Kordell Stewart Was Either Gay or Not Gay

Stop me if you've heard this one...

...Kordell Stewart was rumored to be gay...

Yeah? You've heard that, too? It's the rumor that never seemed to have any resolution. We Steelers fans have heard it throughout his time in Pittsburgh, Will Leitch wrote about Stewart's ridiculous denials in God Save the Fan (closed-door meetings with teammates to describe the explicit sex acts he'd perform on the players' wives and girlfriends), and now...former Steeler Plaxico Burress has weighed in on the subject in his new book (link is also in today's MPotD).


"People were talking about [Kordell] being gay," Burress writes in Chapter 5. "The players heard that, but we never talked about it. I don't know if Kordell is gay or not. It was none of our business. If ever we would have talked about it, it would have made everybody uncomfortable. If some player was gay, I don't think he could come out while he was still playing. It would be real hard. It would mess a team up mentally and it wouldn't be good for that person."


Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Stewart's straight-ness. If you come out and say, "Dude wasn't gay," people might believe that said player wasn't gay. If you say, "I don't know if dude was gay," a good many listeners will still question said player's sexuality.

If you're asking me what I think, you've come to the wrong place. If he is into guys, whatev. If he likes chicks, good for him. If he pulls a Tila Tequila and can't decide between the two, I hope he creates a reality dating show in which he gets his heart broken. No homo.

However, PSaMP has come into startling video footage that might finally put this controversy to rest:



LUIGI?!?!?!!!!!!11!!ONE!!11!ELEVEN!!!1!!OMGWTFLMAO

I don't know what to believe anymore.

Yardbarker Is Classy. Misinformed?

Classy move by Yardbarker, wishing former Deadspin editor Will Leitch (still sounds a bit weird saying that) luck with the above image. It's the newest Yardbarker ad, which you'll see on pretty much any blog with Yardbarker ads gracing the layout. And that's the last time you'll hear me say "Yardbarker" that many times in an opening paragraph.

What intrigued me most was the quote attached to Leitch. "Sports bloggers...they're all on Yardbarker." Now, I read Deadspin, and I don't remember that quote. So I did some research (from my mom and dad's basement) and checked out Deadspin on the given date of June 23, 2008. Looks like Yardbarker was way outta context, and actually re-published a dig at them.

YB (I'm sick of saying the full name) used this post, the now famous "What the...?" post Leitch wrote in response to The Big Lead's participation in this L.A. Times article about MSMers vs. bloggers. Here's the quote YB used (bracketed text mine):


We've never had an issue with the way [Buzz] Bissinger handled himself on the show [Costas Now]; the man has a right to his beliefs, and hey, his screaming just played into our hands anyway. That doesn't change the fact that his "argument" was incoherent and, for a writer we've always respected, shockingly wrong-headed. We have literally not met a single sports blogger who said, "Well, jeez, the screaming man on television made me re-evaluate what I do. Perhaps I should apply for that editorial assistant position I'd been hearing about." Jason [McIntyre of TBL] must know an entirely different set of sports bloggers than we do. Maybe they're all on Yardbarker.


Um, if I comprehend correctly, it seems like Will threw a playful dig at the sportsblog community rather than lauding their network. He hadn't heard of said sportsbloggers, so they must be somewhere that he, and certainly others, don't read. Enter Yardbarker.

I have nothing against YB, and their well-wishes were a nice gesture. Hell, I even joined their community a while back, and you can "Bark Me Up" from the bottom of each post, whatever that means. I decided against full-fledged membership, which means I would have to put huge ads at the top of my page. PSaMP is ad-free. It wasn't gonna happen.

So yeah, classy move by YB, but they should probably research their quotes a little next time.

Why a Crappy Pub In Manhattan Is Now the Closest Thing I Have to a Home

(this picture has nothing to do with the post, but that is a truly remarkable shot)

Going into this series, did you think you would ever be turned off by the sight of Lord Stanley?

When NBC cut to the Cup handler removing the trophy from its case and proceeding to polish it, I almost threw up. The Pens had successfully blown a 2-goal lead, Detroit was nearly celebrating the Win and I was in my own state of disbelief.

Now, let's back up for a second.

Will Leitch had an interesting chapter in his latest book, God Save the Fan. The 7th chapter in Part 4, entitled "Why a Crappy Flatiron Yuppie Bar Is Now the Closest Thing I Have to a Home," really means something more than just words on paper now. It talks of Will's struggles with being a Midwestern boy and Cardinals fan in the heart of New York City. What are the displaced fans to do when their team is making a historic run?

To make a long story short, the chapter is about Will finding a group of Cardinals fans at a random bar in the city, and making unreal bonds with other fans who share the same connection and disconnection based around a sports team. St. Louis was in the World Series, and the closest Will had to home was the random bar with other Cards fans.

First time through the book, I had to stop right there, because I thought Will was full of shit (had to do it, for you Bissinger fans). Being originally from Pittsburgh, I can tell you firsthand that nothing beats being right at the heart of huge sports happenings. The Super Bowl XL victory parade? Ridiculous. I didn't think you could get that type of excitement in another city. Everyone who watched that on tv from whatever exotic location you were in at the time...you missed out big time.

Then, as you all know, I moved to New York. Suddenly, I was a sports fan with no city, a man trapped away from all he holds dear (FSN Pittsburgh). I moved shortly after the NHL All Star game this past regular season. The Pens were streaking towards the playoffs, and I was stuck trying to find live feeds online. Even when the games started being broadcast on Versus, or MSG for the Rangers series, I stayed at the apartment, nervously pacing back and forth. I needed another fan, and the words in GSTF started ringing true in my mind. Perhaps I could find a home away from home.

Trust me, its not easy to find a Penguins bar right after dismantling the Rangers. The locals don't take kindly to you displaying the colors of the team that just eliminated their Rags.

But I found one. A great group of people who rival my fandom. I can talk about Jim Paek, or the North Side or Nigro's Restaurant and people know what I mean. In New York City!

Which brings us to the epic, 3-OT game from last night. I watched a guy bloody up his knee while wearing a suit because the Pens scored and we needed to celebrate. I saw groups of people nervously pounding on the tables as the OT minutes kept passing by. I wasn't alone in my stupid antics. Everyone had the same feelings. And these are mostly displaced Pittsburghers, some out of state fans, chicks from Holland and Sweden, friends from California. Everyone was united by the Pens...

...And hatred for the Cup. Honestly, I get chills every time they show Mario on that badass NHL commercial. However, seeing the Cup last night with the Wings up 3-2 was sickening at best. I never thought I'd get so angry seeing that beautiful Cup, but it happened with a few minutes left in the third last night. And I wasn't alone. I don't know if I've ever seen a larger collective chorus of cusses then when NBC cut to the Cup handler. Just as players don't like to touch Stanley until they win it, the fans don't want to see it when the other team is close to taking the prize.

Now, I fully understand the feelings Leitch had during the Cards' World Series run. That "back-home excitement" was present in a basement pub in Manhattan. It felt like we were all in the Civic Arena. Or at least out on the lawn.

Will the Pens take the Cup, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit? As much of a homer as I am, I can't say that we'll win for sure. I'm a 100% optimist, always wanting a win, but I have to realize that we're still a ways away.

But we're still alive, and the Penguins have brought together a bunch of out-of-place Pittsburghers...

...Who really don't want to see the Cup in Pittsburgh on Wednesday (however weird that may sound).

A Review of Deadspin's GSTF Book Tour: Part 2

R.I.P. John Rocker.

No...not the guy (although there are probably a few minorities and some queers with AIDS who just had a mini-fit after reading that. And now that I've written "queers with AIDS," I can expect a rather different crowd of Googlers).

Last night was the final stop on Deadspin's GSTF Book Tour, taking place in Brooklyn at BookCourt, a small, independent book store. And not "cozy" small. Like...nearly-sitting-on-the-dude-next-to-me's-lap-small.

Since I decided to give you a rundown of New York reading #1 yesterday, I figured I'd at least let you know about New York reading #2 (I hope people don't Google "reading #2" often. My traffic is about to increase on an unhealthy level).

Anyway, since it was the final stop on the tour, Will was probably burnt out as all hell. I mean, I'd be if i was in 'Zona, L.A., Alameda, Seattle, Illinois, Missouri, Philly, Boston and New York in only a few weeks. No joke, the farthest west/south I've ever been is somewhere in Tennessee (I was young...I don't remember where exactly).

Back to Rocker. He hasn't left us...only the John Rocker interview that Will has been acting out (with volunteers, nonetheless) during his book tour. With a possible second leg of the tour hitting Atlanta in the summer, John and his girlfriend expressed interest in making an appearance...which would not play out well for the author OR his emo bangs. It is wise to approach THAT audience with a much different selection from the book.

So it is with great sadness that I can relay that I witnessed the final reading of the John Rocker interview. It will be missed.

I went not to get my book signed (already happened), but merely to say thanks...in person...for yesterday's link to my recap. I mean, how often do you get to chat it up face to face with a bigger blogger who linked to you earlier in the day. I'd shoot an email...but that is just a bit informal.

The Q&A at the end of the reading was much longer than Monday's offering, mainly because there were no Barnes and Noble Soup Nazis keeping time. The setting was as relaxed as the tour itself.

To those of you I was able to meet at the past two stops on the tour...Cheers! Blogging nerds/readers of the world were able to unite ( for a minute, at least). If you have yet to read GSTF, I suggest you do so immediately. Because I said so...what more do you need?

A Review of Deadspin's GSTF Book Tour

To my readers in Pittsburgh, I think its time to let you know that I've recently moved to New York due to work (the kind that pays you money...not the free kind I give you every day). And by recently, I mean very recently.

This move came at the perfect time, because I had been hoping Will Leitch's God Save The Fan Book Tour would stop in the Steel City, but no dice for the first leg. However, the New York stop(s) came right after I got here. Last night was reading/signing #1 in Tribeca. Tonight is reading/signing #2 in Brooklyn.

As a side note, you should truly read GSTF if you haven't yet. Its an easy read and captures what its like to be a fan in today's sports world. I'm not going to start reviewing the book, mainly because there's reviews everywhere for you.

Instead, I'll let you know how the tour was. Because I know you weren't there.

I got there early...because that's what I do. I hate being late...so I always end up getting to places crazy early and sitting on my ass until the person(s) I'm meeting shows up. It was a 7 P.M. reading...I was there by 6:30. I was met by a crowd of empty seats (there was no one there yet), so I chose a middle seat a few rows back. I'm not a front-row-center type of guy. I'm more of a few-rows-back-center type of guy.

As the 7 P.M. starting time drew near, the seats started fill up. Luckily, my friend, Ben and sister showed up while there were still some empty chairs.

The reading was fun, with Will and two volunteers acting out the John Rocker interview (if you have yet to read the book...you have no idea what this is. So you should read the book). Then, a short Q&A went down that was tightly policed by a woman who I believe worked at this particular Barnes and Noble. She was all about keeping questions to a minimum, as if there was some big extravaganza in the children's section behind us that needed to start immediately.

After, I was able to get my copy signed. It was cool to finally meet Will. 90%+ of sportsblogs have been influenced (directly or indirectly) by Deadspin (as was PSaMP), so actually meeting someone like Will was pretty crazy. I don't mean to get all stupid and weird about the whole thing...its just unique to meet an author...especially one who writes for a huge sportsblog. Evidence of my signed copy is below:



The note reads: Welcome to NYC! It's HORRIBLE here!

Fantastic.

Everyone retired to a bar down the street called The Patriot. Before I knew everyone would be heading there, I was hesitant to step foot in that place based solely on my hate for the football team of the same name. It wasn't as bad as the team.

Despite the bar being the hottest, and the music being the loudest...I had a blast meeting some Deadspin commenters/Leitch friends.

Part 2 of the NYC signing is going on tonight. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. And if you're in the NYC area, stop by the Brooklyn BookCourt for the reading. I'll be the dork in the white, button-down shirt and brown corduroy pants (because that's what I wore to work...and there's no way I make a stop between work and the reading) amidst the throng of unfortunate-looking bloggers/blog readers. Gimme a holler.

Sean Taylor Was Human, The MSM Wasn't Aware

(Pic ripped from the dominating BP at AA. Read his take on this as well.)

I briefly mentioned my distaste for the mainstream media's handling of the Sean Taylor tragedy in my MMCNY post (its at the very bottom). Before I ever got a chance to follow up my comment, Will at Deadspin beat me to the punch. He's right on with the argument. Read and learn.

I'm absolutely sick over the way the MSM is constantly bringing up every past wrong in Taylor's life, as if all his problems contributed to his death. Do we really need to be talking about his prior DUI, or his legal battles?

Here's an excerpt from ESPN's report about Taylor's passing:

[Taylor] had a drunken driving charge that was later dismissed. He skipped part of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium. He fired two agents. He didn't like his contract. He refused to return Gibbs' calls during the offseason. And he was fined at least seven times for late hits, uniform violations and other on-field infractions.

In 2005, he was accused of pointing a gun during a fight over all-terrain vehicles near his Miami home, a legal battle that ended a year later when he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to probation.

Why the need to mention this? If something tragic happened to anyone of us, I'm sure our families would be devastated if the local newspapers peppered our obituaries with a bulleted list of every traffic ticket, college-party infraction or minor squabbles with the law. This is a time to reflect on Taylor's life, not a vehicle to point out that he wasn't perfect.

However, kudos to Jeff Chadiha for only briefly mentioning Taylor's early immaturity as a way to show how much he grew in the past few years. Articles like this show that you can mention Taylor's problems without reading off a laundry list of offenses and altercations.

And I'm not just picking at ESPN. Every news source felt the need to mention every run-in with the law or questionable decision.

Taylor wasn't perfect. I challenge anyone to prove that they are.

The MSM handled this poorly. To say the very least.

R.I.P. to Sean Taylor, the human.

PSaMP's The National Scoop

Here at PSaMP, I try my hardest to stick to solely Pittsburgh-related posts. Frankly, I don't have the time, energy or ambition to cover the entire realm of sports. Guys like Will Leitch and Jamie Mottram would dust me if I even tried.

However, I keep tabs on whats going on outside the 'Burgh, and am in constant conversation with my sister (yinz know her as Sheena Beaston) about the current sports world. We talk, email, or text each other (since I'm in Pennsylvania and she's in NYC) to keep each other in tune with what's going on in the national sports scene. I have one other sister and brother, but me and Sheen are more alike. My other siblings could care less about the sports world.

Getting back to the point...from time to time, I'll be publishing our conversations about the national sports scene to let you know where I stand on certain issues/topics. As you'll be able to see, its very easy to get sidetracked.

This week, me and Sheen's conversation was text message-tastic. Know that before you judge grammar/spelling/facts. Enjoy.

SB: did you see when joseph addai did the triple salchow into the endzone

Tec: More of a lutz but ill accept it lol

SB: ya...its all about the toepick

Tec: haha he should've done a scott hamilton backflip to the delight of the fans

SB: Then he would've totally upstaged surya bonali...that's my homegirl

Tec: Whos that?

SB: um hello...that black french figure skater who dominated back flips

Tec: O ya. or katarina witt

SB:

surya bonaly would slice katarina witt

Tec: I would segue into a joke involving brian boitano, but that's beneath me

Tec: What was the name of that stone faced russian gymnast in the olympics back in the early 90s n stuff?

SB: oh dont even get me started on svetlana khorkina...if that who you mean

Tec: Mmmm good remember. i'd make a vault joke but again, too easy

SB: thats ok...pommel horses aside, gymnast jokes are one in a million

Tec: Jokes rule

SB: gags are cooler

Tec: Speaking of jokes/gags, i hope the red sox continue their immaculate display of losing the east

SB: i know...wtf...meanwhile the yanks are making a habit of sucking for the first half of games and then coming back in dramatic fashion to beat people

Tec: Ya makin comebacks like brett favre

SB: or making returns like alan rawesome

Tec: I see what you did there. pretty nifty

Tec: R-ossum. ossum=awesome. well done

SB: thats why they pay me the big bucks...psyche

-----------

Now you can see why I limit my national sports writing. NFL->Figure skating->Olympic gymnastics->MLB->Back to NFL.

We'll see if The National Scoop makes a comeback.

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.

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!