Helping People Rules UPDATED

Another Friday...another half-assed post because my mind is focused directly on the weekend.

Awesome win by the Penguins...despite the fact that the Islanders announcers are the most biased I've heard recently. Highlights are below...I love every time Georges Laraque scores. The video doesn't show his trademark "Jump-Into-The-Glass" celebration, though.

You can find me elsewhere on the web today, and I'll use this post merely as a connecting flight, of sorts.

Last week, I took part in One For The Other Thumb's inaugural spinoff of SI's Pop Culture Grid. I'm back again this week. Check out my answers to cool questions.

Also, my good buddy Sean is going to a Devils/Flyers game in Philly this weekend. He asked a buncha cool bloggers who he should root for, seeing as how they're both division rivals of the Pens...and the outcome of this game could totally alter who the Pens play in the postseason.

UPDATE: My sister, Sheena Beaston, has a brand new interview with yours truly. Now, she runs a music blog, but blood rules allow for a sportsblogger to be interviewed on a music blog.

Make sure to check out Sean's post, Cotter's Pop Culture Grid and Sheena's interview as well.

Pens game highlights should be under these words.

Poor Excuse For A Post

Several posts you should read...because I said so.

Good win by Pitt yesterday. The 18-0 run in the first half was awe-inspiring. I want to believe in this team so bad, and could conceivably win any matchup presented to them. However, I've been hurt by this team too often in the Jamie Dixon/Ben Howland-era to get my hopes up.
Apparently, Pitt won because they rank #6 on Endless Simmer's Top Drunk Food by NCAA Tourney school. The South Side Slope (pictured above) from Fatheads boosted Pitt's standing. Primanti's wasn't on the list, I guess because they didn't want a school appearing twice. We would've had the #1 and #6 seeds locked down.

Also, be sure to head over to One for the Other Thumb, where my buddy Cotter is now riping off emulating SI's Pop Culture Grid. I was a panelist for the first installment, and you can catch it at the link provided.

Huge matchup tomorrow for the Pens. Devils need to go down. In fire.

The Penguins Have A Good Shot At Making The Playoffs

Currently, our beloved Pittsburgh Penguins sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 81 points. Now, its a shared lead, seeing as the Montreal Canadiens also have the same number of points. However, Pittsburgh owns the tiebreaker due to an extra regulation win.

With 15 games remaining until the playoffs (and only 7 points separating playoff slots 1-8), I wanted to see our chances of making the playoffs, and where we could possibly be seeded. For this info, I checked in with the only link on my blogroll with badass next to its name, Sports Club Stats.

On their Penguins page, SCS has an intricate breakdown of the different playoff-seeding possibilities for our club. For example, there is literally no way we can relinquish the top overall seed in the East if we finish 15-0 (obviously), but we also have a nearly perfect chance of staying #1 should we drop 2 games and go to 13-2. With the Devils on our heels, those are the only sure fire ways to hold onto the top seed.

Also, I wanted to see if its possible that we don't make the playoffs (scary). Our playoff chances dip below 100% should we finish the season at 6-8-1 (at the best). We miss out on the playoffs all together if we end the season on a 1-13-1 run. Personally, I like our chances.

If you've never checked out SCS, I suggest you do so at your earliest convenience. Tons of data and analysis about every professional teams' respective chances at making their league playoffs. Fun stuff.

And for you negative nellies out there (I promise never to use negative nellies again), look to the bright side, as Sid is expected to return to the ice tonight.