Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Former Steeler Amos Zereoue

Not even gonna lead into it with anything cute...Cotter and I met up with former Steelers RB and restaurant owner Amos Zereoue at the end of last week, and it was badass.

Let me explain.

A few weeks back, Cotter came across an interview Amos did with Crain's New York Business about his Manhattan restaurant. Being the intuitive bloggers that we are, we decided to try and get ahold of #21. I sent out some emails, contacted a few people, and eventually got ahold of the people at Zereoue, Amos' restaurant. We decided to meet at the restaurant after work last week.

Now, you rarely get to meet guys that you grew up watching, so it's easy to imagine them to be some egotistical prick of a celebrity. Not the case with Amos. Almost every restaurant review gave gushing praise to the host/cook/owner. And they were warranted. We chatted at the bar in as casual a setting as one would imagine.

Amos still keeps up with the team, and tried to make it to the Giants game...since he was in Morgantown for the WVU game just days before. He gave praise to Mike Tomlin and some of the guys on the team, as well as reminisced about guys like Joey Porter and Bill Cowher.

Apparently, Joey's a great guy. Who woulda thunk? I was also a bit surprised about Amos' take on Cowher's success:

"Bill always surrounded himself with great coaches."

Not that it was a slight to Bill's individual brilliance, but a rather telling point about why our team has possibly been inconsistent the past 2-3 seasons. Maybe Tomlin's staff isn't as great as we'd like to think. One guy he loved was Dick LeBeau.

"We woulda won that AFC Championship game against the Patriots [2001] if we had LeBeau [Was head-coaching Cincy then]."

But the former Steeler did play for the Patriots after 5 years with Pittsburgh and 1 with Oakland. Of course we had to ask him about New England.

"It was different up there. You could just tell things didn't feel right. The feeling was different from Pittsburgh."



We talked Hines Ward, too. Hines was drafted in '98, the year before Amos was drafted out of WVU, so Amos knew Hines as well as any other player in the game. I had to ask about the notion of late about Hines being a dirty player, and Amos quickly refuted that. "Hines plays whistle to whistle." Amos admitted that he didn't throw around jarring blocks like Hines does, but that's just the way Hines knows how to play the game. He said the Steelers did a great job of stressing blocking during his and Hines' time together.

We talked restaurant, too. Amos had the idea for the restaurant after, during his playing days, he and his teammates would regularly meet up and cook dinner. He says he still gets several former Steelers in and around his restaurant, and loves the challenge.

"It's like football. With the restaurant, you gotta react to what's happening, what's going on."

Now, we didn't want to take up all of Amos' time (although we really could have), so we skipped out without trying the food. But from what I hear, it's pretty awesome. Next time.

Email me if you're in the NYC area and we'll grab a bite. How often are you greeted at a restaurant by a former Steelers RB?



Check out Cotter's take on our chat.

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Matt Iseman, Host of Sports Soup

I teased you about this when it first went down, then I revealed the subject in my review of the show's first week, but now you get the actual interview.

I was able to sit down with Matt Iseman, host of Versus' Sports Soup, the Friday before the show debuted. Versus finally got this cut and uploaded, so pretend some of the questions aren't dated. We now know the focus and general outline of how the show is set up, but not so much at the time of our questioning.

Oh, and I'm wearing the same gray shirt today. I'm freakin' dynamic!

Enjoy our candid sitdown with Matt Iseman, host of Sports Soup.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6

First-Week Review of Versus' Sports Soup

You know how you never know what to expect outta something until you see it? Sports Soup on Versus fell right along these lines.

Let's explain. Last week, I was invited to meet with Matt Iseman, host of the new sports and comedy show along with two other bloggers. Matt and the channel were really intent on getting information and feedback from the untamed world of the sports blogs. And that's more than enough to pique my interest.

In person, Matt and the Versus people were great, but this was before the show aired. Could that translate to on-air success?

Look...I'm a blogger. Instant gratification is the name of the game. I exist in a world of Youtube videos, toilet jokes and stuff in the sports world that makes me laugh. I'm all for watching 15 year old America's Funniest Home Videos reruns. If I tune to a late-night sports highlight show...I want the clips, not the fluff. If I find something in the sports world that makes me giggle, it's getting a place of honor on my site.

Which makes Sports Soup appealing to sports bloggers like me. The show is what you could expect a sports and humor blog to look like on television.

And that's why Sports Soup came through in the clutch. Matt made it clear when we met, the show isn't hard-hitting journalism, and no news is broken. It's a place to show James Brown being ridiculously cordial, thank you so very much, or awkward pauses between auto and horse racing announcers. The first week introduced the show to the audience, and let viewers know what they can expect from here on out.

I think anyone who saw the first week and who understands the format will be back often. We're a week in, and the show already stands out as funny, unique and promising.

PSaMP Interviews

On the heels of making that last post to put all the Steelers' P.o.t.W's in the sidebar, I'm making another page for all the interviews on PSaMP. And since I have that other video interview coming up in the very near future, it'll be added here as well.

And yes, Cotter, I know I can make the date older. I also know that I'm lazy.

I have no work today (Hooray, Columbus), so this is the best chance I have to tinker with some things.

On an unrelated note, how awesome were Tinker Toys?


Inside the Athletes Studio Archive.

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview With Torina Henley

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

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

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with the Post-Gazette's Bob Smizik

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Matt Iseman, Host of Sports Soup

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Former Steeler Amos Zereoue

Site News: Cool-Ass Interview Coming

Next week, I'll be bringing you a pretty badass video interview with an awesoMe personality in the sports world. I cAn't tell you outright, because then iT would kill the Tease.

Myself, MIke from NY BaSeball DigEst and E Chigliak froM Federal Baseball sat down for a roundtable discussion with a certAin someone, and videos of the eveNt will be posted early next week. Frank D. frOm Pensburgh also emailed in a Few questions.

The Sitdown was helPful in getting into the mind of someOne in this peRson's position. A weekly regular feaTure concerning thiS sitdown will run for a bit on PSaMP.

Au revOir for now. I'll see yoU next week, where we'll go aPeshit over this.

Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with the Post Gazette's Bob Smizik

I'm pleased to announce the return of Inside the Athletes Studio, my vehicle to poke my head into different parts of the Pittsburgh sports landscape. It's been 14 long months since the last...uh...episode? I'm not James Lipton...I got stuff to do.

I hit up Passion RB Torina Henley, Don from Mondesi's House and Andy Chomos, the guy who organized the Pirates walkout. That covered athletics, the blog landscape at the time and how fans were reacting to decisions by the local teams. One major area that's lacking, though, is the mainstream media. It has a huge impact on how we as fans consume our sports. Sometimes we hate, other times we laud, but we can't deny their influence.

So my next subject comes from this very community. I tossed a note to the Post Gazette's own Bob Smizik to see if he'd spit some truth with a blog. He agreed, and we had a pretty candid conversation about some topics that were burning through my skull. Unless you're a newer reader to PSaMP, you'll know that I've never been a big fan of Smizik. The Booing Hossa/knucklehead fans article concerned me enough to write a response to it. I told him all of this before we got into the actual interview, so I was happy that my stance as a Smizik-critic didn't drive him away. I wanted to ask him about a few of his recent articles, the previously mentioned one included, as well as get his take on the state of Pittsburgh sports.

I was going to break this into two separate parts, but I figured to give it to you in its entirety and in Mr. Smizik's own words. Enjoy.


What's it like to be in the newspaper game? Was it something you thought about as a kid growing up in the city? Too many sportsbloggers, myself included, are critical of newspaper writers despite having no real understanding of what truly goes into each article. Take us through your start at the PG, what a typical day consists of, how the industry has changed during your time at the Press and the PG, and how you see it evolving in the coming years.

I still find it pretty exciting to be working in what you call "the newspaper game." There's a different challenge almost daily. As a columnist I have the need to keep track of pretty much everything that's going on in sports, locally and nationally. Additionally, I cover radio and TV so that gives me even more to keep track of. There's a lot of reading that needs to be done, a lot of getting around and finding out what's going on. It's difficult to keep up on everything.

I loved sports as a kid, played them a lot to the detriment of my academics. I was a decent athlete. I played football in high school but loved basketball more. I got involved in sports writing in college. I never would have done it -- what a life changing event that would have been -- if a friend hadn't just about forced me sign up at The Pitt News, the student newspaper at Pitt. It was love at first sight and I was successful at the Pitt News, where I was sports editor and then associate editor, which is the No. 2 job at the paper. I was majoring in education at the time and never switched over to English. I worked three summers at United Press International, a now defunct wire service. It was great experience that taught me the nuts and bolts of journalism. Still, I was severely lacking in confidence and never even applied for a newspaper job when I graduated. I went into teaching and taught for four years. While doing that I worked for Pittsburgh Weekly Sports, which, according to its mast head, was published "every so often.'' It was great fun and we went after the Pittsburgh sports establishment. I remember taking shots at the Steelers and Pirates. My work came to the attention of some people and four years into my teaching career I was offered a job at The Pittsburgh Press by Roy McHugh, who was the columnist/sports editor. It was a tough decision because I loved teaching but I figured I'd give it a shot. I always thought I could go back to teaching. Turns out, teaching jobs became difficult to find. I could not have gone back if I wanted, but I didn't want to.

I covered high school sports for two years, the Penguins for one and the Pirates for six years. I followed that up with five years on the Pitt football and basketball beats. The Pirates and Pitt were great years. Good teams, good people, lots of fun. I became a columnist in 1983 and have been doing that ever since.

My days are radically different. I usually write from home and some days I never leave the house. If I have a think piece, I'll start working around 9 a.m. and usually have it done by around 4. I'm a slow worker and do a lot of rewriting. Other days I might cover an event. If it's the Pirates, it means being at the ball park by 3 p.m. If it's Pitt basketball or the Penguins, it means leaving the house around 5 p.m. Steelers Sunday are a 10 a.m. departure. At events, I write from the stadium.

The newspaper industry is suffering. Young readers are deserting newspapers for the Internet. The newspaper industry has not found a way to reverse this and I'm not sure it can.

Regarding the future of newspapers and the Internet...what is your take on blogs? Did you cringe when I said I was a blogger looking for an interview? Not too many people would be gracious enough to let a sportsblogger, let alone a critical sportsblogger, pick their brain. I think newspapers are starting to accept this different way of getting sports to the masses...Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post blogs for the paper. Joe Posnanski of the KC Star has his own blog, and it is about to be cross-published at Sports Illustrated. Your boy Dejan is now blogging for the PG. Now, I won't try to connect these bigger guys with independent bloggers like myself who occasionally use dick jokes and toilet humor, but despite catching tons of flak from mainstream writers, the big boys seem to be recognizing and evolving.

Asking me what I think of blogs is like asking me what I think of, say, baseball players. Are you talking about Alex Rodriquez or are you talking about some guy playing in a pickup game at the neighborhood field? That's the range of blogs.

I don't have as much time to read blogs as I'd like. I understand there is useful information and good opinions out there. But where do you start? If I have a choice, am I going to read Jason Stark and Buster Olney on espn.com or am I going to read buccoblog? Clearly, Stark and Olney are the preferred choices for baseball. That's not to say there isn't value in buccoblog, but you can't read everything.

I think blogs, like the mainstream media, have to create their own credibility. I make a point of reading Dejan's blog because I know I might find useful -- accurate -- information there. I can't say the same for a lot of blogs.

People in the mainstream media are recognizing the power of the Internet, as opposed to blogs. The Internet is all powerful. It's a great way to reach people, but not just through blogs. The Post-Gazette web site has a lot of blogs, but, although I don't have the figures, I'm sure the printed edition that appears on the Internet gets a ton more hits than do the blogs.

The way blogs are proliferating, they are only going to reduce the individual power each.

Fair enough. I guess what I'm getting at here is...There's a stigma that goes along with running an independent sportsblog. We're lazy nerds living in our mother's basement, recycling stories that legit writers have spent considerable time researching. The truth is, most are unpaid fans who found a place to vent in their free time, and we hold down regular jobs on the side! Many mainstream writers, since they have rules, editors and the like, resent that someone could quickly throw up an unfiltered story, because they feel it taints the information waters. There's good independent blogs and ones that spew hate and baseless rumors. Unfortunately, we too often get wrongly grouped with the latter. Even if you don't read them, you at least have to be aware of this divide.

I don't know if you were aware of the conversation a few months back on HBO's Costas Now, where noted author Buzz Bissinger portrayed the quintessential humanization of this thought, as he loudly chastised all blogs because of one he didn't like. This wouldn't be a good blog interview if I didn't get your thoughts on if independent sportsblogs should be allowed to write whatever they want, regardless of content. If a blog finds humor in a picture of a drunk athlete, is that worthy of being published? Are we just wasting our time?

Getting a bit defensive?

I don't believe I said a negative word about bloggers. I did say I will go with the mainstream media over blogs in most cases. I'll stand by that. If there was the suggestion that I lump all blogs together that is not the case and I apologize.

I saw the Costas show with Bissinger and I was shocked at Bissinger's attack mode. There was no call for that and I certainly don't share his views.

I am 100 percent behind freedom of expression. Absolutely, blogs can write whatever they want. But when one goes to extremes, it hurts all; just as one mainstream media outlet can hurt the rest with irresponsible reporting.

Allow me to get a bit personal here. I have been so ridiculously misrepresented on the Internet, be it a blog or a chat room, that, yes, I am suspicious. For example, it was widely posted when the Post-Gazette had a small piece of the Pirates -- with no voting rights -- that we were not allowed to write critically of the team. That was total nonsense, particularly since we were writing critically of the team at the time. No one has ever told me what to write about anything -- even when we were in danger of losing franchises.

Currently, I am viewed by many as sympathetic to Pirates ownership. I have columns, plenty of them, to prove otherwise. But the perception is out there.

No, not defensive, just inquisitive. There are few times when a person in my position gets to ask a person in your position about that topic. I don't mean to say you personally attack blogs, but many in your community have. There's a lot of barbs thrown between the two sides, some more disguised than others, and I only wanted your opinion.

But moving forward, I gotta ask you about a couple of your recent columns. I'll start with the article about Rocco DeMaro and the Alvarez signing. What's the deal with scoops? So a guy breaks a story, be it legit or facetious, and it seems like you had a personal beef. Just because a guy doesn't show up to the stadiums and foster relationships within the organization, is it right to assume he doesn't have sources? I run a blog, live in New York City, and I have sources in certain areas. They might not be the best, which is why I don't run around breaking news. However, you called DeMaro out for apparently "guessing," when the article itself was a guess that DeMaro was making up the story! So his sources were wrong about Scheppers...it isn't the first time sources have failed someone. I'm no DeMaro apologist, to make that clear.

Do mainstream writers go around bragging that they broke x amount of stories in the past year? Is there a quota? Dejan's scooped a lot of stories, blogs have even scooped stories. Why was the DeMaro/Alvarez thing important enough to garner its own article? How do you go about justifying that to an editor when other sports stories worthy of a mention are happening at all times?

Pardon me, but you do sound like an apologist for DeMaro. You're making the same excuses that his apologists are.

For starters, why did I write about this when there are other stories "more worthy of mention?'' I'm the sports radio-TV guy at the Post-Gazette and in that role, with obvious exceptions, I decide what I write. I thought this was a more-than worthy issue for my radio-TV beat. I felt he was being dishonest in his reporting and I had what amounted to a duty to report it.

If a guy has a scoop, it's not news to me. If a guy claims a scoop that's not his, then it's news.

I don't know DeMaro. But I have gone on his Saturday show at least twice when no one knew who he was and I wrote highly favorably about him when he first came on the air. So there is no personal grudge.

Can I prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was guessing? No. But if I had told you on [last] Monday that Greg Maddux was going to be traded from San Diego to LA, which he was on Tues., would I have a scoop or would I, since there had been heavy speculation about the trade, be guessing?

I probably could have written the story better but that's behind me. I find it impossible -- yes, impossible -- that he could have a source at that level. This could have played out four ways: 1. He had a source within the Pirates camp; 2. He had a source within the Boras camp; 3. He had a source within the Alvarez family; 4. He had a source unfamiliar with the negotiations who told him it was going to happen and, who, therefore was guessing. My bet is on scenario No. 4.

If the Pirates did not know for certain until 11:58 p.m. whether Alvarez was going to sign, how did DeMaro know at 10 p.m.? Or was it at 3 p.m., which he mentioned on his show.

I have criticized DeMaro for not showing up at the ball park and I stand by that criticism. The most effective way to cover a team, a person, a beat or what ever is to be around the subject. Why he refuses to do that is beyond me. It's not like he lives in Chicago. He lives in Pittsburgh. He's not a blogger. He's part of the mainstream media. Show up once and while and eyeball a few people. You might learn something.

So, yes, I think it is legitimate to believe that a person cannot develop the kind of sources to crack this kind story by sitting in his office.

Like you, I'm not concerned about who breaks what story. I am concerned with what I consider dishonest journalism.

We will have to agree to disagree on my DeMaro allegiance. I started my blog as a sports fan, and I try to keep that mentality in my writing. This allows me to observe media members, be they print, television or radio, how the typical Pittsburgher would. Some of my dear memories include tailgating with the masses and sitting in the bleachers. I'm not defending DeMaro, and I think his shtick doesn't lend itself well to investigatory journalism. However, most fans, whether at the stadium or in their own homes, really aren't concerned with who broke what. We respect and understand the responsibility of investigatory journalism, but we weren't keeping a tally of who had the correct story first. I think the blogosphere took that same stance when reading about media members arguing over scoops.

I won't try to tell you what to publish and what not to publish, only that the article received lukewarm reviews. There's one other article I'd like to ask you about before getting into the upcoming sports seasons.

The Booing Hossa/Knuckleheads article. It was your only article within the history of my site that I felt the need to respond to. A few blogs felt blindsided by it, and wondered what kind of emotion we are to show towards Hossa. Personally, I don't boo Jagr, and I don't plan on booing Hossa. But a lot of fans feel betrayed. Marian deliberately stated that Detroit gave him the best opportunity to win a Cup next season, just months after he praised Pittsburgh's youth and talent when he arrived from Atlanta. I'd be more concerned if the fans were indifferent to the whole situation.

You don't need to explain your motives behind the story, but I gotta ask, what kind of response did you get from that article? Several blogs, in addition to my response, were discouraged by the piece. Did you get tons of hate mail, or was their an outpouring of support? Were the blogs who criticized you in the minority on this one? Am I a knucklehead?

I really don't get it when people use the word "betrayed'' in regards to sports teams. That's taking stuff way too seriously. Sports are supposed to be fun.

Why can't Hossa be accepted as a player who make a significant contribution to the Penguins and moved on? Sure, he said some things. All players say those things. Barry Bonds said he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. Was Hossa somewhat deceitful in negotiations? Probably. That's the nature of negotiations. Players do it, teams do it and, yes, the Penguins do it.

And what's wrong with saying he has a better chance to win a Cup in Detroit? Duh! He does.

I received a ton of negative e-mail, much of it hateful and mean-spirited. I have a thick skin but to see some of the comments makes me wonder and makes me discouraged. People need to get a life.

Why can't fans just cheer their home team? Why isn't offering support enough? Why does the level of sportsmanship have to be dragged to the gutter?

Fans take this stuff much more seriously than the players. Maybe they should take a cue from the players. It's only a game.

Are you a knucklehead? If you boo Hossa, yes.

I see you mentioned that Detroit does have a good chance of bringing home the Cup. Vegas has the Wings and Pens as the two best bets going into the season, respectively. Are you excited about the upcoming season? Anything on the team or throughout the league that might cripple Pittsburgh's hope of returning to the Finals? Like Shero said, not many GMs get to lose a Hossa and then come back and sign a Malkin and Fleury long term. I might just be a homer, but I fully expect another Cup run. What are your predictions for the season?

I have barely thought about the Penguins upcoming season. I'm more concerned at the moment of the more pending start of NFL and college football seasons.

It was great the Penguins did the long-term deals with their core players but that doesn't change the fact the absence of Hossa makes them a lesser team than they were at the end of the season.

I think they are a definite Cup contender and will be for some time. I see them advancing at least two rounds in the playoffs.

Well Steelers-wise, do you think the schedule will pose a problem? It seems like that's been a common concern. The AFC North seems pretty weak aside from Pittsburgh, but the team is really going to have to step up outside of the division. And can we get your thoughts on the new extension for James Farrior? The front-office has been pretty good with cutting ties with aging vets at the right time...do you think Farrior can contribute in some capacity through 2012?

And Pitt...what can I say about LeSean McCoy? He's a thrill to watch first-hand. The long shot Heisman talk might be a bit of a stretch, but no one can deny his talent. Is he a flash-in-the-pan, or can he carry Pitt back to a level of respectability?

The Steelers schedule is difficult, the toughest in the NFL, I believe, but the rest of the division also plays a similar one. I think a 9-7 record could win it and I've heard some people say 8-8 might do it. I think the Steelers can win this division but I would not expect them to go far in the playoffs. A positive is Roethlisberger, one of the better QBs in the league. The defense is aging and played poorly in the latter stages of last season. It will have to improve.

I was surprised they came to an agreement with Farrior. He's still has some good years remaining but they had other priorities, higher ones, but they might have been turned down in attempting to extend those players. Farrior's contract is for five years but no one expects him to play the length of it. He'll play two, at the most three more years. The contract is stretched to lessen the effect of the signing bonus on the salary cap.

McCoy appears to be an excellent back for Pitt, one who someday will play in the NFL. I doubt he's a one-year wonder, although Dorsett did take a step back in his sophomore year. I expect Pitt to win 8 or 9 games this year and contend for the Big East title.

Alright, just a few quick questions to round this up.

What's the greatest game (any team) you've ever been to?

Villanova-Georgetown 1985 NCAA championship game.

Was there a particular local athlete(s) that you found especially compelling above everyone else?

Sam Clancy, Pitt; Roberto Clemente, Pirates.

Would you ever consider starting a blog?

Yes.

Pirates, Steelers or Penguins...just as a blind guess...who brings home the next championship?

Penguins.


--

Thanks again to Mr. Smizik for the back and forth with PSaMP.


Other interviews:

- Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Torina Henley
- Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Don from Mondesi's House
- Inside the Athletes Studio: An Interview with Andy Chomos of Fans for Change

Site News

Please forgive the notable absence of a legit post today. Work has been stressing me out, and I’m currently working on a nifty interview/candid discussion with arguably the most polarizing figure in the Pittsburgh sports landscape. Yeah, you heard right. It’ll be the glorious return of “Inside the Athlete’s Studio.” It’s been a year since the last major interview on PSaMP, or, since the dude that organized last season’s Pirates walkout. This subject is much bigger than any of the previous interviewees. The interview is still ongoing, so there’s no set date for it to run. Stay tuned for that, though.

Here’s a sample:

On their upbringing – “I loved sports as a kid, played them a lot to the detriment of my academics. I was a decent athlete. I played football in high school but loved basketball more.”

On blogs – “I think blogs, like the mainstream media, have to create their own credibility. I make a point of reading [redacted]'s blog because I know I might find useful -- accurate -- information there. I can't say the same for a lot of blogs.”

On Buzz Bissinger – “I saw the Costas show with Bizzinger [sic] and I was shocked at Bizzinger's [sic] attack mode. There was no call for that and I certainly don't share his views.”

I can’t give you any more without giving away the subject. Have fun.

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.

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.

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.
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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