[Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show. Week 13

Ya. Foxboro. The Patriots. Whatev.

Go Steelers.

Watch it at OFTOT

Patriots Suck

Brady or no Brady, I still hate the Patriots.

Go Steelers

Dorks Love the Steelers

Tons of people love the Steelers. From toddlers, to birds to hamsters...Steelers love is anywhere you look.

Now, even nerdy-ass dorks are getting in on the love.

I have no idea what this is from, but some weird things are sitting in front of a train, while one of them lauds the team from Pittsburgh. The other two dig Tampa Bay and Green Bay, so I'll cleverly have to side with the Steelers fan.

Can anyone tell me what the hell this is?

/recovering from Thanksgiving. Bear with me.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-28-08

Not sure. Don't ask.

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving went well. Your Black Friday should entail sitting and reading these links. And that's all:

Troy in SI's Pop Culture Grid. [OFTOT]

The Penguins won on Tuesday with another 3rd Period comeback. Geno had a natural hat trick in that 3rd. [The Pensblog]

Wanna buy a bowling alley? [Steady Burn]

WWE chicks fighting in gravy. [With Leather]

20 some games in for the Pens. [Eddy Spaghetti]

Janne Pesonen is coming back up to the Pens!! [Pesonen and the Pens]

Happy Thanksgiving

SHOVE TURKEY INTO YOUR FACE.

Have a Blackened and Golden Thanksgiving. See you tomorrow.



/needs more codpiece
//pilgrim outfit by Cotter

Rinku Singh's Windup and Delivery

Much has been made about the Pirates signing those two Indian reality show winners, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel. Sure, they won some contest that was looking for the strongest, most accurate arm in India, but can that be equated to MLB success?

The short answer...who knows?

We're in uncharted territory here. There's never been an Indian player in the bigs, and cricket bowlers haven't exactly flocked to the major leagues in the past.

All we have to go on is some scout's take, as well as the above video. It shows Singh, the lefty of the duo, in his windup and delivery. Now, My expertise goes as far as watching a guy at the stadium or on t.v., so I'm not gonna give you some bullshit analysis on his fastball (the pitch shown).

From what I can tell, he knows how to throw overhand.

And beggars can't be choosers.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-26-08

Digital chest bump goes out to my buddy Phil at Gunaxin for submitting today's MPotD. This little horse was recently born, and has no name. SOMEONE SUBMIT A COOL NAME FOR THIS CREATURE! LIKE NIBBLES, OR SOMETHING CUTE BUT BADASS.

Then, read these links:

Boycott the NHL All Star Game. [Penguins Experience]

Screw Montreal some more. [The Pensblog]

Rain sucks. [OFTOT]

Matt Light sucks. [DC Steeler Nation]

Brady Quinn out for the season. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. [Fox Sports]

Some Russians are hot. [SPORTSbyBROOKS]

Other Unproven Pitching Signings by the Pittsburgh Pirates

We've just found out that our lowly Pirates have signed Indian "pitchers" Rinku and Dinesh, two guys that have never played baseball. Ever. That's why I put quotes around pitchers.

The guys (who have an unintentionally hilarious blog, language barriers are ALWAYS, ALWAYS funny) now have a minor league contract in place with the team. With our recent string of success, I'd venture to say that the two will be up facing big league batters before the All-Star Game.

Pittsburgh is obviously trying to find any talent it can, in the hopes of a low-risk, high-reward kinda deal. These guys only worked out for Major League scouts after winning some contest to see who had the strongest and most accurate arms in India.

But there have been other Pirates signings over the past few days that haven't registered with the general public as much as the Rinku and Dinesh deals. The Buccos are completely transforming their pitching staff with a bunch of unproven, big arms that weren't in the league last year. Hell, anything that'll get us closer to 90 wins rather than losses.

So what other unproven acts will be on the Pirates mound this year?

Lincoln Hawk. He's been pumping up his throwing arm in his truck.



Mega Man.

Olympic hottie Leryn Franco.

The kid from Rookie of the Year.

A T-Shirt/Hot Dog Cannon.

That 16 year old, Japanese knuckleballer chick.

Kool Aid Man. ('Cos he's a pitcher...forget it)

All big signings, no doubt. Go Pirates!

Mini Pony of the Day 11-25-08

The weather outside is getting frightful as hell. Good thing this little dude is bundled up.

Eat these links:

Be sure to watch my buddy Ethan's new sports blog show. I see big things in the future. [NESW Sports]

I'm interviewed by my buddy Phil over at Gunaxin. I love short answers. [Gunaxin]

Damn Steelers injuries. [OFTOT]

The NFL is broadcasting in 3-D this weekend. [Steady Burn]

My boy Cuzzy wants to give YOU 25 bucks...If you can guess when the Raps' Sam Mitchell will get fired. [Cuzoogle]

HHR's friend met Mike Tyson in Shanghai. Of course. [Hugging Harold Reynolds]

The Steelers NEED Cheerleaders

Example A of why the Pittsburgh Steelers need cheerleaders.

Hawt!

I rest my case.

This Little Kid is Cool and Not Cool at the Same Time

Yeah, we're nearly a month past the election, but that doesn't mean we should stop little kids from expressing their political views. Because when I want political endorsements, I ALWAYS turn to tykes.

Not only would this little kid "make the Pittsburgh Steelers president," she would also "vote for them."

I think you got it backwards, kid.

However, this little girl is obviously a fake Steelers fan. She's only "making" the Steelers president because her dad is a fan. Plus, she endorses John McCain, because Obama wants to "take the rich peoples' money and give it to the lazy people", whereas McCain "wants them to get their own jobs."

Guess she didn't see that nearly every Steeler (and the organization) this side of Lynn Swann (and Hank Williams Jr.) backed Barry Obamy.

Oh well. I'll let it slide. You know, since the election is over. And because this girl is like 3.

Rock on. Peace out!

/picks booger
//endorses losing candidate

Mini Pony of the Day 11-24-08

Got it!

Little dude is getting up! I snaked the picture from here. Lady must have a mean amount of hay or something in her hand. And speaking of the lad(ies) in the picture...

...Hey, baby.

Kidding, but you know I have to do that anytime there's a female in a shot with a tiny horse.
Time to give you some Monday morning links:

Oklahoma just messed up the BCS. Don't we say some version of "[Insert School Name Here] messed up the BCS" every year? [Moondog Sports]

Yeah, I'm sick of the Matt Cassel love, too. [OFTOT]

Big decisions coming up on the Pens' blue line with Ryan Whitney coming back soon and Gonchar getting ready for the end of the season. [The Pensblog]

Hockey dad is PISSED. [Hockey, Football and Stiletto Shoes]

Music news. No Doubt might tour. [Sheena Beaston]

The Triumvirate of Evil. [DC Steeler Nation]

This Looks Fun as Shit

Enjoy this video. This is all for me until Monday.

No Black and Golddust to close out the week. No MMCNY on Monday. Damn Thursday games.

Later jerks.



/slides down stairs on back with dog on chest.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-21-08

Ethereal.

Cotter's take on the win. [OFTOT]

6 tips from LeBron. [NESW Sports]

A new spin on Michigan's shitty season. [The Sports Culture]

Japanese women's prison holds sports day competition for inmates? [Steady Burn]

Pens beat the Thrashers last night. [The Pensblog]

And Sid had a ridiculous goal. [Puck Daddy]

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

NFL Network sucks.

I've been sick this week, so I wasn't about to head to a bar and kill my immune system even more. So I got stuck with like 6 awful live feeds on my computer. One had no sound, one would only show the NFL Network analysts, one was just a video camera aimed at a shitty t.v. and one had a decent stream that would freeze every now and then.

But the Steelers won, 27-10, so all is well!

The game almost mirrored the first meeting, whereas we dominated Cincy, only to have them within a score of taking the lead in the second half. However, we did what we needed to do, and escaped the cold relatively healthy with a record of 8-3.

So let's see how it all went down.

Sasso. 17 of 30 for 243 and 2 touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). Solid numbers, which look so much better with no turnovers. Yet Sasso had at least 3 errant passes that hit Cincy defenders right in the hands. I don't know if it was a solid win, or a lucky outcome, because any one of those dropped picks could've changed the game. Yeah, Sasso had a good game, but you think I'm gonna go easy on him and pretend everything is cool? We'll say 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets, only because anything in the threes would be too low, and hi feet got a few critical 1st downs. Keep making smart decisions, man.

WRs. Not a bad game all around. The ball was distributed nicely (Receptions: Santonio - 5, Miller - 4, Moore - 4, Sweed - 2, Ward - 1), and even though they weren't all to WRs, Heath and Mewelde showed some hands. Plus, a huge 40+ yard reception by Hines was negated by a Nate Washington penalty. This was Santonio's third or fourth okay game, where he came in somewhere between 80-100 yards. I'm still waiting for that 120 yard, 1 TD game from him, but I'll take 84 in a win. I'll be repetitive and give another 4 of 5 helmets.

D. There was some good and some bad from the D last night. Willie Gay obviously smoked some of James Harrison's meth last night, as dude was playing out of his skull. Troy had another pick and subsequent laugh-out-loud return. Woodley got another sack, and we held the Bengals to 208 yards of total offense. But where was Silverback and the vaunted pass rush? Woodley's sack was the only one of the night, against a shitty line with like 30 rookies on it. I'm starting to believe in this "Steelers get held on every play" argument. There were a few times when I was about to throw Easy Mac at the computer, because Harrison was completely flattened and taken down to the ground. No call. If the officiating was more consistent, the guys would get a perfect 5 of 5 helmets, but with only one sack, I'll give 'em 4 of 5. Fine me, Goodell.

Jeff Reed. Kicking a 38 yarder in the snow is no joke. Both of his FGs were true as hell. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Ernster. 0 of 5 helmets.

Massive break until we travel to Foxboro to take on the Patriots NEXT Sunday. Rest up, guys.

The Bengals Suck

Special, Thursday night game! Black and Golddust is ready.

Go Steelers! Beat the Cincy cats.

Sidney Crosby is Good at Soccer, Too

Last season, there were a ton of articles that chronicled how the Pens and other teams got loose before big hockey games. I'd search for those articles, but I'm a lazy piece of shit.

However, I found a picture that I remember seeing last year. It shows Petr Sykora, Jordan Staal, Ryan Malone, Evgeni Malkin and Max Talbot('s little face behind Sykora's mouth) partaking in a little soccer action before a game. And you thought I was shitting you about the hockey/soccer articles.



Now, we see that Sid has soccer skillz as well. Watch him dribble the hell out of a soccer ball.



And why wouldn't Sid be good at soccer? For all you Sid haters out there, he already has the diving part down pat (amirite, amirite?).

Mini Pony of the Day 11-20-08

Dude, I would SO go fishing from the back of a mini pony. Even fake, paper fishing.

Or I would just sit at my desk, and give you these links to read:

NFL QBs as Food Network Stars. Of course, Big Ben is that fat douchebag from the TGI Friday's commercials. [HHR]

Win a Chris Bosh jersey from my boy Cuzzy. [Cuzoogle]

Night terror James Harrison Photoshop. [OFTOT]

Coco Crisp loves that he's going from Boston to Kansas City. That's a first. [The Sports Culture]

Thursday Night Special. [DC Steeler Nation]

If you write a website, check to see if you're a guy or girl. PSaMP is 88% man, baby. [Sean's Ramblings]

James Harrison = AFC Defensive Player of the Week

Props to James Harrison, as he was just voted AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

It's hard to believe that it's his first time winning the award this year. LaMarr won in twice, in Weeks 1 and 7 (which I missed), and Troy won once in Week 2. Hopefully, this increases James' chances of winning Defensive MVP.

His stat line from the game...4 tackles (2 of 'em solo), one sack and forced fumble in the endzone, the tackle that resulted in the safety, an interception and 33 INT return yards. In other words, a typical game for Silverback. The sack/safety combination netted 2 points, and the interception set up a Jeff Reed FG. I'd venture to say that the award was rightfully given to Harrison, especially when he accounts for 5 of his team's 11 points in a 1-point win. And remember that he plays DEfense.

Congrats, Jimmy. Enjoy your ladies.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-19-08

Ok...so I know I was sick yesterday, and I'm still kinda sick today, but this picture is still messed up. It might be the meds, but my brain is not comprehending this picture.

Just forget about it and read:

Donovan McNabb playing basketball at Syracuse. [NESW Sports]

Tennessee, Auburn and Michigan suck. [Moondog Sports]

Silverback is held a lot, and its hardly ever called. [OFTOT]

Pens lost but got a point. [The Pensblog]

The MLB MVP is losing its value. [The Big Picture]

Barkley gets insulted in newest TNT ads. [Awful Announcing]

Steelers Logo Head Tattoos are Badass

Yeah, we all remember this old lady, who got a Steelers logo tattooed onto her shoulder. Badass in its own right, but not nearly as hardcore as the guy in the above video.

And sure, Joe Thomas' aunt might've rocked the neck tattoo and painted-on NFL logo, but I'd only respect her if that NFL logo was a tat as well. That, and if she quit rooting for the Browns.

I have no tattoos, mainly because I'm scared of needles. But you better believe I'd be like Rick above and get the logo on my cranium if I conquered my fear. And I'd conquer my fear of ridiculous mustaches, too.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-18-08

Bewildered.

Little kid thought she knew everything about everything. Her toddler brain couldn't believe they made horses that small.

I can't believe that you've yet to read these links:

The Steelers win in pictures. [OFTOT]

Charles Barkley lost in a game of HORSE. [NESW Sports]

Chicks making out on MNF. [Sparty and Friends]

More MNF stuff. The announcing team jinxed the kicker. [Awful Announcing]

Vote for the WPIAL Champs! [Rizzo Sports]

College Bowl game names that should exist. [EDSBS]

[Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show Outtakes

We're wearing ourselves down trying to get two videos published before gametime. The outtakes are now coming at you during the week.

Enjoy.

Cotter has this, too!

Mini Pony of the Day 11-17-08

Can't tell 100% if that's a mini horse...but it sure looks like it. Plus, the smile is epic.

We'll just say it is. Screw you if you don't like it.

Read:

Cotter's take on the win. [OFTOT]

An interview with Diana from Yardbarker. [HHR]

An all-black rugby team has a four-year winning streak going on. [Steady Burn]

OJ Mayo throws up some suspicious gang signs. [The Sports Culture]

Ape re-did that Troy/LT Nike commercial. With fantastic results. [Kissing Suzy Kolber]

Oh yeah, here's what Philippe Boucher had to say about coming to Pittsburgh. We traded Darryl Sydor for him over the weekend. [The Pensblog]

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

It's getting tougher and tougher trying to put these games into words. We either play so bad that its impossible to write anything substantial, or we put together the most polarizing offense so that it mystifies the mind.

11-10 Steelers. Yeah, that about sums it up.

It was another day at the office for the league's top defense, but the O is what should've blown everyone's minds. We had a QB go for over 300 with no picks, a century WR and RB, but no touchdowns. I didn't even think that was possible before yesterday.

During that final, game-winning drive, I had to keep reminding myself that we were STILL LOSING! Ben was looking better than he had in weeks, the team was destroying San Diego in all meaningful categories, and somehow we weren't up in the scoreboard. Story of the season so far.

Were the numbers warranted, or did we get lucky on that final drive? How confident can you be in a team that is losing with less than a minute left in the game, but has the other team lapped in all stats. Or do we look at the comeback win as inspiration? Beats me.

Sasso the Giant. I was biting my fingernails when I saw that Sasso already had 25 pass attempts sometime in the third quarter. I knew he was on pace for the 40-some that he ended up throwing, which is enough to make any Steelers fan nervous. But Ben made some clutch, high percentage throws, which was reflected in his zero interceptions and 75% passing efficiency. 300+ yards is great, but he set up no offensive touchdowns, and basically let the D win the game. I can't shit on his game too much seeing that we won, but that doesn't mean I'm not perplexed. 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets for Sasso.

Willie. Glad to have you back. Late in the game, I was pleased to see Arians giving the ball to Willie. Again. And again. One of the reasons we struggled offensively the first half of the years was because Willie wasn't on the field, which removes an entire dynamic from this offense. Still, he comes back and puts up nice numbers, but the offense still isn't in a rhythm. Hopefully, we remember how to put together complete drives now that Willie's back, and the offensive woes die off. 4.5 of 5 helmets. He's the only one that sniffed the endzone.

Hines. If the theme of this win was "PERPLEXING," then Hines embodies this entirely. Cool 125 receiving yards, but how many penalties did the guy have to take? Two rough holding calls and something else (can't remember what that third penalty was...somebody help me out) really starts to overshadow the yards. However, Hines stepped up after that third penalty, single-handedly making up all the yards lost on his way to making the first down. That's grit. But the penalties could've killed us. 3.5 of 5 helmets. I know you'll make up for it, Hines.

D. Aside from that early touchdown, I never believed the Chargers were going to score when they made it into Steelers territory. Like, the entire game. That's how well the D was playing. Pass rusher Woodley made a terrific play batting down a pass in coverage, Ike made a few, and Keisel got to the QB. And Silverback? He needs to be in Defensive Player of the Year discussions. Right away. A sack, safety AND interception. There's really no one that can stop him. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for the D. And that's before I even mentioned Troy's amazing pick.

Jeff Reed. Sucks that the perfect season that Cotter and I predicted is gone, but he's killer late in the game. 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Bengals like, tomorrow or something. Do we even get a rest?

Troy Polamalu's Interception Against the Chargers

What a pick. And it wasn't even Troy's best this year. Remember the one he had in the Eagles game?

Troy missed a few that hit him directly in the hands the past coupla weeks. I guess he just has a flair for the dramatic.

Speechless.

Ike Taylor Got Kicked in the Balls

Cool. Win.

Ike Taylor's nuts do not agree.

[Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show. Week 11

Character game today?

Kinda need a win.

Go Steelers.

Watch it again at OFTOT.

Charge This

Carefully watch my bulge as I hurdle Tomlinson a la Silverback.

Go Steelers!

People Still Play Golden Tee?

I'm amazed that people still play Golden Tee, let alone upload their shot to the Internet. I mean, I know it makes sense when you're 10 beers deep at the bar, but c'mon! Look at the description on the Youtube page:


JRH hits an amazing shot at HOOTERS MONROEVILLE, PITTSBURGH, PA!


At Hooters, nonetheless. How are you playing Golden Tee and not chatting up the waitresses? Or at least playing Big Buck Hunter?

Really, this was just excuse to link to one of the best things ever on the Internet.


I figure we'll kick off the night with some Golden Tee! I am going to smack the shit out of that little white ball! It's going to be so f**king loud! I'll bet I can drive that pretend golf ball 600 f**king yards tonight! I'm that f**king pumped!


Actually, yeah...it's Friday...I can definitely go for some Golden Tee.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-14-08

Today's picture comes from my buddy Vince at the fantastic Pesonen and the Pens. They're truly doing the Lord's work over there. And by Lord's work, I do mean Janne's face Photoshopped onto Jesus' body like in that cult song I found.

Yeah, I've used this awesome picture before, but that was when 100% of you didn't read this blog (literally in the infant days of PSaMP). Now is a good time to recycle.

Those little buggers look so comfortable. I've got awhile before I can get back into bed.

These links will help you get through your Friday.

I'm on MPIE. [OFTOT]

Shootout win for the Pens over the Flyers last night. [The Pensblog]

The Lakers = Quantum of Solace. [Lake Show Life]

According to my buddy Moondog, Elisabetta Gregoraci is "brutally hot" (tons of bikinis in that...so be careful at work). [Moondog Sports]

PEDs are one thing, but who are the top athletes who ruined their careers with straight drugs? [Gunaxin]

The top 8 worst gifts for the sports fan in your life. [InGameNow]

Big Ben is in Rock Band 2?

So, I was playing Rock Band 2 on XBOX 360 the other day when one of the loading screens caught my attention. It shows a stop sign, with the name of your band on a busted up sticker (my band name is Andrew and the WKs...as you can see the beginning of it above).

But the sticker below is the one that sparked my interest. It's an homage to the iconic "Andre the Giant has a Posse" stickers. In the game, the sticker says, "Sasso the Giant has a Posse."

And it seems like the game-makers looked no further than Pittsburgh for inspiration for the sticker.




You better believe Big Ben is getting replaced with Sasso the Giant in my lexicon.

I Freakin' Love Max Talbot

I decided to stop back in to Max's blog (horribly translated from French), to see if he had anything to say about the epic 7-6 OT win over the defending champs. I told you about his blog a few weeks ago. Max updates about once a week, so I don't have to furiously refresh the page every day.

I missed last week's offering, what with getting ready for my sister's wedding. Let's take a peek into the past two posts, and see what's on Max's mind.

11-4-08, I Think Semin is Jealous of Sidney:

On a rough opening month to the season - "Before the last game of our journey, against the Blues in St. Louis Michel Therrien made us understand that it was time to turn the page in our head at the same time as the calendar page. The month of October was over and even though our results were not disastrous, we could be lucky to have a winning card and it was time to start from new, find our positivism."

On Alexander Semin's now-famous diss of Crosby - "According to [Semin], Crosby is a good player among many others and [receives] more attention than most stars of the League. I think Semin is lack of attention, [and] is a little jealous of Sidney."

On having no respect for Sean Avery - " If only this guy could concentrate on playing hockey. I really have nothing against the role of agitator it is supposed to perform and I know he is not a bad hockey player. He can count, he skates well, it is able to fight and disrupt the opponent. But that's all that surrounds it, the character he himself created around him, which I have no respect for him."

11-12-08 A crazy match and my chronic TV:

On the ridiculous 7-6 OT win - "It was truly a part of hockey, comparable to the intensity found in series. I would venture to say that this is one of the best regular season games in which I had the chance to participate. We learn from behind 4-2 after the second period before starting a rebound en route to the win of 7-6 in overtime. Such a game could seduce anyone does not passion for hockey, it was a very catchy (ed. - awesome description!)."

On Hossa - "Of course, this match became the first rendezvous against Marian Hossa in his uniform Wings. Unsurprisingly the media have created a great excitement around this story. It should be noted that the Penguins fans have not yet forgiven the decision. On the side of players, we have no choice but to accept his decision.It remains satisfied that he was not a big factor in the party even if one of the best players in the NHL (ed. - translations rule!)."

On having dinner with Hossa - "The day before our party face the Red Wings, some of my teammates went to dinner with Marian Hossa and this story was circulated in the media.For me, this is an acceptable phenomenon regular season."

On being featured on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh - "It makes me happy to slip a few words about an experience that I am lucky to live once week with the television network FSN (Fox Sports Net) which broadcasts our parties."

On being on the first line (trio) with Sid and Satan - " For four games, I have the chance to complete the first trio with Sidney Crosby and Miroslav Satan and I am very pleased that the experience works. I was able to collect three goals and one assist during these four parties. I can not hide that it is good to participate in scoring and that is always nice to produce offensively. That said, I love fill my role when I am employed on a third trio, but I appreciate every moment with Sid and Satan."

--

I love when athletes blog, or at least allow the fans to see a candid side of them. Max is a great character on and off the ice, and his blog mirrors his unique personality.

You should bookmark the shit outta it.

Hamsters Love the Steelers

Uh...yeah.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-13-08

I cannot do this picture justice. Leave a suitable caption in the comments, please.

Actually, I haven't had Макдоналдc in a while. Lunch break?

These links > Макдоналдc:

What is Philip Rivers saying? [OFTOT]

What's going to happen in Week 12 of college football? [Cuzoogle]

Michael Jordan lost to some CEO at one of his camps. [NESW Sports]

Mmmm...the girls of Florida. [Gunaxin]

Sports is a bigger unifier than politics. [Moondog Sports]

Warren Sapp thinks Keyshawn is a bitch. [Larry Brown Sports]

Mike Zigomanis Makes the Penguins a Complete Team

15 or so games into the season, and the Penguins' savior has been the unlikely Mike Zigomanis. Last night, he cemented his position as unsung hero.

If you missed the game, the Pens rallied from a 5-2, final period deficit to win 7-6 in OT. Tons of fans and writers are going to slobber over Jordan Staal...and rightfully so. He snapped out of a season-opening slump to record his second career hat trick. All three goals were scored in the third period, and he exerted his will over Pavel Datsyuk in the extra frame, sneaking up from behind, stealing the puck, and setting up Ruslan Fedotenko for the game winner.

But there's more to hockey than just passing, shooting and scoring. Faceoffs won and lost are a massive deal in today's NHL. After a goalie stoppage, the puck stays in the attacking zone, so winning faceoffs allows you to keep the attacking pressure on if its in the opposition's zone, or allows you to gain possession to force the puck out of your own zone. This came into play last night.



Observe the above picture. The quality is shitty, since I stole it from the Youtube video at the top, but it shows the Pens in the attacking zone, down a goal, with an empty net and 30 seconds left on the clock. Sidney Crosby had just put a shot on net, and the clock stopped when Detroit goalie Chris Osgood covered the puck. With no room for error, the Pens needed to win this exact faceoff, to keep the puck in the zone and save as much time as possible for a last shot to tie the game. Mike Zigomanis calmly took to the circle, and won the faceoff back to the point. After a shot and scrum, Jordan Staal tapped in a rebound for the hat trick and the equalizer.

Wow, Nick...one faceoff win. Big deal.

No. You'd be hard-pressed to find a reliable faceoff man in Black and Gold over the past 6-7 years. When Ray Shero brought in Ziggy after the first week of this season, we knew we were getting a reliable forward who would score a handful of goals. We weren't sure if we were getting this:



That's the leaderboard for faceoff percentage in the entire NHL. Ziggy has a full one percent lead over noted faceoff man Rob Brind'Amour.

To put this into perspective, its like the Steelers finally having an O Line to compliment their offensive weapons. Its like the Pirates finally having their pitching and bats working at the same time. If you follow either of those teams, you'll understand the importance of faceoffs to the Pens.

Shero has done an amazing job putting together a nucleus of young forwards and defensemen in front of a franchise goalie, but faceoffs have always been our Achilles heel. One faceoff win last night showed the hockey world that Ziggy's faceoff stats were no fluke. The game was on the line, and he calmly did his job. And with that one faceoff win, Ray Shero looks like even more of a genius.

Shero and the Pens put the NHL on notice that they're becoming that complete team that can hang with anyone. Especially the defending champs.

But who woulda thunk that Mike Zigomanis would be the difference?

Mini Pony of the Day 11-12-08

Janet Burleson rules.

After she wrote this book, she read all of these links. Be like Janet:

The Falcons are thriving after an extreme makeover. [Fox Sports]

Forget about the Colts game. We gotta be prepared for the Chargers. [OFTOT]

The Elite 8 of the World's Hottest Athlete Contest. [InGameNow]

How badass was that Pens win last night? Down 5-2 in the third, only to win 7-6 in OT. [The Pensblog]

Screwy things happening to footballs in Pennsylvania HS games. [Intentional Foul]

A fresh look for my boy Cuzzy's blog. [Cuzoogle]

Troy Polamalu's Younger Brother Might Be Good at Football, Too

Man, I didn't even know Troy had a younger brother. According to his Steelers.com profile, Troy only has one brother, Sakio, and three sisters. But then I remembered about Troy's name change.

Early in 2007, Troy changed his name from Troy Benjamin Aumua to Troy Aumua Polamalu. Polamalu was his mother's maiden name, who I believe Troy lived with after his parents divorced. They split right after Troy was born, so Troy wanted to honor his mother's side of the family. If his father's last name was Aumua, like the kid in the above video, perhaps the two Aumua's are half-brothers.

Gotta love blogger research and speculation.

Still, the kid mentions that Troy was a huge influence in his football life, so it appears that the two have some sort of relationship.

Most of this video is just Russell going through drills and sprints, and any useful information comes after the 6 minute mark. He's a senior in HS, so if Troy can quit getting concussions for the next 3-4 seasons, we could potentially see an all Aumua defensive backfield in Black and Gold.

He's gotta be better than Anthony Smith, right?

Mini Pony of the Day 11-11-08

Cool mini pony art.

Today is Veteran's Day...so thank a Vet.

My buddy Moondog is a vet. So, thanks to him. [Moondog Sports]

Meet the girl that Larry Johnson will be buying something nice for. He spit a drink in her face and threatened to kill her boyfriend. She's suing. And kinda hot. [Arrowhead Addict]

Big Ben is not Tommy Maddox. [One For The Other Thumb]

Jose Calderon and KG talking trash. [NESW Sports]

Sexy women of the military. [Gunaxin]

Detroit = Failtown. [The Pensblog]

Mini Pony of the Day 11-10-08

The Google Image Search result says this photo comes from this blog, but I don't have the time to find where exactly it is. I would climb over so many fences to pet a mini pony. This dude has the right idea.

Still getting back into the swing of things after my sister's wedding, so I'm swamped at work. I'll be right in a bit.

Read on:

Way too many "things that were not awesome." [One For The Other Thumb]

Fantastic link. Fake sports stars' HS yearbook photos. Nightmare Fuel Greg Oden. [The Sports Culture]

The Detroit Lions are now in Division 1-AA. [Moondog Sports]

Obama ballin' on election day. [NESW Sports]

Fighting goalies. [Gunaxin]

Dude from TrojanWare and Fanhouse talks to HHR. [Hugging Harold Reynolds]

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

Ben immediately injured his shoulder after raising his finger to the sky.

24-20, Colts.

Seriously, what was that? We started that game on a tear, and proceeded to stink away the win. My words can't adequately summarize the suck, so we'll have to turn to the ratings.

Bruce Arians. I really want to give a higher number today. The game started off awesome, and it looked like Ben and Bruce put their dunce caps together to make a legit game plan. Ben was throwing in a quick rhythm, Arians committed to the run and there was some QB movement (play action, pump fakes, flea flicker, etc.). But just when it looked like Bruce was turning the corner, he decided to stay with the exact same plays. Look, we understand the quick throws were working early, because we've been trying to get that into the playbook for weeks now! But you can't run the same "Ben-takes-the-snap-and-immediately-pump-fakes-then-does-a-delayed-handoff-to-Mewelde-Moore-up-the-middle" play 65 more times. Indy's defense isn't as stout as Pittsburgh's but they'll recognize that shit eventually. First half, 3.75 of 5 helmets, Second half, 2 of 5. We'll give Bruce 2.99 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Ben. You can't promise to play better, then come out and throw 3 picks. Simple as that. I know you think this is the time of year that you "thrive," but injuries and stupid decisions don't take a back seat to history. The receivers are to blame for several of the drops and INTs, but you shouldn't have even been in the game. We have a strong-armed QB on the sideline, and a guy with no shoulder completing 3 yard passes on a potential game winning drive. The time management was atrocious on those last 4-5 plays, and Ben barely had the arm strength to throw the final Hail Mary. I'm surprised the snap even beat the clock. I said I wanted you to sit this week. I said that, because even if we lost with Byron, that means you weren't getting hit or throwing confidence-crushing picks. Now you have to live with all of that...and still accept the loss. Like it or not, this changes the rest of the season. 2.5 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Mewelde. Started off great, with the 2 touchdowns and 30 quick yards. But finished with only 57 yards and couldn't reach the endzone for that 3rd touchdown that would've put the Steelers up 7 rather than 3. We took the 4 point loss rather than an overtime chance at a win. That's one of the toughest things to swallow about the game. 3.5 of 5 motorcycle helmets. I'm all about fractions of a helmet after the losses.

D. I think they need to sit down with Ben and Bruce. Soon. They gave up the most yards to any opponent this year and still put the O in a position to win the game. Repeatedly. We can force the opposition to punt series after series, but all that hard work goes for nothing if Ben comes back with a critical pick. Ike played out of his skull aside from those two tips to Wayne, but I can't overlook the tips. Deshea showed him how it was done later in the game...tip the ball away from the receiver or down to the ground. 4 of 5 helmets despite the tips. If those don't fall into Wayne's hands, we've got a different ballgame.

Chargers next week. They're a team that seems to win and lose really close games, so it's tough to determine if they're a good team that can't close or a bad team that won a few lucky games.

That doesn't bode well for this Steelers team.

[Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show. Week 10

What's up kids? I'm just popping by to post this week's show for Tecmo because he's still tied up with his sister's wedding.

So here it is...


And the outtake reel...


Now, why not watch it again at OFTOT?

Mini Colts Would Be Cooler Than Regular Colts

As I told you in the MPotD this morning, I'm outta commission while preparing for my sister's wedding. I had to get this ready last night.

But Black and Golddust is all business. He's ready for Sunday like you wouldn't believe.

Go Steelers!

Mini Pony of the Day 11-7-08

No clue what this picture means, but it has a mini pony in it, and I found it here. And the middle picture?...

...Hey baby (x2).

I'm in transit today getting ready for my sister's wedding tomorrow, so don't expect much. Maybe a little something around noon.

Enjoy your Friday with these links:

Time for the student to become the teacher (complete with nightmare fuel Tony Dungy Photoshop). [One For The Other Thumb]

Facebook claims another victim. A backup center from Texas wrote racist shit about Obama. He's off the team. [The World of Isaac]

Penn State could be helped by the Big 12 and SEC battles. [Moondog Sports]

Cal Bear vs. Stanford Tree? [The Sports Culture]

Dude sinks a million dollar golf shot. [Steady Burn]

How Obama is going to help the Braves. [The Launching Pad]

I Trust Other Countries with the NFL

Football is an American game. That's why in all those other countries, it's referred to as American Football. Not that soccer bullshit.

So when I want information on my Steelers and the current state of the NFL, you bet your ass I'm gonna go to some counties whose languages I don't comprehend.

The above video comes from some country. That's about as far as I can understand. If you can translate the Youtube page, that's be much appreciated. I'd put it into some online translator, but I don't know which language it's coming from.

But it shows a Madden simulation of the Steelers beating the Colts 27-20, along with a Troy Polamalu 102-yard interception return for a touchdown, so...yay! And that's a badass song in the background.

The next is also from some country. I won't post the video, but you can watch it here. It has a whole bunch of other player analysis, I'm guessing, so I don't want to take up your time with it. But here's a screengrab from the Steelers section:



Leftwich oder Big Ben? More like Leftwich ODOR Big Ben. BURN!

And here's a play they have drawn up:



N needs to get the hell open! No doubt Bruce Arians has already inserted this play into the offensive scheme.

Mini Pony of the Day 11-6-08

No joke...I love That 70's Show. It was our era's Happy Days, a look back at society 20 years prior. Plus, the above scene was more than enough reason to repeatedly tune in.

I just saw this episode in syndication a few weeks back, but only remembered about it recently. Youtube is the greatest thing ever.

Fantastic. Go on and read:

LeBron dressed up as Danny Zuko (Zucco? I've seen it both ways) for Halloween. [NESW Sports]

Lindsay Lohan...why not? [Gunaxin]

Dick LeBeau for Secretary of Defense. [One For The Other Thumb]

Unveiling the Pens' new, old uniforms. [The Pensblog]

Ryan Leaf and pills. [SPORTSbyBROOKS]

Keyshawn is getting a reality show. Where he's an interior designer or something? I spaced out and didn't read it all. [A&E via With Leather]

I Am More Confident Than CNN

(click the picture to put it on blast)

I get a lot of strange looks and questions when I tell people that I love miniature horses. Especially when I tell them that I have a sports website that's also dedicated to the cute little beasts. So I'm used to this kinda shit.

The site is for Pittsburgh fans that are confident enough to say, "Yeah, mini ponies ARE badass little critters."

Now...to the point. In the MPotD this morning, I congratulated one Barry Obama. In linking to this CNN article, the favor was re-paid. CNN will link back to blogs that mention that specific article, so I was pumped that they mentioned my site as a blog reaction to Barry's big win.

One thing...they edited the title, "Mini Pony of the Day 11-5-08," and replaced it with "No Title" (see picture).

C'mon, CNN. You used the exact titles on the other blogs you linked to. You even wrote "Mini Ponies" in my blog name! Was the title, "Mini Pony of the Day" too weird for you to re-publish?

Weak game.



/This is a farce. I could care less...just thought it was funny when I saw the title they had given it. Let's see if they link to this post as well, since I mentioned their Barry article again.

Dear Mike Tomlin, Please Sit Ben Roethlisberger This Week

This is one blogger's plea to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Please sit Ben Roethlisberger this week.

Current news has Ben's shoulder okay enough for him to play on Sunday, but it seems like his partially separated shoulder never fully healed despite the bye-week rest.

We welcome an always-dangerous Indy team to town, and their 4-4 record probably doesn't sit too well with the team and fans. Hell, they've been spoiled by success the past 6-7 years, so I'd assume that the .500 record through half the season isn't ideal.

For this, I think the Indy D (In-D? Sorry...) will come at whoever is under center for Pittsburgh. Our O-Line is primed to be exploited at any time. Now, I'm not saying I particularly fear what the Colts will throw at us, but if Ben's in the game...he's gonna get sacked.

There was a time when I thought we needed all healthy players to face Indianapolis. But now, I'm liking our chances against a weakened Colts team, especially with a full game lead over the fraudulent (in my opinion) Ravens.

Indy is going to bring pressure. Everyone we play is going to bring pressure. But my plea to sit Roethlisberger this week isn't due only to the possibility of Ben getting hit. It's to have Ben learn from Byron Leftwich.

WHAT?

There was a pretty telling quote in that P-G article above, which echoed a strong though flying through the minds of Steelers Nation after the win over Washington. Listen to Tomlin:


"[Leftwich] probably did do a better job of getting the ball out, and, no, it did not surprise me," Tomlin answered. "That is one of the characteristics of Byron Leftwich. He got the ball out pretty good in Jacksonville and the different places he has been. That's who he is. He is a quick decision-maker. He is an anticipatory thrower."


In no way is Tomlin wrong about that quote, despite it being prime for criticism. Ben hasn't been on the same page as his receivers this year, as seen from the countless overthrows and miscommunication between WR and QB on the routes early in the Washington game. Leftwich came in and made some good throws before receivers made their breaks, and I was pretty surprised. Here's a guy who admits that he still doesn't fully understand the Steelers playbook, but he anticipated well.

Giving Ben a week will not only strengthen his shoulder, but give him time to watch his backup do what the fans have been asking of Ben...rolling out of the pocket when needed and making quick, accurate decisions.

Oh, and maybe Ben will learn to throw the ball 400 MPH, too!