improve the quality of the team and DISCLOSE those measures before Ticket sales start for the 2008 season. Next year, we demand a better product before we are willing to cut a check.

How do you feel about the Pirates blacking out all mentions of the walk-out during the game? Will that minimize the effect of the protest?

Personally, I feel the blacking out is a tactical error by the Pirates. An on-line Post-Gazette Survey with over 12,000 respondents indicates 75% of the FANS will walk off for the 4th inning. The customers are speaking. You don’t ignore or BLACK OUT your customers. I am also confident that the other local media outlets are savy enough and have the resources to get the footage they need.

Since the Pirates organization is blacking out the protest, it means they know about it. Is that the first step towards change?

Raising FAN awareness about some of these economics has been a BIG first step. So many fans that I’ve spoken to simply gave the Pirates a pass for losing because they assumed the team was still losing money.

What’s something fans don’t already know about the walk-out?

Our surprise guest speaker from the 1971 team.

What’s the support been like? Any negative reactions?

Very strong support as evidenced by the Post-Gazette poll.

Best case scenario for Saturday’s game is…?

35,000 empty seats and having a foul ball clank around with no one chasing it.

Anything else you want to tell fans? Or any other information for those wishing to attend?

Wear GREEN shirts as a sign of solidarity. This is THEIR TIME TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. Don’t be passive, take a stand for change. The legacy of this once-proud franchise deserves better!


- Andy Chomos, CEO Caracal, Inc.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-28-07

This MPotD comes from reader Bryan.

This pony is wearing the coolest kicks I've ever seen. To quote Memphis Bleek, "Have you ever seen a pair of kicks this crispy?"

Guide horses are always awesome in my book. They are useful and cute at the same time.

And I would defy the Do Not Touch sign just like this lady. It says Do Not Touch, but it says nothing about hugging/petting/feeding.

Congrats to Ron Francis

PSaMP sends congratulations to Ron Francis, the former Penguin center, upon hearing of his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Hockey Hall doesn't let just anyone in. I'm talking 4 players max each year. Francis will be inducted along with Mark Messier, Al MacInnis and Scott Stevens. That's a pretty solid class. Jim Gregory, an NHL Executive, was also voted in as an NHL builder.

Ron Francis will forever be linked to the Penguins, despite also playing for the Whalers, Hurricanes and Maple Leafs. Francis helped bring back to back championships to the 'Burgh in '91 and '92.

Dude played for 23 years. People can talk all they want about Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson or any other 40+ MLB pitcher and how they've played for so long. Ron Francis took hits for 23 years. Ron Francis handed out hits for 23 years. And despite the physicality of his sport, he finished his career 4th on the all-time points list with 1,798.

With Francis and Messier, 2nd overall in career points, this year's class is pretty incredible. Penguins fans have been blessed to see so many great players take the ice in a Pittsburgh uniform. Ron Francis was one of those guys, and he deserves his place among Hockey's immortals.

Pirates Brass Downplaying Walk-Out

Apparently, Pirates management knows about the proposed walk-out on June 30th. And they are going to pretend like its not happening.

Unless you're one of the 38,000 people (who am I kidding, probably more like 19-20,000) at the game on Saturday, or you plan on hanging out on the North Shore, you're probably not going to see any coverage of the walk-out. The big boys are making sure that there is no media coverage of the protest in the 3rd inning.

One thing I didn't know/think of... The walk-out is being held on Bob Walk bobblehead night. That. Is. Awesome. Perfect timing by Andy Chomos and Fans for Change.

Here are some of the steps that the organization is taking to prevent mass viewings of the walk-out.

- FSN Pittsburgh game crew is not to discuss the walk-out at all.

- All comments referring to the walk-out have been removed from the Pirates message board.

- FSN has agreed to not show any coverage of the walk-out.

- MASN, the media outlet covering the Nationals (Pittsburgh's opponent) will be on commercial break. FSN will cut to commercial as well.

The only logical way to see any media coverage of the protest would be to tune into KDKA, WTAE or WPXI, the three local news agencies. KDKA has a Tower Cam on the roof of Gateway No. 1, which would provide good but not great images of the protest. PXI and TAE also have news helicopters that might be in service in the vicinity of PNC Park that night.

Although FSN has agreed to not cover the story during the game, they will discuss it on the bevy of shows after the game. Stan Savran and Pittsburgh Sports Tonight have already discussed the protest, and will continue to do so after Saturday's game.

So, remember when I said that it was a long shot to have this protest reach the ears of the Buccos management? Well, it seems like it worked, on a very small level. The decision to not show any coverage of the walk-out?...Weak. I mean, if we're pretending that the past 14 (going on 15) losing seasons haven't happened, we might as well pretend like this protest isn't happening as well. There's nothing like ignorant bliss.

The team knows about the walk-out. Great. Time will only tell if the protest causes any changes.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-27-07

Mini ponies are always cool. Pug dogs are always cool as well. Pictures that include mini ponies and pug dogs blow my mind.

Brace yourself, because this mini poniy's name is Lilliput Acres ShowMe Itty Bitty. I can't make this stuff up. Here's the proof. Its the same site that PSaMP found June 22nd's MPotD on. That was Napoleon Dynamite. This one's name is so much better.

My sister asked me about the odd hair patterns on this horse. I had no answer.

I can promise that future Mini Ponies of the Day will come from this same site. There are tons of great ones to choose from. Some have this crazy hair pattern. Others don't. They are all cool, though.

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Don from Mondesi's House

PSaMP is excited.

June has been a pretty good month. You, the visitor, have made June the most visited month in PSaMP history. Yes, PSaMP's history is pretty short, but June is really bringing it.

Between the reads, your suggestions, cool links from bigger sites and my writing, PSaMP is reaching a wider audience every day. Last week, I brought you the initial installment of Inside the Athletes Studio, a segment in which PSaMP interviews prominent people with ties to Pittsburgh sports. Torina Henley, Running Back of the still-undefeated Pittsburgh Passion, was a great first guest.

Today, I have a treat. PSaMP was able to throw some questions at a guy named Don. "Who is Don?", you might ask. Don owns/operates/writes for a little sportsblog that you may or may not have heard about. Its called Mondesi's House, and its well worth your time. Go there. They can use the visits.

In all seriousness, Mondesi's House, Pittsburgh's most-read sportsblog, was a huge inspiration to PSaMP. I started this site primarily because of the great content over at Mondesi's House. With his unique style and countless radio interviews, Don proves that Pittsburgh fans can have a voice, and that voice can be heard by countless readers worldwide.

Within the Pittsburgh sportsblog community, there is a sense of camaraderie. I mean, there is only a certain amount of stories that the growing list of Pittsburgh sportsbloggers can write about. However, each brings their own style, which provides fresh views on popular local stories. Visit any of the Pittsburgh sportsblogs out there and I'm sure Mondesi's House was an inspiration to a good many of them.

Oh, and this week is the one-year anniversary for Mondesi's House. PSaMP didn't even think about this when asking for an interview. But I guess all things work out if you try hard enough.

So I'll stop gushing, and let you hear what Don had to say about several topics that PSaMP was eager to hear about. Don's take is peerless, and is a major reason that Mondesi's House is so successful. I'll shut up now, and let Don take it away.
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I count Mondesi's House as a major inspiration for starting PSaMP. Were there other sites that inspired you to start MH? Was it more of, "Hey, I could do that" or was the site well-planned?

I'd like to think it was well-planned. I surveyed the Pittsburgh sports blog scene at the time and felt like no one was doing what I wanted to do. There were some great sites, but they usually focused on one team, and most didn't really make much use of the kind of photos I wanted to use. I aspired to create a site that I would want to visit as a reader.

Like most sports bloggers, you have to start at Deadspin as an inspiration. They're the gold standard. My definition of an interesting site is one where you don't know what will come next. Kind of like the way Howard Stern's show was described in his Private Parts movie. That's what Deadspin is. You have no idea what's around the corner.

I liked the unexpected quality of their site, but I tried to add on. I mix in some opinion, some analysis, some Q&A...and now I'd like to think that I've found my own niche. I think being called "a Pittsburgh version of Deadspin" isn't accurate, because I feel like I do a number of things that they don't.

But being the man in charge of this site is exciting in its own right. Why? Because I don't know what rumor, photo, or tip I'll find in my inbox next.

As it stands now, there are a number of Pittsburgh-based sites that use Mondesi's House as a model. Many of them were, or are, readers of mine. I take great pride in inspiring someone to write.

Are there any writers or journalists that you model your writing style around?

From the sports world:

DJ Gallo of Sports Pickle and ESPN.com - has a very similar sense of humor to mine. We both seem to dislike the same teams and athletes. He's also been a personal mentor to me, which increases his "good guy" standing in my book.

Bill Simmons of ESPN.com - He loses me sometimes with all the 80s stuff, the 4-team NBA trades, and the constant barrage of all things Boston. But still a must-read in my book. I love his interaction with readers.

Mark Madden of ESPN Radio 1250 - May rub some the wrong way, but never hesitates to speak his mind. I like honesty as a sports journalist.

Will Leitch of Deadspin - The best national blogger going. Period.

Michael Wilbon of ESPN and PTI - Very well prepared, professional, and gets his point across without being a jerk. No schtick. That goes a long way with me.

From the comedy world:

Conan O'Brien: Despite his success, doesn't take himself too seriously. If you'll notice, I have been known to take more than a few shots at myself on the site.

Jim Krenn and Randy Baumann of WDVE: They have Pittsburgh comedy down to a science.

Jerry Seinfeld: The king of observational humor. I try to catch things in Pittsburgh sports that might fly under the radar.

What's the best thing to happen to you since you started the House?

Realizing that I have a voice and the ability to shape opinions. And getting to know so many of my readers on a personal level. I feel like I've made thousands of new friends in the last year.

You've done plenty of radio interviews. How do those stack up against actual blogging?

Tougher than you would think. Don't get me wrong, it's not rocket science, but it certainly takes some getting used to if you want to do a good job with it. You have to have quick answers, you have to be prepared, and it certainly helps to get a laugh from the host. I think I've gotten better, because my comfort level is much greater now than when I did my first interview last year. When you're in front of the biggest radio audience in the city [WDVE] and it's your first radio interview ever, it can be a little intimidating.

I count the '04-'05 playoff game against the Jets, where Doug Brien missed two field goals and the Steelers won in OT, as one of the best games I've ever gone to. Also, Bettis' last home game and the game where Polamalu intercepted Carson Palmer and weaved through the entire Bengal offense for the touchdown are also on that list. Do you have any unique games, Steelers, Pirates or Penguins, that you went to, that stick out in your mind as exceptional?

I've been lucky enough to attend a ton of great Pittsburgh games in my relatively short life. Some had the result I hoped for, others did not. Off the top of my head, a few favorites:

---The Penguins-Flyers overtime game in 2000 that went 5 OTs. Yeah, we lost, but I can say I was there. I'll never forget how slow the pace was by the end. I'll also never forget the fact that I got home at about 4 AM.

---Last game at Pitt Stadium, Pitt beat Notre Dame. I was only at the game because a Pitt law student friend of mine had some studying to do. I will never forget that act of kindness. The game was an absolute classic, a back-and-forth shootout the entire game. We rushed the field after the game, I bumped into a few jubilant Panthers...it was an all-night party.

---Canadiens at Pens, 2005. I'm sitting five rows behind the net and here comes Sidney Crosby on a shootout. He buries it for his first shootout goal, the goalie's Gatorade bottle goes flying in the air...I will never forget it.

---Last game at Three Rivers, for the Pirates and the Steelers. Our city had a run of "last games" for a while there, and I seemed to catch all of them. The Pirates' last game would have been great if Wehner could have come through in the last inning, but that kinda sums up the Pirate experience. I went to the Steeler game (vs. the Redskins) with my dad and brother. We arrived about 10 minutes before kickoff, somehow scored 3 tickets together from a scalper, and soaked up every last minute of the experience. Lots of good memories for me in that stadium.

---1994 MLB All Star Game and HR Derby. At the derby, it was amazing to watch the Big Hurt and Griffey park shots into the Three Rivers upper deck. That's not something you see everyday. As for the game itself, it was an exciting extra-innings affair, and although I was sitting in one of the highest seats in the stadium, I was truly thrilled to be there.

---1997, Broncos at Steelers (the regular season game, NOT the AFC Championship). Kordell at his finest, Elway at his peak, and the Steelers end up winning a thriller. Plus, the added bonus of an overzealous and oversized Bronco fan getting kicked out for taunting Steeler fans the entire game.

---It wasn't a Pittsburgh game, but Super Bowl 31 in New Orleans, 1997, Packers-Pats. My dad actually got a pair of tickets from a business associate, and even though the Steelers were eliminated, it was still a sight to behold. I'll never forget Bourbon Street littered with drunk Packers fans. I could have only imagined the scene if the Steelers would have represented the AFC instead of the Patriots.

As a Pittsburgh blogger, I read Mondesi's House as often as I would the Post-Gazette, Trib, or other news service. How do you approach a day of blogging? Also, what blogs out there in the blogosphere do you frequent?

I actually do the bulk of my work the night before, so I can have things ready for the early risers who enjoy frittering time away at work. First I go through my email and see what the readers have sent. That's usually where most of "The News" comes from. I'm on a pretty tight schedule, so I can't visit as many sites as I would like. But I'll hit a few sports destinations for some of the bigger stories: ESPN, Deadspin, the PG and Trib, and The Big Lead. And a stop on WWTDD.com to let the readers know the latest in the world of Paris Hiltons and Lindsay Lohans.

Gwenjen. Ronnie Florian. Now Cheap Sexson Mondays. You have a gift for creating internet celebrities. How does it feel when something like that takes off?

It's fun, but I can't take full credit. In a way, I'm like the messenger, delivering what the people are telling me. The Gwenjen pics were sent in from a reader. Cheap Sexson Mondays was a story from a reader of mine in Seattle that somehow made it to SI.com. And although I've been talking about him for a while, it was readers who sent in Ronnie Florian photos from various games. I'm telling you, it's the readers that make this site go.

I remember being young and rather disappointed after the '92 NLCS. A lot changed after that game. My team lost, and I felt odd about it. Obviously, the Buccos were a lot better back in those days. What stands out most to you when you think back to that game?

I remember being so confident when Cabrera came to the plate, thinking he was an automatic out because he was a nobody. And then came the hit. And then came me shutting off the TV in disgust at age 15. And then came my 11-year-old brother throwing his mangled Green Weenie at the same TV set. It's 15 years later, and the pain is still there. The Green Weenie, however, is not.

You reach a large audience. Did you ever think Mondesi's House would grow to the level it has in one year?

I'm very proud of how the site has caught on in the first year. I put in hours and hours of hard work: writing, research, radio appearances, and the hardest part, actually watching the Pirates. That being said, there's no other experience like getting fan mail. Having people say they start their day reading your site, telling all of their Pittsburgh-loving friends about it, all of the positive feedback...as a creative person, it's incredibly rewarding to know that people enjoy your work.

Where do you see Mondesi's House in another year?

I want to grow it as much as possible, but remain true to the roots. This site will always be dedicated to Pittsburgh. I have so many ideas for new and fresh angles, it's just a matter of having adequate time. I have enough content for years, and that's if the sports world shuts down tomorrow. I just love to write.

What are your feelings regarding ESPN. A lot of bloggers despise the big E. Others love it. I'm kinda in the middle, whereas I enjoy it for the news/highlights, but still take it with a grain of salt. Plus, that Hashmarks link has got to be a bonus.

If you're a big sports fan, your options are rather limited. That's why people don't just turn it off...they really don't have much of a choice. Their coverage is thorough, but they latch on to certain stories and go over the edge, in my opinion and the opinion of many others. Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick, Yankees/Red Sox, Terrell Owens/Cowboys, steroids, Bonds...these topics have all been thoroughly beaten into the ground. I think they need to mix things up a little.

The WWL really wears me down with the schtick, though. The Skip Baylesses, the Stephen A. Smiths, the Mike & Mikes... why do so many feel the need to put on a fake persona? Is it necessary? I respect their true reporters the most. Guys like Peter Gammons, John Clayton, Buster Olney...I could listen to them all day.

And yes, it's very cool of ESPN to link to my site.

Should the Buccos ditch Dave Littlefield for Ray Shero? And what's your take on the Buccos and their recent first-rounders.

Littlefield has not carved out much of a legacy, but I think his hands are tied for the most part. That being said, he's been an atrocious judge of talent, their system has proven time and time again that they are incapable of developing players, and nearly every decision he makes turns out to be the wrong one. But I'm positive that things will not change under this ownership group. You can change GMs, you can change managers, you can change players, but as long as McNutting is in charge, look forward to another losing season.

Shero has been nothing short of amazing. Just look at the Chris Thorburn trade. Here's a guy he plucked from the waiver wire, and he turns him into a 3rd-round draft pick. I've been very impressed at the way Shero has built the team so far.

Last Friday was big. First the Pens re-sign Roberts and Recchi, then draft a former top prospect in Angelo Esposito. Does Esposito make the club this season, and can the Pens win it all?

I think Esposito makes the team, because he doesn't have the pressure that he would've had if he went top-5. And this is a guy that looks to thrive as a non-"top banana". It looks like a great situation. I like the pick.

I think they can contend, but they might still be a piece or two short at this moment in time. But they are close. Very close.

Finish this sentence. Honestly. "By September, the Pirates..."

"...will be out of my mind because it will be football season."

Favorite Pittsburgh sports moment/memory?

Wow...so many to choose from. As far as memories, I'd say watching Mario Lemieux play or watching a Steeler game at Three Rivers while the stands shook up and down.

And moments? Even though I wasn't alive, the Maz home run was sweet because it took down the Yankees. I always think it gets historically short-changed behind The Shot Heard Round the World, which was merely a playoff game. The Immaculate Reception is great because it usually does get the recognition that it deserves. As far as things that I actually saw in my lifetime, there's Mark Smith's Walk-Off "Freak Show/No Hitter" Home Run in 1997, James Harrison's bodyslam of a Browns fan, Roethlisberger's tackle against the Colts and Vanderjagt's subsequent miss, Larry Fitzgerald's 2003 season, the Steelers' trick plays in the 2006 playoffs, Mario's five goals five ways, Sidney's regular season debut, the playoff comeback against the Browns a few years back...I could go on and on.


- Don (Mondesi)

So Many Links...

You may have noticed that my blogroll has grown extensively.

I decided to add all the Pittsburgh sportsblogs that I know of/have read. I meant to do this a long time ago, but I procrastinated. Call it what you want (apathy/laziness), but I finally found time to put up those links. Check 'em all out. At the same time.

If you run a Pittsburgh sportsblog that I don't know of/forgot to link to (most likely the latter) and want to be put on the list, drop me an email at psampmail@gmail.com.

Oh, and the 2nd installment of Inside the Athletes Studio will run tomorrow. I figured I'd tease you a little bit. Now you can spend the night wondering who PSaMP interviewed. All I'll say is...they're important. And its a worthwhile interview. Check it out tomorrow.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-26-07

Cool. 2 ponies at once. And yes, this is how I found this picture.

The one on the left is weird. Kinda surreal and creepy, actually. The one on the right is the reason this picture made it as MPotD. That horse is so tiny, and its leaping outta that car with authority.

When I get a mini pony, it will be allowed in my car. I might let it drive...

10,000 Visits. Hooray!

Earlier today, PSaMP welcomed its 10,000th visitor! This isn't huge, by other blogs' standards, but it means a lot here.

Plus, I needed an excuse to manipulate this Mr. 10,000 picture that I found. 10,000 visitors is the perfect reason.

All of the reads/comments/emails mean a lot. Keep 'em coming.

That's enough celebration... Back to the goods...

Mini Pony of the Day 6-25-07

Lucky girl.

I would use this mini horse as my primary means of transportation. Especially after what happened in Philly earlier today.

Who needs cars when you have trotting miniature ponies? Not me. And not you either.

Pirates Fans Planning a Walk Out

Jeez. It only took 14 years.

Disgruntled Pirate fans are planning a walk-out of the June 30th home game to show disgust over poor management and front-office decisions. More info/thoughts here. Many thanks to reader Julie_Gong, who PSaMP knows and loves, for tipping me off about the story.

Andy Chomos and Sean Lucas are the two organizers of the Fans for Change campaign, which they hope will show Pirates management the level of disappointment in today's Buccos fans. They plan on having fans leave after the 3rd inning.

Chomos also wants the fans to wear green shirts, to symbolize money leaving the building. So if the fans throw themselves out of the upper decks and onto the field, would they figuratively be "making it rain?"

PSaMP is sorta on the fence about this one. Has the organization made some terrible decisions over the past 14 years? Yes. Do the fans, who paid for the stadium, have the right to walk out? Yes again. It sounds like a kickass plan, but when in the past 14 years has the organization actually listened to the fans? That answer is never. Sure, a walk-out might gain media attention, but I don't see it as the means to an end. Is Dave Littlefield, sitting in his Lexus Club seat behind home plate, really going to redo the last (10 or so) draft(s) just because fans leave? Its not like PNC is full to capacity anyway. Unless, of course, its the All-Star game, or its fireworks night.

So PSaMP applauds the fans for sticking up for their team. I for one can't stand the direction the team has gone since Sid Bream beat a Barry Bonds throw home some 15 years ago. The fans have the right idea. PSaMP just hopes that Pirates management listens for once.

6 Words: Don't Ever Fly Out Of Philly

You know what really makes a blogger mad?

Mean comments/emails? Well, yeah to a certain degree.

Slow sports days? That, too.

Low visitor turnout? Somewhat.

Delayed flights? Bingo.

If anyone tells you to fly out of Philadelphia, don't do it. That airport takes way too many planes each day. Way more than they can handle.

I had to catch a connection flight in Philly on my way from Pittsburgh to NYC. Everything in Pittsburgh was smooth sailing. My troubles began when I got on the plane in Philly.

First, the ramp driver crashed into the plane or something. He needed to be taken to the hospital while the airport supervisor checked to see if there was any damage to the plane. That took about 30 minutes.

Then, after waiting for clearance, the pilot got into line on the runway. We lost valuable time, which put us in 30th position to take off. The pilot said it would be a 40-45 minute wait. It was nearly an hour and a half.

Laguardia? Piece of cake. Philly was horrible. And the weather was terrible. It was nice in Pittsburgh (at like 4 in the morning, may I remind you) and its beautiful in NYC. Philly? Overcast...rainy...disgusting...ramp drivers wrecking into planes. All in all, a horrible experience. That's what I get for trying to save a couple bucks by not taking a direct flight.

If you ever have the opportunity to save some money by transferring flights in Philly, don't do it. I'll personally send you the extra cash just to relieve the traffic in that hellhole.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-24-07

Sweet. A mini pony herd.

And 99% of them are way too into the grass. The only one not eating cool grass is the one getting petted/scratched.

I need to find this place...

PSaMP is a Witness

No, this isn't about LeBron James, but it does involve a team making it to the playoffs, and showing everyone that they belong.


Behind a creative offense, the Passion rolled to a victory over the Erie Illusion. The final score was 63-7.

Lisa Horton hit Wilma Walton for a 73 yard touchdown on the opening play of the game. It was all downhill from there for the Illusion.

Score at the end of the first quarter: 28-0.

Halftime score: 49-0.

It was actually 49-0 with about 7 minutes to play in the first. And this was against an Erie team that only allowed 33 points all season. I looked at my buddy and said, "Every time the ball is snapped, Erie doesn't have a chance. When they're on offense, the Passion have 3 defensive line (wo)men in the backfield before the ball is handed off. On defense, the Passion are just having their way with the ball." He wanted the Passion to score 63 before the half was over.

And before the half, Torina Henley got her Reggie Bush on. At their own 49, Lisa Horton handed off to One-Two. Henley ran to the right sideline, coming face to face with several Erie defenders. Stopping on a dime, Torina cut back around the left side, picked up a key block from Horton, and turned a sure-fire loss into an 11 yard gain.

She finished the game with 133 yards on only 6 carries. She also scored twice.

Horton was a major bright spot, completing 7 of 22 passes for 210 yards and 5 touchdowns. She also scored a touchdown with her feet. Horton started the game with 3 touchdowns on her first 3 pass attempts.

In the 3rd, Kate Sullivan trotted out onto the field and lined up on the right side. My buddy looked at me and said, "Touchdown." Sure enough, Horton took the snap, waited, and fired a perfect pass over Sullivan's right shoulder. It was pretty much the icing on the cake.

Erie finally managed a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but only after all the Passion first-stringers were out of the game.

Being a 2 seed, the Passion will play at least one more playoff game at Cupples Stadium.

2 more wins, and the team will play in the championship game in Nashville, Tennessee. Next week's game will be against the Western Michigan Mayhem, who went 6-2 in the regular season. They defeated the Baltimore Burn 33-14 yesterday.

CORRECTION. Lisa Horton went 7 for 11. Damn 1s and 2s are so close to each other on the keyboard.

New Addition to the Site: Visitor of the Week

So PSaMP is adding a new feature to the lineup. Last week (or whenever it was) I showed you how ESPN visited the site. I find it humorous how certain people find PSaMP, or more imprtantly, why they find PSaMP.

To honor these visitors, I'm going to start posting my own Visitor if the Week, or VotW. Firdst it was PSaMP, then MPotD, and now VotW. I like letters. Big deal.

I wanted the initial VotW to be a visitor who found PSaMP by googling "Jeff Reed naked." There was also a "Jeff Reed porn" search that somehow linked to my site. However, awesome links from The Big Lead, Awful Announcing and Mondesi's House totally killed any chance of me getting back to that singular visitor.

Instead, this week's VotW (retroactive to the previous week) is someone who obviously wanted to see if Kevin Pittsnogle was going to be drafted in next week's NBA draft. The Pittsburgh Xplosion cannot afford this, seeing as how he's their lone superstar.

So that's the first installment of VotW! Next week's will be posted when I find a cool/random enough visitor. So keep an eye out, because who knows when some crazy visitor will stumble upon PSaMP through odd means, thus rendering them a spot of notoriety as Visitor of the Week

Passion Win!

63-7. That's all I'm gonna say now. Erie had no chance.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-23-07

A picture similar to this made it as MPotD, so its only right that you get a video version as well.

PSaMP is making its way to Cupples Stadium for the big Passion playoff game tonight. I'm hoping you all are there. And by "you all," I mean the entire city of Pittsburgh.

Go Passion!

Penguins Draft Center Esposito

Before yesterday's draft the possibility of me writing this headline was slim to none. At least in my mind.

Angelo Esposito, the consensus top prospect heading into the past season, slipped to the 20th overall selection, and the Pens were there to snatch him up.

Shero even admitted that the team had no name tag for Angelo, because they thought he would be long gone before the 20th pick. PSaMP thought the same thing.

Whether by luck or design, Ray Shero is out to prove that he's the anti-Dave Littlefield. As the Pirates continue to pick pitchers, thus alienating fans, the Pens have been able to consistently snag top players, creating a corps of young talent that is unrivaled in the current NHL. If Littlefield was the GM of the Pens, he probably would've drafted defensive-minded defensmen in 8 of the last 10 drafts, with 7 or so of them blowing out a knee before making an impact on the team. Shero, on the other hand, is trying to help the struggling NHL by giving fans a unique opportunity to watch what could be the best group of young players ever assembled on one team. Yes, its a little early to make that claim, but try to look at the team and not say something along those lines.

Some scouts claim Esposito plays with creativity, but not enthusiasm. Shero hopes Esposito can find enthusiasm by playing with the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury.

Yesterday, I wrote a headline that read Its a Good Day to be a Pens Fan. This was only to express my happiness that Shero brought back wingers Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts. I never imagined that those signings would be overshadowed by a middle-first round draft pick. So I was right. Yesterday was awesome for Penguins fans. A little bit of youth added into some veteran wisdom, and PSaMP is already thinking about the start of the NHL season. And some people claim that Pittsburgh's just a football town...

Its a Good Day to be a Pens Fan!

Finally!

It seems like its been forever since talks began with the two veterans, but Ray Shero and the Pens signed Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi. Both are signed to 1 year deals.

Roberts' deal is said to be for $2.5 mil, while Recchs can earn up to $2 mil through bonuses.

The Pens should be a clear Stanley Cup favorite going into the season. Seeing what Gary Roberts did for the team down the stretch to the playoffs last season, PSaMP is giddy with excitement over what he can bring for an entire year!

Well played, Ray Shero. Now somebody go buy his tie!

Mini Pony of the Day 6-22-07

You are not going to believe me, but this MPotD's name is Napoleon Dynamite.

I kid you not.

Check it out here. I'm not lying.

Napoleon looks like he's smiling.

Who Wouldn't Want Bill Cowher's Tie?

Here's a cool fundraiser that you should definitely check out.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato announced the auction of 30 celebrity ties that are available for your online bid. The ties, which have been "touring" Pittsburgh for the past month, will be auctioned online at the County's website.

All proceeds will benefit the Kane Foundation, which raises private funds to help enhance the quality of life of the residents of Allegheny County’s four Kane Regional Centers and their families. The Foundation helps to fund adult education classes, cultural and sporting events, and pet therapy, among other activities.

Want to know more about the Kane Centers and who they serve? Glad you asked.

The Kane Regional Centers offer residential skilled nursing care and rehabilitation for short-term and long-term needs in Glen Hazel, McKeesport, Ross Township and Scott Township. The Glen Hazel and Ross Centers also offer comprehensive living centers with a spectrum of short- and long-term residential and non-residential services.

In short, the assisted living centers help improve the quality of life to the residents of all the centers.

Bids will be taken online at this link. Those with the highest bid will receive the autographed tie, along with a caricature of the former tie-owner. PSaMP would go for the Dan Rooney one. It looks rather snazzy.

Here's a list of the big-timers who graciously donated ties to help this cool cause!

The Honorable Joe Biden, U.S. Senator, Delaware
The Honorable Robert P. Casey, Jr., U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania
Bill Cowher, Former Pittsburgh Steelers Coach
The Honorable Mike Doyle, U.S. Congressman, Pennsylvania
Dr. Freddie Fu, Orthopedic Surgeon & Sports Medicine Expert
The Honorable Ted Kennedy, U.S. Senator, Massachusetts
Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Kimmel Live Host
Bobby Knight, Texas Tech Basketball Coach
The Honorable Catherine Baker Knoll, Pennsylvania Lt. Governor
Jimmy Krenn, WDVE Morning Show Host
Jay Leno, Tonight Show Host
Kevin McClatchy, Pittsburgh Pirates Chief Executive Officer
Robert Nutting, Pittsburgh Pirates Chairman
The Honorable Dan Onorato, Allegheny County Chief Executive
The Honorable Mark Pryor, U.S. Senator, Arkansas
The Honorable Luke Ravenstahl, Pittsburgh Mayor
The Honorable Jay Rockefeller, U.S. Senator, West Virginia
Jim Roddey, Former Allegheny County Chief Executive
Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman
Tim Russert, Meet the Press Host
Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager
Max Starks, Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Lineman
George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees Owner
The Honorable Ted Stevens, U.S. Senator, Alaska
Rod Stewart, Singer
Andrew Stockey, WTAE-TV Anchor
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Coach
Dave Wannstedt, Pitt Football Coach
The Honorable Jack Wagner, Pennsylvania Auditor General
George Will, National Columnist

Tons of Pittsburgh sports icons on this list. This unique auction will help you get that much closer to the celebrities you know and love.

Not a Pittsburgh sports fan? Why not go for Rod Stewart's tie? Or how about Bobby Knight or Jay Leno?

Online bidding runs through June 30th, so act fast.

Many thanks to Sean for supplying the link to this worthy cause. PSaMP is all for raising money/helping the community, and the Kane Foundation totally fits the bill.

Now you do your part. Bid on some cool ties and help support the Kane Centers!

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Torina Henley

PSaMP is proud to stay on the cutting edge of Pittsburgh sports. As your official unofficial Pittsburgh Passion blogger (My own title. I made it up myself), I've been happy to bring you, the reader, Passion updates from each Pittsburgh victory this season. The team finished a stunning 8-0, and the ground attack was headed by the 3-H group of QB Lisa Horton and RBs Torina Henley and Lyndsi Hughes.

Torina (pictured above) needed a good showing in the season finale against the Central PA Vipers to break the 1,000 rush yard mark for the season. Henley dug deep, and amassed 176 yards, as the team blanked the Vipers, 77-zip. Her 1,012 yards on the ground led the team this year, and she added 20 TDs on the ground. Word is the Steelers are looking to sign Henley to compete with Najeh Davenport, Kevan Barlow and Fast Willie Parker. I jest...

However, Torina was nice enough to let PSaMP pick her brain, and now you, the reader, get to find out what really goes on in the mind of a humble team leader in the NWFA. Without further ado, here is PSaMP's interview with the remarkable Torina Henley.
-



Thanks for agreeing to answer some questions! Are you originally from Pittsburgh?

Yes, I am originally from the North Side of Pittsburgh.

How did you first find out about the NWFA and the Passion?

One of my teammates heard about it while at work when they first announced there would be a team forming here in Pittsburgh.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Yes. I ran track, and played basketball, softball, baseball. You name it, I played it!

Pittsburgh fans love their hard-working, blue-collar sports teams. Do you think the Passion fit in with this mold?

Absolutely!

Do you have any superstitions or pre-game rituals?

No superstitions, but I do tend to sleep late the night before games! (smile)

If you could play another sport professionally, what would it be?

I would be a professional sleeper....I don't get enough of it...I will get back to you on that one.

Can you name an untold story about the team that people might not know?

The first time we scrimmaged Cleveland, we didn't have a clue as to what we were up against! They woke us up! They punished us and beat us bad. (PSaMP side note: Pittsburgh swept Cleveland this season! Take that, Fusion!)

Do you consider yourself an "in between the tackles" runner, or would you rather break one to the outside? And what's more fulfilling, breaking a long run or scoring a touchdown?

I am a little bit of both. If the hole is there, I take it. If not, I will hit the outside...FAST! And breaking the long run is more fulfilling. It lasts longer! (smile)

Do you model your game around another football star, or would you rather stand out as a unique player?

No, I don't model my style around any other football stars. We are all unique in our own way.

8-0 is pretty impressive, was that a goal coming into the season? And is there anything you wish you did differently this year?

The undefeated record was a goal, thanks to our coaching staff. (smile) And I wish I gained a little more weight. At least another 10 pounds or so. I play at 163 lbs right now, so its a little light.

June 23rd is officially Pittsburgh Passion Day in the City of Pittsburgh. Did you ever think the Passion would get this kind of recognition?

No, I never thought this would happen while we were still playing. I thought maybe once we were all old and wrinkled!

The regular season is over. How are you and the team putting the regular season success behind you? Do you build on those successes or wipe the slate clean and start from scratch? And what do you know about your upcoming opponent, the Erie Illusion? Will the Passion beat them?

The slate is wiped clean and we're starting new. This is Erie's first time making the playoffs, just like us. We know that they are gonna try their hardest to beat us, so we know they will be gunning for us. And yes, the Passion will win!

The fans love you. Is there anything else you want to say to all the Passion fans out there?

Thanks for all of the support, and please don't stop coming to the games because we can't do it alone. Not without the best fans in the world!

Before I let you go, what else do you want everyone to know about you and the team?

There are no stars on our team, only hard workers, mothers, role models and professional athletes who want this sport to be taken serious. We are one team, one unit, and when we stand, we do it as a team. Together. If there comes a time when we fall, we will do that together as well. I am not our superstar. I am just one part of the Pittsburgh Passion, and I am damn proud of it!


- Torina One-Two Henley

Mini Pony of the Day 6-21-07

Meet Peanut, today's MPotD. I'm giving this to you early, because I have a treat for you a little later. PSaMP was able to sit down (sit down = exchange emails) with a Pittsburgh athlete, and the interview will be posted in a little bit. Stay tuned...

Mini Pony of the Day 6-20-07

This little dude isn't doing much, but he's still a mini pony. That's good enough to be counted as MPotD.

Click-Worthy Reads

Here's what PSaMP is reading now. Join in and you can read words at the same time PSaMP does!

- Personalized NFL Jerseys. DAI is quickly becoming a PSaMP fave and has put out some quality posts in its short existence. These personalized NFL jerseys are a perfect give for the person you love. And by love, I mean don't love.

- Who are the Pens Gonna Draft? PPSR is another upstart Pittsburgh blog, and it is well worth your time. The Pens aren't banking on another top-5 prospect, and the middle of the pack is remarkably less sexy than the top. But middle picks = good previous season, so I'll take it.

- How do the Bengals' Arrests Stack Up Against Each Other? This list will need to be edited in a few days. Guaranteed.

- MNF is Trying to Get Every Mike Associated with Sports to Help with Football Coverage. And Bonnie Bernstein.

- More Fun with Gary Roberts. Seriously, the Pens need to re-sign Gary just so Pensblog can keep this up. For real.

- The Buccos are Embarrassing. So if I delete the cookies from my computer, I can send ADD Laroche to the All-Star Game? Sweet!

- Giambi is a Perfect Target for The Dugout. Honestly, this has been one of my all-time favorite sites for a long time. The humor is spot on. I've cried at more Dugout posts than most people cry at The Notebook or some other crappy movie. I'll give you a brief taste:

/ponders eating own vomit.

Now read that post and see why that line is so funny.

That's enough. Simultaneous reading with PSaMP. What more do you need?

Albert Belle Would Kick a Mini Pony

So I put a poll up on PSaMP (top left corner) to find out what people think of the newest PSaMP logo. Overwhelmingly, the most repetitious response is Funniest Thing I've Ever Seen. That was my personal opinion, so I'm glad consensus is with me.

However, I added a Create Your Own Answer option. To this point, 3 people have decided that the choices PSaMP wrote were unfit. You can't see what they wrote, but by logging in to my Poll Daddy account, PSaMP is able to see what these 3 renegade voters wanted to really say. I'd like to share their opinions with you.

1. nice.

2. I like the guy in the middle, he looks as disgruntled as Albert Belle.

3. Pretty much LOL@mini ponis.

I'm guessing ponis = ponies. The simplicity of the answers made me laugh. I guess I might have to add these as options in the next poll.

Thanks for the 3 awesome responses!

Penguins Sign Winger James

The Penguins signed another young winger today, Connor James.

The Kings selected James with the 9th pick in 2002. He's been playing in the AHL since. James appeared in 2 games for the Kings in 2005-2006, but played the remainder of the year for the Manchester Monarchs.

James first signed last year with the Pens. He had 12 goals and 32 points for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season.

Connor also played on the University of Denver's national championship team. Awesome.

That pretty much sums up the article.

I smell Lord Stanley in the immediate future.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-19-07

Some days, I might think I'll never find a cool enough little horse for the MPotD. Then, I fire up that information superhighway, and it rarely fails me.

This awesome pony is named Daisy. The dog is named Freddie. I'd like to think that they both know how much they rule. I mean, look at Freddie's face. Its like he knows how efficient he is. And Daisy knows how useful he/she is (I'm guessing she).

A cool small horse and another little critter. A well-rounded example of a quality MPotD.

Stephen Colbert = Ok in My Book

Stephen Colbert is hilarious. Openly mocking Republicans by flawlessly portraying one is comic gold. On his most recent show, McConaughey was featured as The Word, one of the best bits on the show. Matthew McConaughey was just named some dumb title in People Magazine or some other worthless celebrity read. Colbert kills it. Wait for the copyrighted Mantasy.

Well played, Stephen Colbert.

The vid expires on July 19. Some dumb embedding trick played by Comedy Central. Watch it on PSaMP while you can.

Fun With The Pirates' We Will Ad Campaign

Funny stuff. Doubt About It is a new Pittsburgh blog, and PSaMP likes what it sees. I had thought about manipulating the We Will ads, which are just ripe for the picking. DAI did a hilarious job at poking fun at the Pirates' meager attempts to live up to this advertising campaign.

I mean, the Pens had no problem living up to the Experience the Evolution campaign. Its only right that DAI gives the Buccos a better chance at living up to their newest slogan.

Pittsburgh Might Get Arena Football Team

Yes, I know. The Steel City already has the RiverRats. However, the team is the equivalent of the Riverhounds. Yeah, they're a team, but they don't get the recognition they deserve/need. ESPN bought in to the AFL, and continues shoving in our collective faces, so it must be good. I occasionally like to watch AFL games, but not to the point that I need to know the players and teams. ESPN would just rather show something that they own a share in, rather than say, hockey highlights on Sportscenter. But enough about tWWL.

PSaMP is a bit excited about this news. With all the support for the new Penguins arena, it was only a matter of time before the city talked about expansion possibilities. And why not the AFL. Pittsburgh played host to the first AFL game, with the Pittsburgh Gladiators, an inaugural AFL team beating the Washington Commandos 48-46 on June 19, 1987. That's 20 years to the day of this announcement, in case you were counting.

When the Gladiators left, they changed names to become the Tampa Bay Storm. That team was the epitome of success in the 1990s. 15 straight years in the playoffs with 5 Arena Bowl titles.

Pittsburgh has been longing for a team to step up and grow with the 3 current big boys, the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. PSaMP counts the Passion as the 4th team, and the NBA and MLS would never be a possibility. Maybe the AFL is the way to go.

Possible owners are said to be very recognizable. I'm guessing Mark Cuban. That would be sweet.

And who knows? Maybe the next Tommy Maddox will come from the Pittsburgh Gladiators Part II.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-18-07

Coolest. Site. Ever.

Today's MPotD is lifted from the Personal Ponies Ltd. blog. What is PPL? Glad you asked.

PPL is dedicated to providing children with special needs a tiny Shetland Pony to love and care for -- completely without charge. Our ponies make magic in children's lives!

Awesome! Although the site hasn't been updated in some time, the mission is great!

Mini ponies. Being cool and helping special needs kids at the same time. PPL is very deserving of a spot as MPotD.

Passion End Season, Look to Playoffs

The Passion defeated the Central PA Vipers on Saturday. I've already told you that. However, you finally have a chance to check out the stats for the 77-0 beat-down.

Torina Henley, the best running back in the history of the world, gained the 166 yards necessary to eclipse the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season. Her line against the Vipes: 11 rushes for 176 yards. She also scored 5 touchdowns on the ground, according to the stats website. Henley finished the season with a 10.4 yards per carry mark. She scored 20 rushing touchdowns for the team.

Lori Burkholder added a rushing touchdown and Lyndsi Hughes scored 2 of her own. Hughes scored 11 rushing TDs this season, while Burkholder added 2 of her own.

Deep threat Wilma Walton grabbed 2 passes for 76 yards. Both catches went for touchdowns. She led the team across the board in receiving stats this season. On only 15 catches, Walton racked up 448 yards and 6 TDs. Her yards per catch average stands at an incredible 29.9 yards per. Her longest catch of the year went for 53 yards.

Lisa Horton went 3 for 7 with 93 yards and a score. Her QB rating for the game was 129.5. Burkholder also completed her only pass attempt for a touchdown. For the season, Horton passed for 13 touchdowns, and her season-long QB average was 122.7. Ridiculous.

The defensive stats are not currently available online, so PSaMP guesses that Olivia Griswold had 7,000 tackles against the Vipers. Ava Nickens probably added 4,500 of her own with 17 or 18 sacks. Seems likely.

The team is seeded #2 in the Northern Conference. Their first round playoff game will be against the 7-1 Erie Illusion at Cupples Stadium. A win would bring another home game for the Passion.

One more thing. June 23rd is officially Pittsburgh Passion Day in the city of Pittsburgh. Honestly! That rules.

Congratulations on a successful season, Pittsburgh! Keep up the determination/dedication and there is nowhere to go but up!

Memphis Grizzlies Hire Notorious B.I.G.

NBA-what? I probably just lost a whole buncha readers.

Pittsburgh and NBA aren't readily associated entities. Unless, of course, we're talking about Kevin Pittsnogle and the Xplosion, or the defunct Pittsburgh Ironmen.

PSaMP just found it interesting that the Memphis Grizzlies hired The Notorious B.I.G. as their new General Manager. In fact, Biggie held the same position in the Celtics organization prior to taking the job in Memphis. Its amazing! I'm learning new stuff every day!

Bay's Awesome Catch Helps Buccos Win 2nd Straight Interleague Series

This. Is. No. Typo.

The Buccos beat the ChiSox 8-7 yesterday, behind an unbelievable catch by left fielder Jason Bay.

It all seemed like a classic Pirates failure. Slugger Jim Thome walks to the plate in the top of the 9th. 2 batters were on, and Thome represented the go-ahead run. Thome smacked a ball to deep left, and Bay gave chase. Feeling for the wall with his right hand, Bay lept and pulled a go-ahead homer back into play. The runner at 3rd tagged and scored, but Bay minimized the damage. Matt Capps finished the inning to close the series-clinching game.

My reaction. "Holy Sh...!"

With the win, the Buccos have now taken 2 of 3 from the Rangers and the ChiSox. Sure, both teams aren't in the upper echelon of the American League, but the Bucs will take any interleague win they can get.

Hopefully, these 2 series wins will provide some momentum, as the team now plays their final 2 interleague series against the hot Mariners and the Angels. Clearly, these 2 teams are much better than the last 2 opponents.

Although the team was swept by the Yankees last weekend, the Buccos have rallied to turn an early 0-3 interleague hole into a more-respectable 4-5 push. As I've said in the past, I'm just hoping the team can manage 1 win in both series against Seattle and Los Angeles (or Anaheim, or Anaheim of Los Angeles or whatever they're calling the Angels this year.) Milwaukee lost yesterday, thanks to a walk-off dinger by the Twins (take that, Prince Fielder and your inside-the-park-homer). The Buccos are only 8 games back of the Brew-Crew, so whatever momentum gained from yesterday could really boost the team's fortunes as they close out the '07 interleague schedule. Hopefully. This poll (above) on the Pirates' homepage shows, despite the annual awful play of the Buccos, that fans still aren't ready to throw in the towel just yet.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-17-07

Happy Father's Day! That goes out especially to my Dad, but also to all dads.

I'm giving you another video, mainly because it rules and I haven't updated a whole bunch this weekend.

I imagine this conversation to be something along the lines of this:

"What's up, bro?"
"Nothin' much. Hangin' out. Bein' cute. You?"
"Yeah, I got the whole cute thing goin' on, too."
"Being small rules."
"Yes. Yes it does."

Fin.

Say It With Me. 8 And 0

The Passion finished their regular season undefeated, with a 77-0 drubbing of the Central PA Vipers. There aren't any stats up at the link, which is par for the course with the NWFA.

The Passion finally got some love from the local media, with a nice article by the Post-Gazette. It really exemplifies Pittsburgh football, whether of the male or female variety. The team had no party or celebration as they concluded a perfect season in which they won the Central Division. Instead, the team remains focused on the impending playoffs, and the NWFA Championship, which if the team makes it, will be played on July 21st in Nashville, Tennessee.

Torina Henley gained the 166 yards necessary to finish with 1,000+. Her 11 carries went for 176 yards and 4 scores. And all her damage was done in 3 quarters. She finished the season with 1,010 yards rushing. Awesome!

Lisa Horton completed 3 of 7 passes for 93 yards and 2 scores. She finished the season with 1,012 yards passing. Horton is an original member of the Passion, who began play 5 years ago with a winless season. The times, they are a changing.

PSaMP will get a full breakdown of the game, including stats for the team as soon as they are posted.



UPDATE: Many thanks to reader Smarchit, who caught PSaMP in a downright lie. The Passion went 2-6 in their first season, not 0-8 as I foolishly reported. I wrote this in a bit of a hurry. I confused the Vipers' current winless season with Pittsburgh's 1st for some reason. Gotta slow down. (Still, 8-0 is a huge improvement from 2-6).

If it happens again, I'll cut off my hands, which would render PSaMP unable to update on your Pittsburgh Passion. But it would also keep me from typing blasphemous lies.

A better recap will be up tomorrow! I apologize for my stupidity.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-16-07

Since this is all you're getting today, I figured I'd better give you a video. I can't remember if this was MPotD before, but even if it was, it still deserves a replay. This video is hilarious. And it involves tons of small horses. That makes it A-Okay in my book.

I'll get you more news tomorrow. Hopefully, the Passion win today and finish the regular season undefeated.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-15-07

Awesome. A cool book about cool little horses. You can buy it here. I know you want to.

Badass Mike Tomlin Uses Pencils, Not Pens

Spring practices are over, which means Mike Tomlin's first offseason camp has wrapped up. Since the drills are over, Tomlin needed to create a preliminary depth chart for his first team. Tomlin did just that, but stressed that the selections are written in pencil, to show that no starter's job is safe.

"No job is secure," Tomlin insisted. "This is not a security business and if they are looking for security, they need to find a new line of work."

Bad. Ass.

If any Steeler wants to see their name written in pen, they need to put forth the effort required, and prove to the new coach that they have what it takes. Tomlin isn't Coach Cowher. He's made that abundantly clear. He's a rookie coach who is trying to turn around a .500 team. But what about the Super Bowl? That's in the past, too. Pittsburgh is no longer the reigning champ, and needs to understand that they can be just as bad as the next team. Or just as good.

Those of us who have been around the Steelers long enough know that several players are sure-fire starters. Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Jeff Reed and Willie Parker would really have to mess up to be replaced in the starting lineup. For the rest of the team, though, they only need to look at their names written in pencil to see that it can easily be erased.

Here's some of the starters that Tomlin has "penciled" in.

Chukky Okobi at Center. Although the team brought in free agent Sean Mahan, Okobi will open training camp as the first stringer.

Ryan Clark over Anthony Smith at Free Safety. Consensus says that Smith has a good shot at taking Clark's starting spot. PSaMP is a huge Anthony Smith fan. He's a big hitter who can make fans forget that Chris Hope was ever on the team.

Max Starks over Willie Colon at Right Tackle. Starks was the starter last year, but Colon has looked good. Starks is a beast, but needs to work to prove that he deserves to stay in the starting spot.

Deshea Townsend over Bryant McFadden at Right Cornerback. Townsend is getting older, but can still provide veteran leadership to our young CB corps. PSaMP is a McFadden supporter, but still admires the longevity of the undersized Townsend. Plus if the Steelers get rid of Deshea, Hines Ward is gonna have to look for a new roomie at training camp.

Ike Taylor over every other corner at Left Cornerback. Taylor is on Tomlin's good side, after Bill Cowher benched the former starter last year. Taylor needs to show that last year's struggles were a fluke, and he needs to live up to the big contract he signed.

Training camp starts next month, and these "starters" still need to work to have the pencil changed to pen. PSaMP likes Tomlin's message, and it appears that he has the team focused on coming into the season strong after last year's debacles.

He's young. He's a rookie. But Tomlin's showing that he isn't about to take any shit.

How it Feels to Lose in the Hot Blogger Bracket

Little late, here, but I figured it was appropriate to post this video. PSaMP lost its 2nd round matchup, as evident by the poll that was posted a few days ago. Joe Speaker moves on. I called him a stretched out Baba Booey. My buddy called him a generic David Hasselhoff. Speaker's 1st round opponent called him a chimp-monk. You know, that rare breed of chimpmunk/monkey that has been roaming around. Anyway, Peter's line at the end of this short clip expresses my thoughts exactly.

Sid Wins the Hart!

Sidney Crosby, the captain of your Pittsburgh Penguins, was named the winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy, as the league MVP! He joins Wayne Gretzky as the youngest recipient of the prestigious award.

After winning the Pearson earlier in the night, the road to the Hart looked much easier for The Kid. Crosby prevailed over New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur and Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo.

Crosby then asked Mario Lemieux if there was any trophy space left in his house. Lemieux said, “Barely.” (I made that last part up).

PSaMP congratulates Sid on an impressive night. He was able to displace Jaromir Jagr in Pittsburgh fans’ minds. Jagr was the last Penguins recipient of the Hart and Pearson.

Sid is the youngest winner of the Hart (League MVP), Pearson (NHLPA MVP) and Ross Trophy (Scoring Title).

Congrats, Sid!

Therrien Denied Coach of Year Honors

Michel Therrien did not get the Jack Adams Award, which is presented to the NHL Coach of the Year. That honor was bestowed on a man with a difficult name to pronounce, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault.

While the Canucks did have a great year, Therrien deserved the Adams. Did you see the team before Therrien arrived last year?

Therrien was able to accept an award, as he spoke on behalf of Calder winner, Evgeni Malkin. Malkin did not attend the awards, because he was confused (I know I already used that joke, but its the truth. Malkin always looks confused).

PSaMP is happy that Lindy Ruff didn't get the Adams again. The dude's name is Lindy. And he looks like the cousin of bitter beer face. Simply put.

Malkin Wins Calder!

Evgeni Malkin, superstud rookie from your Pittsburgh Penguins, won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's ultra-cool, sweet-ass, gnarly, spectacular rookie of the year!

Malkin beat fellow teammate Jordan Staal, as well as Colorado forward Paul Stastny. Malkin celebrated by continually looking dumbfounded and confused. Malkin received 120 of 143 votes. Stastny came in 2nd and Staal was 3rd.

Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby were denied the Calder last year, with the award going to phenom Alexander Ovechkin. Malkin made sure to finally bring the award back to Pittsburgh. And by Pittsburgh, I mean Russia.

Sid Wins Pearson!

The NHL named your Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, as the youngest recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Award. The award is given to the most valuable player as judged by the NHL's players association.

The last Penguin to receive the Pearson was Jaromir Jagr's mullet, which won in 2000. Jagr's mullet is also the last Penguin player to win the Hart, which Sid is up for as well.

Sid staved off Vinny Lecavalier and Roberto Luongo, the other Pearson finalists. Sid still needs to beat Luongo, as well as goalie Marty Brodeur, if he wants to win the Hart.

PSaMP will be here to let you know how the Hart shakes out.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-14-07

Yes! What's the next best thing to videos of mini ponies? Uh...how about chronological action stills of mini ponies.

Today's MPotD is named Panda. Panda was being taught how to climb stairs. Even though the crappy plastic stairs tipped over, Panda was not startled, and eventually prevailed over the cheap obstacle.

Congratulations, Panda. I have nothing to give you but a place of notoriety as MPotD!

One-Time Penguins' Savior Balsillie to Try to Move Preds

This is news? Everyone in Pittsburgh knew Jim Balsillie wanted to move the Pens. Now he's doing the same to the Preds.

This dude doesn't even deserve any more mentions in Pittsburgh. He put on the "I want to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh" facade, but his knees buckled when Mario said the sale would only go through if the Pens stayed in Pittsburgh. Balsillie showed his true colors and left.

The Predator fan base holds no candle to that of the Pens, and Nashville is hardly a place for hockey. A move makes sense, but PSaMP just can't stand Jim Balsillie. And PSaMP in no way manipulated his Blackberry on MS Paint. It actually said that. I saw it with my own two eyes.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-13-07

Coolest. Picture. Ever.

This is Thumbellina, the world's smallest horse. Thumbellina has been the MPotD before, but that was 3 months ago, and it was during the earliest moments of this site. I'm guessing about 3 people read my site then, so Thumbellina deserves another go-around as MPotD. And this picture is so much sweeter.

Thumbellina looks depressed about something. Much like PSaMP is depressed today. PSaMP is waving the equivalent of an internet white flag in the Hot Blogger Bracket. Unless 30 or so people decide they love PSaMP, it looks like Joe Speaker will be the one moving on. Damn.

I tip my hat (although I'm not wearing one right now) to Joe Speaker. I am not hotter than you. Should you advance far enough to take on Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Blog, who has the support of the entire Wildcat nation, I will gladly vote for you. Not because I think you're hot. That's just weird. Only because you'll need all the help you can get.

So PSaMP bows out of the competition. It was a fun ride. But one I would eventually lose anyway. Many thanks to the Ladies... for seeding PSaMP #2. It was very unexpected. I love you all...




/drops the mike and walks away.

Reasons to Keep Watching the Bucs This Season. Refreshed!

Wow. I updated my list to reason #22 on May 27th. That means the Buccos had 22 wins as of May 27th. Thanks to the 7-5 win over the Rangers last night, the Pirates now have 27 wins. That makes 5 wins. In 17 days. Awesome. 27-37. Only 10 games below .500.

No matter the record, PSaMP is here to give you logical reasons to keep watching your favorite baseball team (well, my favorite baseball team, at least), even though interleague is still going on. So here's 5 more reasons to not switch allegiance to another team.

Reasons to Keep Watching the Bucs This Season. Reasons 1-17.

18. Tony Armas Jr. is in the Bullpen. Your starter needs to eat up innings. Jim Tracy constantly preaches this point. Including his one relief appearance and 7 starts, Tony Armas Jr. has averaged 3.6 (I rounded up) innings per appearance. I called for his head, as did the entire Pirate fan community, it seems. The safest place for Armas is the 'Pen, or if he can't fix his "stuff," (I can't stand when analysts refer to a pitcher's "stuff," as in, "His stuff is nasty") maybe he should be demoted further.

19. Ronnie Florian. Honestly. This guy makes me proud to be a Pirates fan. He is the entire embodiment of Pittsburgh. How can you not tune in to Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh, just for the hope of glimpsing the ultimate Pirates superfan? And if anyone wants to hear the perfect 'Burgh accent, you need only click here. The wins may be uncertain, but at least Ronnie will be there to reassure you.

20. The Brewers are an April/May Flare. Shocking! This is my take on the young Brew-Crew. Its nice to see a young team excel early, but I don't know if the Brewers acn sustain success for a full season. This year, they are 28-21. Last year on May 27th, the Brewers were 26-24. They finished 75-87. I liken them to the '06-'07 Penguins. Their combination of youth and talent will produce a good number of wins this year, but how long will the youth serve Milwaukee? And baseball players goes through a season that's twice as long as hockey. I'm hesitant to call the Brewers a playoff team, yet. The Buccos aren't completely out of the race for the NL Central, and need to string together a few wins to chip away at .500, and then Milwaukee.

21. ADD Laroche is Above the Mendoza Line. He's finally cracked .200. He needs to raise his batting average by about .100+ in the next 2-or-so games for me to be happy, though. That's all he gets, for now.

22. Freddy Sanchez. The Defending NL Batting Champ's first appearance as an actual reason to keep with the Buccos. Sure, he had a brief mention or so, but that was under reasons dedicated to other players/scenarios, and only because Adam Hyzdu isn't in a Pirate uniform anymore. Up until now, Fred-Ex (because he always delivers) didn't look suitable to defend a major title. Going 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs today, Freddy sits at a more-respectable .288. Its about time he gets his own mention.

UPDATED REASONS 23-27:

23. Jason Bay. The Canadian catches way too much shit from Bucco fans. Occasionally, I am one of those Bucco fans. Bay's finally coming around, though, and his numbers are starting to look a lot better. His 45 RBIs are only 7 behind NL leader Chase Utley's 52. And Bay was named NL Offensive Player of the Week not too long ago. I think that's enough for Jason to get mentioned here.

24. Don Kelly is in the Minors. I know teams like to employ a hometown guy. The Pirates love the idea. Last year, the experiment was Sean Casey. That didn't work out at all, and The mayor was gone before the season ended. This year, it was Don Kelly. I know bench players struggle, because of the irregularities of the at-bats. Some bench players might only get 4 or 5 at-bats in a week, so you can't expect a hit every time. But 4 hits in 24 ABs? Kelly sported a .154 average with the same slugging percent. Go to the minors, Don. I know our roster might not be the best, but you're just not ready for the bigs.

25. Dan Kolb is in the Majors. Don Kelly's out, and a journeyman reliever with a veteran presence is in. I don't expect Kolb to be the best reliever on the team. However, Kolb is a veteran, and proved his worth in Indianapolis. A lot of veterans would rather be cut and go to some hellhole like Tampa Bay or Cincinnati rather than be designated for assignment in Triple-A. Kolb took the assignment, and showed Pittsburgh brass that he was worth the call-up. Now go make us proud, Danny.

26. We Still Play in the NL Central. Yeah, this is a duplicate, but its the real deal. The Central sucks. Milwaukee is still leading, with a 34-30 record. That's only 7 more wins than the lowly Buccos. Pittsburgh sits in 4th place, but is only 1.5 games behind 2nd place Chicago. Only the Central can let a team like the Buccos hang around.

27. Interleague Doesn't Last All Year. After this series with the Rangers, the Buccos play the the White Sox, Mariners and Angels. I was a little overzealous by hoping that Pittsburgh could take 2 of 3 from the Yanks. I'll be a little realistic this time. I'm hoping Pittsburgh can win one game in each interleague series from here on out. If we can get more than one in each series, I'll be more than pleased. And once the Angels series is over, its back to NL opponents. Unless, of course, the team makes the World Series, but that's a little ridiculous to think about at this point.

ESPN is Aware of PSaMP

Deadspin is a lifeline to small, biased bloggers like yours truly. I don't write for the fame or notoriety. If I wanted that, I would pick a topic that has a larger audience. Yinzers and mini pony lovers don't populate the entire world. I know that.

Its done out of passion. PSaMP doesn't have a huge readership, because if it did, there would be no way I'd be losing to a stretched-out Baba Booey from Howard Stern in the Hot Blogger Bracket. Just kidding, Joe Speaker. I'm starting to appreciate your site(s).

Getting to the point, I like to check in on who visits my site, and how they found it. Its actually really easy, especially when you run a biased blog that averages a manageable amount of hits a day. When Deadspin picks up a story, like it did with my Ben Roethlisberger/motorcycle crash anniversary post today, it gets increasingly difficult to monitor my visitors. Deadspin mentions = golden.

I just found it funny that tWWL used Deadspin as a vehicle to access my site today. PSaMP has gotten several reads from the Bristol campus, and this specific visitor has checked PSaMP out before. ESPN and sportsblogs are in a constant struggle, basically because blogs can criticise ESPN and sports stories to a level that is unacceptable at tWWL. As sportsblogs become more relevant, and Deadspin reaches new levels of prominence, ESPN's claim to be "the World Wide Leader" takes another hit.

Is this a life-changing event, that ESPN reads sportsblogs? Hell no. I'd be foolish to even make that claim. It just makes a small, biased sportsblogger feel proud that someone at the big E used a major sportsblog to eventually access my stupid mumblings. Kinda makes me feel important, on some small, barely significant level.

And to all of you who check out PSaMP everyday, don't think your reads go unrecognized. I know where you're from, and how you find me. Not to a creepy, stalker-esque level, but to an appreciative, thankful level.

So read on. It means a lot on this end.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-12-07

This MPotD is more about the kid in the picture rather than the horse (although the tiny horse is still a badass).

In honor of today being the 1-year anniversary of Big Ben crashing his Suzuki into a Chrysler, today's MPotD is telling everyone to be like this kid. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!

Sure, the PSa in PSaMP can now stand for Public Sevice Announcement rather than Pittsburgh Sports and, but helmets are never a bad deal. Sure, they may mess up your 'do, but they also save you from frightening head injuries.

So kiddies, no matter if you're riding Suzuki Hayabusas or mini ponies, don't be like Big Ben, and always wear your helmet.

(I type this as a kid rides past my house on an aluminum scooter with no helmet and two Turner's Iced Teas in one hand. The two cartons in one hand was pretty impressive, though.)

Oh God! The Night Terrors Are Starting Again!

Leave it to Will to bring up the bad memories.

Jeff Reed is at it again (More pics if you dare follow the link). No, no privates were involved this time, but he is shirtless, which is nearly as bad. Jeff's still a fan of the manscaping, as the Deadspin pictorial clearly shows.

I justified my reasons for picking a kicker in round 2 of Awful Announcing's Sportsbloggers Mock Draft. The first round of pictures were reason enough. After seeing these pics, I don't think PSaMP's pick of Mason Crosby was unjust at all.

Reed has a way of standing out. Unfortunately, it usually involves a naked part of his body.

I'm gonna go wash my brain. Let me know if anything (that's not terrifying) happens while I'm gone.

Happy Ghost Rider Anniversary, Ben Roethlisberger!

June 12th. A day that will live in infamy (sorry for stealin' your line, FDR).

Last year, on this very day, Ben Roethlisberger's Suzuki Hayabusa (all of Pittsburgh learned about that model) decided to take on a Chrysler New Yorker.

Big Ben's accident was startling to the entire city, if not the entire nation. After becoming the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, Ben decided to take a few chances (take a few chances = ride Suzuki's fastest bike with no helmet).

Coverage of the accident escalated throughout the season, as Ben's fake face decided to struggle mightily. Was the accident to blame for Ben's failures? The appendicitis? An unblocked Bart Scott?

The Roethlisberger accident generated the kind of buzz that places it firmly in Pittsburgh sports lore. Most Pittsburgh fans can tell you what they were doing during the Immaculate Reception. Or any of the Super Bowl wins. Or any of the AFC Championship losses. Roethlisberger's crash became one of those instances.

I was at Nigro's restaurant in North Versailles, near Duquesne. That place has awesome food. My great-Aunt Metz (Mary, but she was Serbian) had just passed away, and the family gathered at Nigro's after the funeral. All at once, I heard several distant cousins talking about a crash. All I heard was, "stupid" and "Steelers" and "no helmet" and "motorcycle crash." Pretty soon, the topic of the day had shifted from Aunt Metz to Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh sports icons have a way of displacing beloved family members.

If you remember where you were/what you were doing, feel free to drop me a comment/email.

Oh, and Happy Ghost Rider Anniversary, Ben!

Mini Pony of the Day 6-11-07

Today's MPotD reflects the mood. All the positives from the first round of the Hot Blogger Bracket are nullified by an early deficit in round 2. PSaMP wants the blue ribbon, but its within the reach of Joe Speaker.

PSaMP is staring at a 10% deficit, as Joe Speaker took an early 55%/45% advantage over PSaMP. Little by little, though, the deficit is shrinking, and hopefully the deficit becomes an advantage before the polls close on June 13th. That's two more days, faithful readers! If you want PSaMP to get the blue ribbon (hence the cool picture above), then you need to vote. Go to the Ladies... official page, or vote on the hacked poll that graces PSaMP!

PSaMP needs you. Miniature ponies need you. Do what you gotta do!

Torina Henley Leads Passion Over Philly

Yes, I already told you that the Passion won. However, I figured I'd hit you up with some more cool facts about the game, as well as where your favorite players stand against the rest of the league.

Torina anchored the offense, rushing for 127 yards on 15 carries. She averaged 8.5 yards a touch, and scored twice on the ground. Her 834 rushing yards are good for 3rd in the league. PSaMP is hoping that Torina is able to muster 166 rushing yards in next week's game, in order to break the 1000-yard mark. She is also 3rd in the league in scoring, with her ridiculous 90 points accumulated.

Lisa Horton, Pittsburgh's star QB, completed 9 of 15 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. Like Henley, she is 3rd in the league...but for passing (obviously). Her passer rating stands at 121.9, behind Allison Cahill's 134.8. Cahill has attempted 21 fewer passes, though.

Kara Prentice, who proved her worth as a more-than-capable backup QB throughout the season, completed one of her 3 pass attempts for 9 yards.

Olivia Griswold failed to lead the team in tackles. Her 5 tackles were 2nd to Ava Nickens and Michelle Brevard, who both had 7. Nickens also recorded 2 sacks.

I mistakenly wrote that the team finished undefeated. However, the team has one more game. The 7-0 record looks to be unchallenged, as the team plays the Central PA Vipers next weekend. Central PA is 1-6. PSaMP thinks an un-Passion-like performance can still be good enough to finish undefeated.

Vote For Tec! (Again!)

I need (more of) your help. Your votes helped push PSaMP to the 2nd round of the Hot Blogger Bracket.

If you wanna skip the bracket and get straight to the meat, go here. If you don't vote for PSaMP, then I guess I will deal with it.

If you struggle at following links, here is the poll-thingy. Vote for PSaMP. And only PSaMP.



In the first round, PSaMP was pitted against the Futon Report, a sportsblog that I was conscious of. I can't say that this time.

PSaMP's nemesis is now Joe Speaker, of Up For Sports. He also writes for The Obituarium. If this wasn't a competition, I would be telling you to check out the sites, and see if there's anything you like. But this is battle.

The voting has just started, and PSaMP is currently up, 61%/39%. I doubt the margin will stay that large, seeing as how both sites have less than 50 votes apiece. So do your job. Vote early. Vote often. And make sure those votes are for PSaMP.

I would love to add Up For Sports or The Obituarium to my Wild Ass Links section, the shared fate of all my vanquished opponents, should PSaMP continue on.

Team PSaMP vs. Joe Speaker. The powers of good will prevail!

Mini Pony of the Day 6-10-07

Yo kid. Move. You're blocking the cool little horse. And you got poo or something on your face. Go clean up.

Click This

Wow. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. If you are a Pittsburgh fan, you will enjoy all of these sports Wikipedia entries.

- Ben Roethlisberger. He is also the second coming of Ghost Rider.
- Jerome Bettis. Jerome Bettis is fat and has asthma.
- Hines Ward. MVP of Superbowl XL, where he was one of the only players on the field who didn't play like shit.
- Pittsburgh Steelers. Teams that think they're the Steelers' rivals but aren't because they suck.
- Pittsburgh Pirates. Need to be sold to Mark Cuban ASAP.
- Xavier Nady. Source of many an idiotic catchphrase.
- Lloyd McClendon. Shitty Managers.
- NL Central. The National League's most central division.
- Pittsburgh Penguins. Houston? Kansas City?
- Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately the wheels began to fall off the bus right away as broadcaster Eddie Olczyk inexplicably posed as the head coach of the team, something he was woefully unqualified to do. Because the Mellon Arena lacks telephone hookups, however, the team was powerless to do anything, and the man they had actually hired to coach the team went to Carolina and did something there.
- Jim Paek. Known as "Rice on Ice" by friends and acquaintences.

Oh, and this line, from the Steelers page.

Troy intercepted 4 passes with his hair, but one was overturned in the playoffs because Pete Morelli is racist against Samoans.

It hurts to laugh.

BREAKING NEWS: Bullington Leaves Game With Shoulder Discomfort

These are not words that Pittsburgh fans needed to hear.

The freshly swept Buccos needed no more bad news. Alex Rodriguez hit 2 homers today, finishing off a sweep of the Pirates at Yankee Stadium. Over in Indianapolis, one of the team's top prospects, Bryan Bullington, left today's game after pitching one inning.

Bullington's line was indicative that something was wrong. He allowed 2 walks, a double and a run on 24 pitches. Half of those were strikes.

After Bullington left with shoulder discomfort, the Indians managed 3 runs, but lost 4-3 to Charlotte. Bullington (9-3), after giving up the early run, recorded the loss.

PSaMP hopes that discomfort in the extent of the injury.

Passion Win! Passion Win!

No. I'm not going to discuss the whole Pirates/Roger Clemens game. I need something else to get that bitter taste outta my mouth. How about...women's' football!

The Passion dominated dismantled crushed worked beat (I'm trying to be nice) the Philadelphia Phoenix, 40-0. The concludes the regular season for the Passion, and that unblemished 7-0 record looks damn pretty. Take that, 1972 Dolphins.

The NWFA, which usually doesn't put stats out until Monday, again has failed to provide any information about the game. PSaMP will have it covered, as soon as I find out more than the score.

Torina Henley rushed for 127 yards on 15 carries. She also scored twice.

7-0! Kickass!

Cool First Round Win!

PSaMP prevailed! Although an early 30% advantage started to slip away, PSaMP proved victorious, and won its first round matchup against the Futon Report. You can see the results on the official poll below. Over 700 votes for PSaMP! The support is overwhelming. PSaMP appreciates all the votes, and hopes the support continues throughout the bracket.

The least I could do was add my vanquished opponent to my Wild Ass Links section. Keep up the voting, and help PSaMP cut through the competition like a bazooka through butter.

Keep Voting

My Hot Blogger Bracket Matchup is getting tight. Keep voting to help PSaMP get recognized. I have faith in you all!

Mini Pony of the Day 6-9-07

This is all you get today. After a hellstorm yesterday, power was finally restored at my house after 18 hours. This is my only free moment today, so I decided to give you a video. Videos of mini ponies > pictures of mini ponies. Have fun. We will talk more tomorrow.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-8-07

TGItMPotD!

Nothing says hot June Friday more than lazily draping yourself over your favorite chair. Its hot. And wicked humid. I'm making love to this box fan that is right next to me. Its so close that I can do that cool Darth Vader voice by speaking directly into it.

Go find refuge from the heat. Take lessons from this cool little dude. Find a chair. And a box fan. Speak like Darth Vader, if you want.

Nady Well Enough to DH

Xavier Nady's tight left hammy might be healed enough to let Bucco DH in the upcoming interleague showdown with the Yankees. Jim Tracy isn't even stopping there, and said Nady could even return to the field if he feels well enough, allowing Ryan Doumit to DH.

The Buccos could use Nady's bat, so the upcoming 15-game interleague stretch might be a blessing in disguise (I say this very timidly). The Buccos have never done well in interleague games.

They are 52-84 overall since the leagues began crisscrossing in 1997, and that includes 10 opposition sweeps in 46 series and a 19-46 mark in American League parks.

Nady won't have to rush back from his injury, and a DH role can help his hammy heal. I mean, Doumit's stats as a DH in the last 2 years of interleague play are terrible. 6-33, .182, no homers, 4 RBIs. Nady can DH, instead of possibly re-injuring his hammy in the field, and put a fresh Pirate bat into a foreign position.

But its up to the entire team to turn the horrible interleague record around. The Buccos always seem to be in the same position at this point every year. Somewhere between 5-10 games back of the NL Central leader, with no clear team willing to be the Central frontrunner. Interleague comes along, and the Buccos decide to stink it up...again.

The promises of April seem to turn into the realities of May. June and interleague bring the night terrors that eventually decimate the team. July through September is then soured by the roster expansion, and the experimental 9-man rosters that resemble D-II college teams.

Matt Capps' almost-certain suspension will not help a damn thing. His suspension (from the Prince Fielder incident, now 5 weeks old) will not be overturned, and the team will be without one of its best relievers for 4 games. Capps will pitch against the Yanks, but Salomon Torres will still have to (possibly) close 4 games against either the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners or Los Angeles Angels. Including New York, the Buccos are 9-23 against their upcoming AL opposition.

Gorzo (6-3 2.53 ERA) takes the mound against Andy Pettitte (3-4 2.96 ERA) tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Can Your Wheelchair Do 50?

This is absolutely ridiculous. I first saw this on Yahoo, and it is stunning. Ben Carpenter, a young man with Muscular Dystrophy was inadvertantly "swept away" as he took a quick trip around the block. As he was crossing the street, a semi tuck hit the man's wheelchair, causing it to get get stuck in the truck's grill. The truck pushed the wheelchair at speeds of up to 50 MPH, for roughly 4 miles. The unaware truck driver only stopped after being pursued by alerted police.

Carpenter, 21, of Michigan, thought his ordeal would end only after 50 or 60 miles. He thought he might not survive the trip.

I would drop the kids off...in my pants...if this ever happened to me. And the handicapped man seems so calm about the whole ordeal.

Crazy.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-7-07

This looks like one of those, "You must be this tall" signs at the rides at Kennywood, or whatever amusement park is nearest to you. Only in this instance, the sign would read:

You must be this small to rule!

Go ahead, cool pony. You qualify.

Pirates Draft...Another Pitcher!

All that talk about Matt Wieters and Josh Vitters...unheard. Did we really believe that the Buccos would look anywhere else besides the pitching prospects? The Pirates decided to try to ruin another pitcher, and selected Clemson lefty Daniel Moskos. Here's the line that gets me.

He was ranked by Baseball America as the fifth-best pitcher available in the draft.

A lot of people (Joe Starkey) had high hopes for the 4th pick, but the Buccos, who don't know basic math, used the 4th pick on the 5th best pitcher. I. Am. So. Confused.

Vitters went 3rd to the Cubbies, while Wieters sandwiched the Bucs, and went at number 5 to the Orioles.

Here's Pittsburgh's recent first rounders. Remember, the Buccos have been terrible (aka under .500) each year, so I've included the position and overall selection of each pitcher player.

Daniel Moskos P. 4th.
Brad Lincoln P. 4th.
Andrew McCutchen OF. 11th.
Neil Walker C. 11th.
Paul Maholm P. 8th.
Bryan Bullington P. 1st.
John Van Benschoten P. 8th.
Sean Burnett P. 19th.
Bobby Bradley P. 8th.
Clint Johnston 1B. 15th.
J.J. Davis 1B-P. 8th.
Kris Benson P. 1st.

Including J.J. Davis, the Pirates made Moskos the the 9th pitcher taken in the last 12 first rounds. Maholm is the only one currently (barely) on the active roster. Bullington and Van Benschoten are waiting to be called up, but Jim Tracy is sticking with Zach Duke and Maholm for some reason.

The Pirates are hoping that Moskos turns out to be a potential closer, instead of a wishing that Moskos becomes a starter. That was the mistake made with each and every other pitcher outlined above, so maybe the Pirates are turning the page and going in a different direction. Even if that direction is remarkably similar to 9 of the previous 12.

Thursday Reads

Its Thursday, you've voted for PSaMP countless times (probably not, but its good to dream) in the Hot Blogger Bracket, and now you want to know what's going on, sports-wise, in the 'Burgh. PSaMP, as always, is here to deliver.

- Keep voting for PSaMP! What, this shouldn't be first? PSaMP can't get its message to a wider audience if you don't vote. Plus, my 65%/35% advantage has slipped to 58%/42%. I'm holding down 500 votes right now, so PSaMP has gotten a lot more support than I ever could have dreamed. Thanks for every vote! I'll try to make you all proud!

- Lawrence Timmons and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus (great...), have not opened contract negotiations with the Stillers yet. I'm going to throw out a few numbers, and you guess what they signify:

9
13

Sacks? Forced fumbles? Passes defended? What do 9 and 13 mean?

Ok, I'll tell you. Timmons has missed 9 consecutive voluntary organized team activity sessions and 13 consecutive team practices since he hurt his groin on May 11th. Timmons has been facing some major questions/criticisms since Pittsburgh selected him earlier than most teams had him on their draft boards. If he wants to quiet the naysayers, Timmons better find a way to get on the field and get signed. PSaMP is already a huge fan of 2nd rounder LaMarr Woodley, so Timmons is playing catch-up from the get-go.

- Not Pittsburgh-related, but PSaMP wants to send a congratulations to Trevor Hoffman, who recorded his 500th save last night! That is a ridiculous feat. He doesn't have a Mariano Rivera-cutter. He doesn't have a (2004 or 2005) Eric Gagne fastball. He does it with a changeup. That is something that young pitchers need to emulate.

With the steroids era, the Hall of Fame Number of 500 usually meant home runs. With the steroids cloud, the 500 homer club became awfully diluted, and now Gary Sheffield and Jim Thome (both PSaMP favorites) are knocking on that proverbial door. Trevor Hoffman is now the first and only member of the 500 save club. And he saved Greg Maddux's 338th win. Both of those numbers are incredible! Trevor Hoffman, you have the full support of PSaMP, and I hope you are a first-ballot HOFer.

- Salomon Torres did it again. The Buccos lost 6-5, after ADD Laroche hit a game-tying 3-run shot. The Buccos were down 5-1, and even lost Xavier Nady to a minor hammy injury. Torres loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th, with 2 outs, and gave up the winning run on a wild pitch. Torres was even shown giving Ronny Paulino the pitch signal he wanted while the batter looked in his own dugout. So not only did he throw the wild pitch, but he called for it as well.

Torres is past his prime. Unlike the Stillers, who get rid of players too early rather than too late, the Pirates stick with bad players for God-knows-what-reason. My sister had this card of Salomon.

That was Topps '94. This is 2007. 13 years is a long time to be in the majors, and players rarely peak this late in their careers (unless your name starts with Barry B and ends in -onds). PSaMP has been a fan of Torres throughout his career in Black and Gold, but he needs to be demoted, traded, or something. PSaMP called for Tony Armas' head, and it worked. Now, PSaMP is doing the same for Torres.

- The Pirates are thinking about spending some of the 2008 preseason in China. That's the only place people will watch them.

- Stillers WR Nate Washington is trying to minimize dropped passes. Washington provided some timely catches during the Super Bowl run through the playoffs, and has the ability to be a big-time performer. All this after being undrafted out of D-II Tiffin.

PSaMP likes WR Walter Young, who can't seem to ever make it out of the preseason. Washington is also a fave, so minimizing "mishaps," as Washington calls dropped passes, would be a huge boost to his career. Young would need an enormous preseason to make the roster, especially after the team drafted Dallas Baker in the final round. No matter who is on the team, dropped passes need to be eliminated.

- Joe Starkey of the Trib wants the Buccos to take Georgia Tech catcher Matt Wieters with the #4 pick in todays draft. Wieters is viewed as the best player available in the draft, but the Buccos have Ronny Paulino. Wieters is a franchise catcher, who could be in the majors in a very short amount of time.

The Post-Gazette thinks the Buccos have limited options. I agree with the PG. Take 3rd baseman Josh Vitters. I know that Jose Bautista is young as well, but Vitters would spend more time in the minors than Wieters. Yeah, our farm-team catcher situation is less than desirable, but drafting Wieters doesn't help that if he's going to be in the bigs within a year or so.

Despite my mumblings, the decision is not in PSaMP's hands. Us fans will have to live with whoever the Bucs choose. I just hope its not another pitcher.

That's enough for now. I feel like Bill Simmons or something, what with the 3,000-word essay and all. I apologize for the longass post, but it'll keep you occupied until I find a cool miniature horse. Or until something else substantial happens to our sports community.

BREAKING NEWS: Nady Leaves Game With Hamstring Injury

The Buccos are currently down 3-1 against the lowly Nats, and Zach Duke is trying to prove that his rookie season was no joke. Unfortunately, X-Man Nady, who opened the season on fire and had a clutch, 4-RBI game last night, left tonight's game clutching his left hammy.

The injury is said to be minor, but the Buccos can ill afford to lose Nady's bat.

Shit, now its 5-1 Nats. Zach Duke is looking more and more like Ollie Perez. Great for one season, then horrible for the next two. We should trade him so he can go be an ace in some major metropolitan area, too.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-6-07

Even with all the love from the Ladies..., there are times when I just want to lay low and throw a few back with the boys.

Yeah, that could mean my college buddies, but I was really referring to The Boys. Meet Jingler (I think that is the name. Can't really tell), Peanut, Buddy and Barney. I'm guessing the only reason they are hanging out next to each other is the whole leash/wooden post thing, and also because they don't have opposable thumbs (or any thumbs, for that matter). However, I like to think that The Boys are fast friends, who'd have their chums' backs in case a rival was throwin' up gang signs or disrupting R. Kelly or something.

No matter the case, The Boys deserve their spot as MPotD.





Side note: Blogger Spell Check does not understand the word "opposable." Guess its a bunch of monkeys running the site (ba-zing).

Vote For Tec!

I don't claim to be hot, but I need your help. Visit the lovely Ladies..., and vote for PSaMP in the Hot Blogger Bracket. I've been named a #2 seed in my bracket, behind only the famous Will Leitch from Deadspin.

Ultra flattering!

But PSaMP can't go anywhere without your votes.

Again, the Ladies...' post is here.

To bypass it directly and to go straight to the voting, click here.

(I'm currently holding down a 65%/35% advantage over The Futon Report, a blog that PSaMP has been a huge fan of.)

Do your thing. Follow the link and get PSaMP recognized!

Please Pray For Alianna Marie Haggans

I try to refrain from overly-serious posts, but this needs to be addressed. Clark Haggans, an outstanding linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is facing a possible tragedy, as his infant daughter fights for her life in Las Vegas.

Alianna Marie Haggans was born premature, and is battling complications from her birth. Haggans has been one of my favorite Steelers, although he has spent a majority of his time with the team as a backup to guys like Joey Porter and Jason Gildon (remember him?) towards the end of their years in Black and Gold.

I was born premature. I'm lucky to be here in good health, 23 years after being born a month and a half too early. My mid-August birth came as a surprise, as my parents were expecting me to arrive in late September/early October. Premature births are nothing to laugh about. Haggans and his family will be in my thoughts and prayers everyday.

Aside from the off-the-field worries, Haggans is entering the final year of his contract. Now, the Steelers are notorious for waiting until the last minute to re-sign guys, and even let guys go too early rather than too late. But I like Haggans. His blend of speed and athleticism are a great fit for the 'Burgh. However, the team did draft future linebackers in the first and second rounds of the '07 draft, and Polamalu and Roethlisberger are contract priorities. Its up to the Rooneys to keep Haggans. I respect every decision they make, because their choices are rarely wrong.

Haggans, though, can provide veteran leadership to a linebacking corps that will be loaded with youth in the coming years. PSaMP is reaching out to the Steelers organization to keep Haggans beyond '07-'08.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-5-07

Visible high five!







Much respect to ichc.

This one is funny.

Pittsburgh RiverRats to Send 5 All-Stars

Praise must be given to the Pittsburgh RiverRats, the area's expansion AIFA (American Indoor Football Association) team, who in their first full season, will send 5 players to the AIFA All-Star game.

Franchise Quarterback David Dinkins has been one of the most exciting players in the league. His official stats include 45 passing touchdowns, as well as 7 rusing and 3 receiving TDs. His passer rating stands at 94.26, and he has thrown for 1917 yards this season. Against his former team, the Erie Freeze, Dinkins led the RiverRats to scores on every possession, and set a league record with 86 points scored.

Wide Receivers Beau Gibbs and Marko Thomas also made the All-Star squad. Gibbs has 639 receiving yards and 15 scores, while Thomas has 541 yards and 13 TDs.

Joining these three will be Defensive Lineman Phil Tillman and Linebacker T.J. Carden. Tillman has 5 recorded sacks, and Carden is credited with 49 tackles in 11 games.

The RiverRats play their home games at Rostraver Ice Garden on Route 51 in the Belle Vernon/Rostraver area. I've ice skated there in my youth.

The RiverRats (7-7) will travel to Reading to take on the Express (13-2) in the first round of the playoffs on June 9th.

Torres to Return as Closer

Most Pirates fans should be questioning their loyalty to the team after reading that headline. Torres is coming back as closer after what, 2 games? And in those two games, Salomon gave up a lead-changing 2-run shot to Andre Ethier. Why then, is Torres replacing Matt Capps in the closer role?

Don't get your panties in a bunch, Sally. Its a part-time deal. Remember when Capps was ejected for plunking Prince Fielder on the arm? He was subsequently suspended for 4 games. Capps has his suspension-appeal-hearing this weekend, and Torres will replace Capps during the appeal and suspension process. That means Torres, who has been shaky all season, will be called upon to pitch against the Yankees.

Now I know the Yankees of today aren't the Yankees of, say, 7-8 years ago. Paul O'Neill is nowhere to be found. But let us look at The Buccos interleague stats from last year. The Pirates sported a 3-12 record, with a .269 team batting average and a 5.47 ERA. Interleague usually spells doom for the Buccos, so I don't care if the team is playing the Devil Rays, Yankees or BoSox. The bottom line is, the Pirates hardly stand a chance against the American League, no matter the team being played.

At least Torres hasn't regained the entire closer role. I think Capps can do a good job as closer. I mean, he's been really the only Pirate player to show any life/excitement this season. Throwing at Fielder, Capps was asserting his ability to throw inside, no matter who is up at the plate. Not many other Buccos have shown that much life this season. Seriously, are teams intimidated by a roster that includes Jack Wilson, Don Kelly, Humberto Cota (who was just designated for assignment, finally) and Nate McLouth?

Hopefully the Pirates can hold their own against the struggling Yankees. If Pittsburgh can win 2 of 3, and basically tread water while Capps sits out (since I doubt the suspension will get overturned), then the team knows it has a viable option to close out games for the rest of the season.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-4-07

This is either the smallest mini pony, or the largest dog I have ever seen. I'm trying to judge their relative sizes by the human folk who are behind them. But I keep getting distracted by the fact that this pony can probably walk under this dog with little to no problem. And the pony's hair is luxurious.

Meet the Newest Penguins Employee. Ron Porter

No, I'm not talking employee as in free agent signing.

Ron Porter, President and CEO of RDP Consulting Services, Inc., was hired by your Pittsburgh Penguins today.

Porter, 62, of the Hill District, is a consultant, trainer and speaker with expertise in team-building and collaboration between corporations and their communities. He also is an adjunct instructor of multicultural management at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School of Public Policy and Management.

Since the new arena is going to be built in the Hill District, the Pens hired a consultant with close ties to the project at hand. Porter grew up in the area, having gone through the Pittsburgh Public School system. He founded RDP in 1984.

Porter will provide excellent credentials to bridge the gap between old Hill and new Hill. The building of the Civic Arena (loved that name) largely contributed to the decline of the Hill as a cultural center in the '50s, so Porter is headlining the effort to help the new arena revitalize the area. I hope the new arena brings a new life to the former Crossroads of the World.

If Porter succeeds, then HOK Sport and ICON Venue Group, who already have close ties to each other, should be able to work well with the history-laden Hill District.

il logogramma di psamp aggiornato. separa due

This logo banner is killing me. I'm trying not to laugh every time I load this page. That's all I'm going to say.

Steelers Re-Sign Verron Haynes

The Steelers re-signed running back Verron Haynes today. Haynes was cut by the team, which eventually signed running back Kevan Barlow, most recently of the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. Also, with the growing comfort of Najeh Davenport, Verron's place in the Mike Tomlin-era Steelers is far from assured.

Haynes had been the primary 3rd down back in the last 3-4 years of the Bill Cowher-era. His season ended with a knee injury last year, and it required reconstructive surgery.

The re-signing of Haynes means that my Steelers championship hat that Verron signed is still semi-relevant. And even if Haynes is let go again, I still have a Chris Hoke signature right next to that of Haynes. I'll try to take a better picture of the autograph.

Know Your Role, Sizzle

Congrats to the Pittsburgh Passion, who extended their win streak to 6 games, easily defeating the Cincinnati Sizzle 55-7. This win concludes a season sweep of the 2 Ohio franchises, the Cleveland Fusion and the Sizzle. The teams were really no match for the Passion, who used key contributions from a wide assortment of players, including star RB Torina Henley and QB Lisa Horton.

Henley averaged 11.8 yards per carry, with 118 yards on 10 rushes. She also scored 2 touchdowns on the ground. Henley is 6th in the league with 707 yards on the ground. She is 3rd in the league in scoring, recording an unbelievable 78 points for the team.

Horton didn't need to throw the ball a lot, but she made the best of her tosses. She finished 4 for 8 for 56 yards and a score. Her QB rating average for the season stands at 131.5, which is 2nd to the Mass Mutiny's Allison Cahill. She's also 3rd in the league in passing yards, racking up 771 of the like. Backup QB Kara Prentice completed all 3 of her passes for 71 yards and a score.

Jen Moody, conjuring up a little "Slash magic," exerted her influence on the game early and often. I hesitate to use a "Slash" reference, because I don't want her to call herself a QB and fall out of the favor of the fans. However, Moody (above) had 1 rush for 10 yards. She also caught 3 passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. With the Passion holding the Sizzle to 7 points, Moody was called upon to run back only 2 kicks, but she did average 25 yards per return. Jen attempted a pass as well, which wasn't completed.

Wilma Walton caught 1 pass for 47 yards and a score. No one can cover her. I will firmly stand by that fact. The Passion should automatically start out with a 7 point lead, because Walton will eventually burn any opposing team's defense for a long score. Its science. You can't argue with it.

Walton is 7th in the league with 351 yards, despite only recording 11 catches. Her 31.9 yards per catch average is 2nd in the league.

Olivia Griswold added another 10 tackles to push her team-leading total to 70. Those 70 tackles are good for 5th in the league, and only 28 behind the league leader. JoJo Warner, who didn't need to punt at all this week, added 6 tackles of her own.

The Passion have 2 games remaining. Next week, Pittsburgh takes on the Philadelphia Phoenix, who the Passion have already defeated 53-7 this season. An unblemished 7-0 record will look good going into the final game against the Central PA Vipers, who the Passion blanked earlier this year. As long as the team remains focused, and plays each team (no matter how bad they are) with a steadfast intensity, there is no doubt in my mind that the Passion should finish 8-0.

Way to go, Pittsburgh. Keep making us fans proud!

Updated PSaMP Logo!

Check it out. PSaMP, simply put, is a sportsblog dedicated to the Pirates, Penguins and Steelers. The Pens and Stillers probably felt a little left out, seeing as how the Buccos got all the love from the former PSaMP logo. The logo is so much cooler now, but that's my own opinion. Email me at psampmail@gmail.com, or use the comments section to provide your own feedback on the (semi) new logo.

Much love and many thanks go to Sheena Beaston for her tireless work to keep PSaMP looking good.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-3-07

Unprecedented. This makes 3 daily ponies in a row without a single post about 'Burgh sports to break it up.

I was all prepared to update my Reasons to Keep Watching the Bucs This Season list, but the team decided to blow a 4-run lead to the Dodgers, and I don't take losses very well. I'm one to get emotionally involved in the most meaningless of games. Steelers season is the worst. I will try to physically fight you if you talk to me within 100 hours of a Steelers loss. Pirates losses, though way more frequent, still have that same effect.

Gorzo pitched well through 6 2/3, but Jim Tracy decided to let him keep going, although he was clearly losing his "stuff." The 7th ended with the lead cut to 4-3. Salomon Torres worked 1/3 of an inning, and allowed 4 hits. 4 hits! In 1/3 of an inning! One of 'em was a 2-run shot by Andre Ethier to give L.A. a 5-4 advantage. I'm trying not to punch the computer screen as I type this.

The Buccos started the day only 6.5 games behind Milwaukee, and were in 2nd place in the Central. Now, Pittsburgh lost another full game to the Brewers. We sit 7.5 back, and now the horrible Cardinals leapfrogged the Bucs with a (rare) win of their own. Plus Roger Clemens decided to push his first start back. Of course, its against the Buccos. And its (kinda) raining, so I'm in no mood to really talk about sports.

Oh, but the Passion won, yesterday. Take that, Sizzle. There's no info about the game, and the NWFA is trying desperately to update their stats. They are failing. All I know is that the Passion are undefeated. Still. I'll get you the recap promptly.

So maybe this did turn into a sports-related post. I feel like I've neglected the ultra-awesome smiling mini pony with the terrible teeth. Seriously, this pony needs the cutest tube of Crest. He's laughing at the Buccos' feeble attempt to stay relevant in the Central. I hate being all negative, but the Pirates need to put some sort of win streak together. I would rather say that this pony is laughing at the rest of the Central as the Bucs roll to the division lead. But that's a lie.

So enjoy today's MPotD. His teeth may look creepy, but he seems to be in a good mood, unlike PSaMP. I'm gonna go stare at this picture for awhile until I get in a better mood.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-2-07

First and foremost, PSaMP wants to say Happy Anniversary to my parents!

And this is all you get today. I will be outside painting for most of the day, so don't expect any cool sports stories. I'm saving myself for the start of the week. Enjoy the kickass video of a mini pony-powered bicycle.

Mini Pony of the Day 6-1-07

June is upon us, which means a brand new month full of cool little horses. Today's MPotD is actually a bunch of awesome little guys hanging out in a meadow. The one on top of the hill is the best. He's looking out for uncool predators, or possibly more of his tiny friends. Or some sugar. Yeah, probably sugar.

Larry Zierlein Regrets Sending Porn, Pittsburgh Loves Big, White Tight Ends

This is the largest picture of Larry Zierlein on the 'Net. Or at least the largest one I could find.

No matter the size of his mug, Larry Zierlein wants everybody to know that he is, in fact, sorry for sending porn to NFL front offices and Commissioner Roger Goodell. The story comes from Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette.

"It was 100 percent unintentional," Zierlein said yesterday, speaking publicly for the first time about his embarrassing mistake. "I don't even know how to mass e-mail, I don't know these machines very good -- just a 100 percent unintentional thing. I hit the wrong button."

Zierlein says he will only use computers for football-related processes from now on. The 61-year-old seems humbled and embarrassed by the entire incident, so PSaMP isn't going to stay on his case about the whole deal.

Some more news about your Pittsburgh Steelers, on this muggy Friday:

Anybody need a big, white tight end? Chuck Finder of the Trib loves the fact that the Steelers are stockpiling players of the sort.

From left, the Steelers employ Jerame (Jeramy, not Jer-aim) Tuman, Heath Miller, Jonathan Dekker, Cody Boyd and Matt Spaeth. Finder calls Miller "perhaps underused" last season. I say, "No duh" (That's probably the worst comeback ever. Why was that ever popular?". Miller had 34 catches last season, including 5 touchdowns. Cleveland and Baltimore, picking up on the tight end trend (tight tr-end?), got insane numbers out of their TEs last season.

This was an AFC North where Cleveland got 127 receptions from its tight ends, including 89 from Kellen Winslow Jr., and where Baltimore got 95, including 73 from Todd Heap. This was an AFC where Indianapolis totaled 85 receptions from three tight ends and New England 81.

Underused seems a little understated now, Chuck. I think I speak for most of Pittsburgh when I say that Heath Miller can put up Todd Heap-type numbers, and the Steelers still put too much time into Tuman. I understand that new Offensive Coodinator Bruce Arians wants to employ 2 or 3 tight end sets, and even if that happens, the ball still needs to go to Miller. Aside from Hines Ward, Miller has arguably the best hands on the team. Plus, he is difficult to tackle, and always seems to do that cool little spin-dive for extra yards once he is tackled. Simply put, Heath comes to play, and he deserves a bigger role in the offense.