PirateFest: A moved Mazeroski sees statue model

Huntington, Coonelly set high goals for players in 2010, beyond

Saturday, January 30, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Bill Mazeroski had to pause three times during a three-minute speech, but he made it.

His voice trembling, standing at the podium before about 75 team officials, reporters and players at the Pirates' annual media luncheon yesterday, he spoke in characteristically humble tones just before the unveiling of the statue design that soon will be erected in his honor.


Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette

Bill Mazeroski looks at a miniature version of a statue of himself which will be outside PNC Park. Plans for the statue were officially revealed during a press conference Friday. The statue will commemorate the Hall of Famer's home run that won the World Series 50 years ago.

"I hit one home run," he said. "I get all the credit and don't deserve it. You get in the Hall of Fame. You get a street named after you. Holy hell, how can you get a better life than that?"

The room burst into laughter and applause.

"Now, I get a statue. I don't know what to say after that. Just, thanks."

Mazeroski and Bob Nutting, the Pirates' owner, then unveiled the 14-inch model, to more applause.

The statue, expected to be 12 feet tall and made from bronze, will be created by Pittsburgh sculptor Susan Wagner, who also did the Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell statues. Her other works include the Pittsburgh Police memorial on the North Shore and a Jackie Robinson memorial in New Jersey.

It will be unveiled Sept. 5 before a game against the Washington Nationals.

As reported earlier in the week, the pose for the statue will be of Mazeroski rounding second base after the home run, culled from a photograph by the Post-Gazette's James G. Klingensmith. And it will be located at the riverfront edge of Mazeroski Way, the short street on the side of PNC Park facing Heinz Field. The sidewalk will be chiseled to simulate infield dirt, and authentic bricks from Forbes Field will provide a backdrop.

"Bill's story is so inspirational, not only for his Hall of Fame career but also for the way he has continued to represent himself and the Pirates off it," Nutting said. "I'm thrilled that, soon, our fans will have a special place outside PNC Park to remember and share this story."

Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette

The miniature version of a statue of Bill Mazeroski that will be outside PNC Park.

GM defends payroll use

General manager Neal Huntington, in his speech to the media, said that "a lot has been made of payroll," and he made a case for why it should not be an issue.

The Pirates' payroll projects to $35.6 million for the coming season, which would be the lowest in Major League Baseball. But Nutting said last weekend that Huntington had "lots" of additional money he could have spent and did not.

"If we wanted to spend money for the sake of spending money, we could have spent it. And there was more money left to spend," Huntington said. "But, as we looked at the dollars being allocated to other major league players as free agents vs. what we had internally, we decided it was a better use of our resources to give those at-bats and innings to players who are going to be here for multiple years. The payroll isn't the driving force. The driving force is getting these players better and finding out who is going to be part of the turnaround."

This, too, from Huntington: "The 2010 Pirates, on paper, as you look at them, it's easy to dismiss. It's easy to say it's just another year. We're not doing that. You will never hear me say we're going to win in 2012 or 2013. To me, that basically means that we're not trying to win tonight's game. We're going to have given our team a chance to win every game every night. And by the time we look up in September, it's going to have been a fun year."

Players hear the call

Team president Frank Coonelly spoke of competing for a "championship" and a "return to the playoffs," likening the current team to those that led up to the Pirates' 1960 success.

And it appeared to resonate with the players.

"I believe in what we have," center fielder Andrew McCutchen said. "We have a lot of depth now. Now, we have guys coming up through the minors. When I was coming through the system, we didn't have that. It makes you feel good, actually. It's great to talk about playoffs. I love it."

"Every guy who steps out here, that's what he's trying to do," left fielder Lastings Milledge said. "We're not out here to win 15, 20 more games than last year. We want to put ourselves in the position for the playoffs."

Three players added

Three more non-roster players were invited to spring training, all of the minor league variety: Infielders Brian Friday and Doug Bernier, and catcher Hector Gimenez.

Friday, 24, is the lone prospect of the group. He batted .265 with seven home runs for Class AA Altoona last season.

The non-roster total is 25.


Pittsburgh Pirates

An illustration displaying the location of the Bill Mazeroski statue at PNC Park.

Tickets on sale

Individual tickets for all games, including the April 5 opener, go on sale at 10 a.m. today. They will be on sale at PirateFest, as well as the usual outlets, including the PNC Park box office.

Dejan Kovacevic: dkovacevic@post-gazette.com. Find more at PBC Blog.

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First published on January 30, 2010 at 12:00 am


Mazeroski's statue is unveiled at PNC Park

By Karen Price, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, January 30, 2010

Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski is known for many things, including his humility, class, distaste for public speaking and, of course, hitting the home run that won the World Series for the Pirates in 1960.

All those were on display Friday when the Pirates unveiled a model of the statue in Mazeroski's likeness to be erected outside PNC Park this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that championship.

Pirates Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski stands with a miniature likeness of the statue that will be erected outside PNC Park after the replica was unveiled Friday during the team's annual hot stove event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The statue honors Maz's 1960 World Series home run against the New York Yankees.

Christopher Horner Tribune-Review

"It's amazing," Mazeroski said. "You don't ever expect to have a statue put up of you in a ballpark. Gee, I mean, that's something special. I don't know if I deserve it or not, but I'm going to be very happy with it."

The statue captures Mazeroski's image after he rounded second base, right arm holding his cap high, left arm outstretched, right leg bent back in mid-stride, left leg planting on the ground. When finished, it will sit at the end of the cul-de-sac on Mazeroski Way, near the right-field entrance to the park. Behind it will sit part of the wall from Forbes Field bearing the No. 406, over which he hit the legendary home run, and the concrete around the statue will model the infield dirt.

Susan Wagner, who designed the Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell statues outside PNC Park, is the sculptress. The statue will be revealed Sept. 5 prior to the game against the Washington Nationals.

"We debated over the pose, but we decided to capture that unbelievable moment that has inspired our city and region to dream about what can be done," Pirates owner Bob Nutting said.

Mazeroski said he doesn't think about the home run every day, but someone does bring it up every day.

Not that he minds.

"I don't get tired of talking about it, I know that," said Mazeroski, who welcomed a third grandchild Thursday. "All I could think (rounding the bases) was, 'We beat the Yankees! We beat the Yankees!' because I was sitting on the bench after they tied it up wondering what in the world happened. All we needed was three outs and we would be world champs, and here they come and tie it up.

"Then someone yelled, 'Maz, you're up!' "

As with the other statues, fans will be able to donate to the fund. But instead of getting their names on a brick, donors will get their names engraved on cast aluminum ivy leaves that will be installed on the Forbes Field backdrop. Small leafs are available for $150, large leafs for $500 and commemorative certificates will be issued to fans donating $25. There will be eight Gold Gloves incorporated into the backdrop that can also be engraved.

Fans can place orders at PirateFest, by calling 1-877-MAZ-1960 or on-line at Pirates.com.

More Pirates headlines

Bucs GM: Frustrated times 'a million' by Sano deal
All-Star catcher Mauer waiting for deal
Mazeroski headlines PirateFest
Baseball players pledge support to Haiti
Maz to get statue outside PNC
Pirates' caravan makes stop in Uniontown
Major League Baseball won't purge 'tainted' stats

Steelers Free Agent Decisions: Jeff Reed

Re-signing Reed top priority

Friday, January 29, 2010
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

There aren't many certainties for the Steelers when it comes to deciding what to do with some of their top unrestricted free agents. It remains unclear if they will use a franchise tag on five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton, and they will be in no hurry to re-sign running back Willie Parker or cornerback Deshea Townsend, even though they would take both players back at a reduced rate if they don't sign with another team.


Jeff Reed kicks a 38-yard fourth-quarter field goal against the Baltimore Ravens during an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009. The Steelers won 23-20. (AP)

But one thing is certain: Their top priority before free agency begins March 5 is to sign kicker Jeff Reed to a new contract. They intend to accomplish that before doing anything else, and that is fine by Reed, who has maintained all along his desire to remain with the Steelers.

Reed said that he has met with "the most important people in the organization" -- president Art Rooney II, director of football operations Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin -- "and they all said they definitely want me back. They want me to retire a Steeler. Sounds like a good plan to me."

He has been one of the National Football League's most accurate and dependable kickers since his rookie season in 2002, despite kicking outdoors in the Northeast. His career field goal percentage of 83.26 percent (189 of 227) -- seventh among all active kickers -- ranks ninth in NFL history among kickers with 100 or more field goals.

In a season in which the NFL's field-goal percentage dropped from 84.5 in 2008 to 81.3, Reed's conversion percent of 87.1 (27 of 31) was second only to San Diego's Nate Kaeding (91.4) among kickers with 30 or more attempts. And that after a rare bad performance in Week 2 in Chicago in which Reed missed attempts of 38 and 43 yards in the fourth quarter.

After that game, he never missed again from inside 50 yards, converting all 24 attempts. In fact, his only misses after the Chicago loss were from 52 and 53 yards, the latter on a cold December day at Heinz Field.

Since 2007, Reed has converted 88.2 percent of his attempts (75 of 85) -- the same success rate as Kaeding (83 of 94), the percentage leader in league history, in that time.

But Reed's greatest attribute might be his ability to deliver when it matters most -- a quality that was underscored in the past couple weeks when kickers such as Kaeding, Cincinnati's Shayne Graham and Arizona's Neil Rackers missed field-goal attempts at critical junctures of playoff games. Reed has never missed a field goal in the postseason (16 of 16) and is 22 of 25 in the final two minutes or in overtime of a regular-season game.

"The last three years, if you look at what I've done, I'm very proud of that," Reed said Thursday from Charlotte, N.C., where he is visiting his family. "I've never been to the Pro Bowl. I don't necessarily like it when I'm not mentioned among the best kickers in the league."

Conceivably, the Steelers could place a franchise or transition tag on Reed and keep him for one more season. But a franchise tag for kickers/punters before the 2009 season (average of top five salaries) was $2,483,000. A transition tag for kickers/punters (average of top 10 salaries) was $2,264,000.

Reed's 2009 salary was $1,375,000, though he counted $1,973,334 against the salary cap. A year earlier, his cap value of $1,958,333 ranked ninth among NFL kickers.

"I'm very loyal to the Steelers," Reed said. "No matter what has happened in the past, the organization has treated me very respectfully and made me feel like it's home."

Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com.

Staal talented, tough, lucky kid

Friday, January 29, 2010
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Penguins center Jordan Staal was in no mood to celebrate an impressive career milestone. Not on a night when his team gave a lifeless effort in a 4-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators. Not after he went a fifth consecutive game without a point and an 11th consecutive game without a goal.

But that milestone is worth celebrating, nonetheless.

Staal became the youngest player in NHL history to play his 300th game.

It seems as if the kid has been around forever, but he was just 21 years and 140 days old as of Thursday night when they dropped the puck at Mellon Arena.

Wow.

That's my word, not Staal's. His reaction was typically understated after the game. He barely blinked when an equipment staffer gave him a game puck as a souvenir with the date and opponent written on it in white ink.

"I'm glad they left off the score," Staal said dryly.


Jordan Staal passes the puck after falling during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010. The Senators won 4-1. (AP)

Sure, it would have been sweeter if the Penguins had won. But they were outworked all night by the Senators, who easily could be their first-round playoff opponent. It's nice to think the Penguins will play with a little more passion if the teams meet again in April. They couldn't solve Senators goaltender Brian Elliott after an Evgeni Malkin goal just 94 seconds into the game. And their goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, had a tough night, allowing a couple of soft goals.

Still, 300 games are 300 games.

And to be just 21?

It's worth repeating:

Wow.

"I'm proud of it," Staal said quietly. "I want to play in a lot more."

You have to be phenomenally talented, tough as they come and awfully lucky to get to 300 games so quickly. Staal is all three.

The talent showed from the start when Staal made the Penguins to open the 2006-07 season, only a few weeks past his 18th birthday. He blew away his coaches and teammates with his instincts and knowledge of the game. He scored 29 goals that rookie season, but that's not what separated him from so many other players in the league. He was so good and so sound defensively and as a penalty killer. He was responsible, which is a wonderful word to describe a young player.

Still is.

"He's a player who has continued to grow," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said, perking up just a bit at the mention of Staal's name after this lame performance by his team. "He's skating better than ever. He's playing more physical than ever ...

"To have 300 games under his belt already? There's a long road ahead for that kid. A lot of good hockey."

So much, the Penguins believe, that they gave Staal a four-year, $16 million contract a year ago. Somehow appropriately, he wasn't old enough to buy a beer to celebrate when he signed it.

Now that blows me away.

Staal's toughness has been just as evident as his skills. He has missed just one game -- one out of 350, counting playoff games -- during his career. He was a healthy scratch in December of his rookie season, which puts his regular-season consecutive games streak at 275.

That's a big number that sports' ultimate ironman -- Cal Ripken Jr. -- surely can appreciate.

It's not as if Staal didn't have opportunities to take a night off. Early this season -- "I don't remember the game," he said -- he left the ice briefly after a skate ripped open a gash on his right thigh that required 40 stitches to close. Of course, he returned to the game. He did the same thing after his nose was broken when the Penguins played New Jersey Dec. 21.

"If you can play, you play," Staal said, shrugging.

Luck comes into it because Staal has not had a more serious injury. He has not broken anything that kept him from pulling on his No. 11 sweater. There have been a few times he felt sicker than a dog, but he played.

Staal has been lucky in another sense as well. He joined an organization on the rise. In his first three seasons in the NHL, the Penguins made the playoffs the first year, went to the Stanley Cup final the second and won the darn thing the third. He still wasn't old enough to buy a legal drink when they etched his name on the precious chalice. He didn't turn 21 until Sept. 10.

"I've been really fortunate," Staal said. "Someone definitely is watching me up there."

Many nights, better than this one, figure to be ahead for Staal. He was a rare minus-2 against the Senators but still leads the Penguins for the season with a plus-12. The goal-scoring slump appears to be wearing on him just a bit, but that will pass. His 13 goals are fourth on the Penguins behind Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Bill Guerin.

Clearly, the kid is too talented, too tough and too lucky for the slump to last much longer.

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on January 29, 2010 at 12:00 am

Uncapped year impacts status of Steelers' Colon

Thursday, January 28, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Willie Colon, left, has been the Steelers' starting right tackle for three seasons.

Willie Colon has not complained, his agent has not complained, and the Steelers have said nothing to him or his agent about it, but they have their starting right tackle over a unique barrel.

Under usual circumstances, Colon would become an unrestricted free agent March 5, four years after he signed his first contract as a fourth-round draft choice. As a three-year starter at right tackle, about to turn 27 years old and acclaimed by his own coaches to be among the best tackles in the NFL, Colon could hit the jackpot.

The average compensation of the top five offensive linemen in the NFL one year ago was $8,451,000; the average of the top 10 was $7,744,000.

Fourth-round draft choices do not make much money on their first contract, relatively speaking, of course. Colon averaged $454,500 annually for those three years. He then became a restricted free agent last year, and the Steelers tendered him a contract of about $2.2 million to keep him. That was a nice jump in pay for Colon, but nothing like what he could experience this year as an unrestricted free agent.

Instead, he will remain a restricted free agent because the rules will change as, almost everyone in the business expects, the NFL heads into the unfamiliar waters of an uncapped year in 2010. The rule that impacts Colon and more than 200 other players changes the number years of service to become unrestricted from four to six.

Colon, then, would become a restricted free agent again March 5. If no contract is negotiated this year and the Steelers tender him a deal under the restricted free agent rules, he again would be restricted in 2011 if no collective bargaining agreement is negotiated a year from now.

Some refer to these players as "notch babies." Tight end Heath Miller also would have been in that spot, but he signed a long-term contract last summer.

Colon would make around $2.5 million this year if the Steelers tender him a contract. While that is good money, it cannot compare to what, for example, left tackle Max Starks received from the Steelers. They signed Starks to a four-year, $26.3 million contract in June. That averages to about $6.6 million per year.

Assuming Colon (who took Starks' starting job in 2006 and kept it) could get the same if he were free, he would lose nearly $8 million over the next two seasons under the new rules that keep him a restricted free agent.

No one from the Steelers approached Colon's agent, Joe Linta, about a long-term deal last year, and the Steelers have said nothing to him yet about it since the season ended.

"The Steelers at this point have chosen not to pursue Willie on a long-term contract," Linta said. "Willie would love to stay and hopes he fits in their plans but to this point that hasn't occurred."

Restricted free agents are permitted to shop themselves to other teams and to sign a contract with someone else. His current team is permitted to match any offer and keep him. However, if the team decides not to match, it receives compensation in return. The salary depends on which tender the team issues the player. If another team signed Colon last year and the Steelers did not match, they would have received a first-round draft pick in return. They can put a higher tender on him that would bring draft picks in the first and third rounds.

Good offensive tackles are hard to find, and perhaps there might be a team willing to give up a first-round draft pick to sign Colon, particularly if it is a low pick in the round. The only pure tackle on the team besides Starks and Colon is Tony Hills, a fourth-round draft choice in 2008 who has not played a snap in two seasons. Undrafted rookie Ramon Foster, who played tackle at the University of Tennessee, was converted to guard by the Steelers.

"The Steelers are watching the same films I am and it's pretty obvious he's in the top three players at his position in the league," Linta said, "and they will make their decision accordingly.

"There is no animosity. They're playing by the rules. It's not like they're doing anything wrong, immoral or unethical. Willie is like, 'They're going to do what they're going to do. I'll just go out and play ball.' "

For more on the Steelers, read Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com.

Mazeroski on statue plan: 'Couldn't believe it'

Pose will be of home run gallop, location outside right-field gate

Thursday, January 28, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

For all Bill Mazeroski's fame, having hit baseball's greatest home run and now about to be immortalized with a statue outside PNC Park, nothing has stripped away any semblance of his humble roots.

Especially the humble part.


James G. Klingensmith/Post-Gazette
This 1960 photo of Bill Mazeroski rounding second base after his famous home run will serve as the model for the new PNC Park statue.

"I couldn't believe it when I first heard about it," Mazeroski said of the statue yesterday in a phone interview with the Post-Gazette from Panama City, Fla. "Things like that... I don't know. I came out of Ohio, the back woods down there, had hardly nothin', and here I am getting a statue up in Pittsburgh. It's just something I can't comprehend. It probably won't sink in until I see it."

Mazeroski, the soft-spoken coal miner's son from Little Rush Run, Ohio, will attend the unveiling of a model of the statue Friday at the team's media luncheon to kick off PirateFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The model will be on display at PirateFest all weekend, and Mazeroski will sign autographs Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

More details about the statue emerged yesterday, as per multiple sources:

• The pose will be based on the indelible image of Mazeroski rounding second base -- arms fully extended to his sides, the right hand twirling the cap, running seemingly on air -- after his epic home run that beat the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.

• The tentative location will be the circular, riverfront edge of the now aptly named Mazeroski Way, just outside PNC Park's right-field entrance. Currently, there is a small overlook and bike rack there.

• Second base, which was Mazeroski's Gold Glove position, will be part of the display, just behind his figure.

• The circular sidewalk near the statue would be converted to an infield-looking appearance -- through chiseled and colored cement -- allowing fans the chance to imagine running the bases with Mazeroski.

• The sculpture will be complete at some point in the season's second half but probably not in time for the Pirates' 50th anniversary celebration of the 1960 title, June 18-19.


The Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27 in the 1960 World Series but lost on Bill Mazeroski's one-out homer off Ralph Terry in the ninth inning of Game 7 at Forbes Field.(AP)

Mazeroski was told of the statue plans during a November alumni meeting, when team owner Bob Nutting and president Frank Coonelly called him into an office.

"I just said, 'Holy cow, this can't be happening,' " Mazeroski said of his reaction. "There have been so many great things happen to me, I don't know which one is the greatest."

There were no tears, though, which might surprise those who remember a deeply emotional Mazeroski having to cut short his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2001.

How might he react at seeing the statue?

"I don't know," he replied with a laugh. "For a guy who cries watching commercials on TV... "

Mazeroski stressed, as he always has, that his home run should not solely define that team. And he backed that sentiment this past weekend at the Pirates' annual fantasy camp in Bradenton, Fla., by taking polite exception to getting top billing for the event.

"They were billing it, 'Bill Mazeroski and the '60 Bucs.' It's not about that. It's about the '60 Bucs," Mazeroski said. "I was just part of it. I got one lucky hit. I get too much credit. It took a 25-man team to win it, and I was just a very, very small part of it."

On Saturday night, at the farewell dinner for the camp, Mazeroski surprised observers -- including 1960 teammates Bob Friend, Vernon Law, Bob Skinner, Bob Oldis and Joe Gibbon -- by briefly taking the podium to address that topic.

Kent Tekulve, the closer for the Pirates' last championship team in 1979, was the emcee.

"I was prepared to make a statement about the whole 1960 team, and Maz got up, unannounced and walked up to the podium, which is not at all like Maz," Tekulve said. "He said, 'Guys, just remember one thing: The 1960 Series wasn't all about Bill Mazeroski. I just happened to be the guy standing at the plate when it happened.' "

Mazeroski, 73, remains in excellent health. He hit a round of golf yesterday -- "I didn't do too bad, I guess" -- and once again will be a special instructor for the Pirates' current players at spring training.

He was asked, based on his view of the current situation, if Pittsburgh might ever see another baseball moment like the one he brought a half-century ago.

"In about four to five years, I'm looking forward to it," Mazeroski repled. "I think the people they have in there now are doing their jobs the right way. It's not going to be overnight, but I think we have a chance to become a winning club. Once you do that, anything can happen in the playoffs and World Series. I know that it sure would be fun in my lifetime to see that again."


NOTES -- Steven Jackson and Anthony Claggett, the relievers the Pirates designated for assignment last week to clear space on the 40-man roster, passed through waivers and were outrighted to Class AAA Indianapolis. ... They also were invited to spring training, raising the number of non-roster players to 22. There will not be many more such additions, if any.


Dejan Kovacevic: dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.

Penguins star Malkin strides through slump

By Rob Rossi, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

These words are not a warning to the NHL.

These words are not a response to critics.

These words are simply an expression of Penguins center Evgeni Malkin's feelings 47 games into a "bad" season in which he has scored 18 goals and recorded 53 points.

"Yeah, I'm back to being Geno," he said Monday night after single-handedly sucking the life out of Madison Square Garden midway through third period in the Penguins' 4-2 win over the New York Rangers.


Penguins star center Evgeni Malkin has provided the Penguins a boost over the last week.

Chaz Palla Tribune-Review

Those words might seem obvious given Malkin's five goals and 10 points in five games since a stretch of 22 contests over which he produced five goals and 18 points. In reality, production played only a minor role in his proclamation.

For Malkin, "back" is rising to the occasion and providing the Penguins' a potent performance on a shift when they need it most, or...

"Exactly what he did (Monday night)," defenseman Brooks Orpik said.

"That's what he does," center Sidney Crosby said, regarding Malkin drawing a penalty and scoring on a power play not long after the Rangers took a 2-1 lead.

Rangers center Artem Anisimov had snapped a tie score with 10:45 remaining in regulation. Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar said the goal "felt like one of those deflating ones." Malkin held a different opinion.

"Maybe their players (would) relax," he said of his thoughts prior to stepping on the ice for the ensuing shift. "It (could be) a good chance for us."

Fifteen seconds later he had drawn a slashing penalty from Rangers winger Marian Gaborik, who spent only 16 seconds in the sin bin because Malkin ripped his 18th marker past goalie Henrik Lundqvist to pull the Penguins even, 2-2, and turn the "world's most famous arena" into the NHL's quietest at that moment.

A minute after that goal, forward Chris Conner pushed the Penguins in front. Less than nine minutes later, Malkin set up winger Pascal Dupuis' empty-net score that sealed the Penguins' seventh win in 11 games.

The night belonged to Conner, who scored twice after receiving a phone call Monday morning informing him of a promotion from the AHL. Malkin was happy to avoid a gathering of reporters while heading for the trainer's room as Conner held court in the Penguins dressing room.

About 45 minutes after the Penguins secured a seventh win in 11 games, Malkin emerged wearing a form-fitting charcoal suit with pinstripes. His hair was wet and matted to his head as he placed his autograph on the stick he used to score the goal.

The subject of his slump from Nov. 30-Jan. 14, raised by the Tribune-Review, was met with something not seen much from Malkin, at least publicly, over the past few months.

"I feel the same now," he said, holding a smile after laughing at the topic. "No, no; I'm lucky. This is a great team. I played bad, and the guys supported me. They helped me."

The unexpected brush of human-like production was baffling to Malkin, who last season won the NHL scoring title and was elected playoff MVP for scoring the most postseason points (36) since 1993. He has denied that recent local criticism hit hard, but teammates could sense Malkin was at a breaking point when the Penguins left for a five-game road trip earlier this month.

"When the puck is not going in and you lose, it's not always easy to take criticism," said Crosby, arguably the NHL's most scrutinized player and, like Malkin, possessing an $8.7 million individual salary-cap hit.

"That's the position he's in. That's the position some of us are in, but (Monday night) was (an example of) his game — and it shows how he can change games."

Neither Orpik nor Gonchar, two of Malkin's closest friends, felt Malkin was in danger of slipping into an abyss during his slide from the ranks of top-tier scorers. He said they, along with winger Ruslan Fedotenko, helped isolate a problem with his game — a sketchy skating stride.

"You could see it in his moves. He was not confident with them. He hesitated," Gonchar said. "Look at him now, and there is no hesitation. He isn't inside his head. He's just playing.

"That is how he can do what he did (Monday night)."

Orpik cited a Jan. 14 game at Edmonton, where Malkin recorded seven shots but no points, as the start of his turnaround.

"He's just been skating so much better since that game," Orpik said. "I don't know what it is, but it looks like he's got that extra jump he's used to having.

"He looks like he's back to his old self."

Added Malkin: "Yes, I'm back."


Multiplicity

Center Evgeni Malkin has recorded multiple points in three of his past five games. With 16 multiple-point games, he is on pace for 26 in 75 games; Malkin missed seven games early in the season because of a right shoulder injury. A look at his multiple-point games from the last three seasons:

Season: Multiple-point games

2008-09: 32

2007-08: 28

2006-07: 23

Source: ESPN.com

Who does Nutting think he's kidding?

By Bob Smizik Jan 27 2010
http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bobsmizik/default.aspx
Wednesday, 12:15 a.m.

Bob Nutting is not a man easily embarrassed. The owner of the Pirates make no apologies for operating what is one of the worst -- if not the worse -- professional sports franchise in this country. You’d never know from hearing Nutting speak that there’s anything wrong with the Pirates.

But as we all know there’s plenty wrong with the Pirates. The team has had 17 consecutive losing seasons and there looks to be no getting around No. 18 this summer.

Nutting believes he has a plan in place, and he does. That might not sound like much, but considering how the Pirates have operated in the past it is an improvement. Whether that plan will work remains to be seen.

In any evaluation of the Pirates' future three things must be considered:

* Almost all of the other 15 National League franchises also have a plan.

* With the possible exception of Washington, none of those franchises is starting from as far back as the Pirates.

* None of those franchises has an ownership group more reluctant to spend.

This is to say the hill the Pirates must climb back to respectability is steep, very steep. The path to championship contention is steeper still.

Which leads us to what amounts to the state of the franchise interview Nutting gave to Post-Gazette beat reporter Dejan Kovacevic and which appeared in the Monday editions of the paper (see interview below).

If Nutting ran the Cleveland Indians, I’d say the interview showed he speaks with a forked tongue. Since the runs the Pirates, I will resort to old-fashioned Pittsburghese: He’s fulla baloney.

You’d think after proclaiming last year, ``"We're not going to accept an inferior performance," and accepting just that, Nutting would be more careful with his words. He wasn’t. Like I said, he doesn’t embarrass easily.

In answering Kovacevic’s second question, which dealt with whether progress should be expected, Nutting said:

``Oh, absolutely. We are going to win more games than last year. We are going to see improvement on the field in Pittsburgh, in terms of wins and loses. We have to.

``I said last year that was my expectation and, midway through the season, we clearly weren't seeing that. And the team took decisive action, made change. That's part of why you have the broader pool from which the pieces will come for 2010 and moving forward.’’

That second paragraph simply is not true. The Pirates did not begin making trades when expectations weren’t being met. They began making trades when they were ahead of expectations. And they often traded players who were ahead of anyone’s expectations, most notably Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett.

Every time the Pirates made a trade, beginning with Nate McLouth to Atlanta in early June when they were four games under .500, they were ahead of the pace they set in 2008. They did not fall behind that pace until the final trade was made, at which point all the high-priced veterans were gone and the Pirates were stuck with a miserable talent level.

There were reasons the Pirates made those trades last year, and I don’t disagree with most of them. But they were not made because the team, as Nutting suggested, was playing below expectations.

Later Nutting was asked about what had to be the single most ridiculous comment of his tenure. After the Pirates finally signed No. 1 draft choice Pedro Alvarez in the summer of 2008, Nutting called team president Frank Coonelly and general manager Neal Huntington ``the single best management team in all of baseball, maybe in all of sports."

His answer was equally ridiculous:

``And I've never backed away from that comment.’’

Well, he should have. Coonelly and Huntington are not anywhere near the best management team in sports and Nutting makes himself look like a buffoon by standing by his original comment. There are other way to support your management team than lavishing them with overblown praise.

Nutting could have backed away from his original comment, maybe even by poking fun at himself. Then he could have reasserted his confidence in Connelly and Nutting without making them sound like Larry Lucchino and Theo Epstein of the Boston Red Sox.

Next question:

``What's your view of the talent pool that could be in Pittsburgh at some point in 2010?’’

Answer: ``Clearly, we have more depth, more options. And what I'm thrilled about is that Neal has the time and opportunity to make good baseball decisions to be able to pull people up when it's appropriate to the player's development.’’

Balderdash. The Pirates are significantly weaker on the major-league level than they were at this time last year and they have less options at that level. The fact they have presented Jeff Clement with an opportunity to win the starting first base job in spring training speaks volumes to their lack of talent and clearly shows Huntington is not able ``to pull people up when it's appropriate to the player's development.''

Clement batted .224 for Indianapolis last season after he was traded to the Pirates from Seattle. In a major-league trial with the Mariners in 2008, he batted .227 with a .295 on-base percentage and a .360 slugging percentage. He hit five home runs in 203 at bats.

That wouldn’t even get an invitation to spring training on some teams, let alone the opportunity to win a starting job.

There’s were lots more of nutty Nutting comments but I’m going to end here. However, I reserve the right to critique the remainder of his interview at a later date.



Nutting: Pirates' payroll to rise as roster matures

Says $75M range of Brewers, Reds is 'where Pittsburgh needs to be'

Monday, January 25, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

SEVEN SPRINGS, Pa. -- A year ago, at the opening of the Pirates' Winter Caravan promotional tour here, the franchise's controlling owner, Bob Nutting, said of his expectations for 2009, "We're not going to accept an inferior performance," and he pledged accountability.

The team's record fell from 67-95 to 62-99, and it grew worse after several veteran-for-prospect trades in June and July. Management and coaching staff remained almost entirely untouched.

The Post-Gazette met with Nutting again yesterday at the Seven Springs resort he owns for another interview that covered that topic, as well as:

• Opening-day payroll, projected to drop to $35.6 million.

• Whether payroll will ever increase to the level of division and market peers in Milwaukee and Cincinnati, each now in the range of $75 million.

• Confidence in team president Frank Coonelly and general manager Neal Huntington, his hires in late 2007.

• The Pirates' failure to sign top Latin American prospect Miguel Angel Sano last summer.

• Whether the Pirates are at risk of being pushed to spend more by Major League Baseball and the players' union, as occurred last month with Florida.

Question: A good place to start would be with your expectations for the coming season, same question as last year.

Answer: Well, we're in a very different position than this time last year, but I'm enthusiastic about 2010.

If you look at the moves that were made, with talent coming in at every level, then you look at the impact that talent will have in Pittsburgh in 2010 and beyond, that's encouraging. From there, if you look at the veteran additions Frank and Neal made, it was very strategic and, I think, very effective. They brought in support where the young team was going to need some help.

Q: You almost have to view 2009 as a bottoming out, don't you?

You can't keep hovering around 62 or so wins and see that as progress, right?

A: Oh, absolutely. We are going to win more games than last year. We are going to see improvement on the field in Pittsburgh, in terms of wins and loses. We have to.

I said last year that was my expectation and, midway through the season, we clearly weren't seeing that. And the team took decisive action, made change. That's part of why you have the broader pool from which the pieces will come for 2010 and moving forward.

Q: Can we expect to see accountability beyond changing the roster?

A: I think, just as you saw accountability at the player level last year, ultimately, my job is very simple: It's to set the level of expectation to win games in Pittsburgh, period. And my tool to do that is to hold people accountable to reach this goal.

I think I've done that effectively so far, and I believe everyone in the organization understands that the expectation is high.

Q: You've expressed confidence in Frank and Neal, notably calling them "the single best management team in all of baseball, maybe in all of sports" a couple summers ago ...

A: And I've never backed away from that comment.

Q: That's what I wanted to ask.

A: I need to believe in and support them. If I ever don't believe in the team, we'll replace the team. We'll make changes. We've made changes along the way.

Pittsburgh needs to have extraordinarily capable leaders who are focused on the process and driving the team forward. That's what we need to compete, to win.

Q: When you see some of these prospects about to come up -- Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, Brad Lincoln -- what's your view of the talent pool that could be in Pittsburgh at some point in 2010?

A: Clearly, we have more depth, more options. And what I'm thrilled about is that Neal has the time and opportunity to make good baseball decisions to be able to pull people up when it's appropriate to the player's development.

Do we have enough talent?

Absolutely not.

We need another great draft. We've had two good ones, and we need to do it again. And again and again. With international signings, we need to keep our focus on that ball, as well. We need to continue to bring in talent at the bottom every way we possibly can, so those options are available in 2010 and, hopefully, those choices become more and more difficult every year.

Q: You mention international signings. Minnesota ended up signing Sano for a $3.15 million bonus, and the Pirates' final offer was $2.6 million. Did you authorize that the team could spend in the range of the Twins?

Or was your final offer it?

A: It [Sano's bonus with Minnesota] was comfortably within the range of what we could have paid.

Q: I understand that the opening-day payroll figure can increase as the season goes along but, at the same time, it's probably going to end up down from the $48 million of last year.

What went into your thinking?

A: First of all, I think it's never going to be about the total dollars we spend as much as how effectively we put them to use.

Part of the reason for the payroll level is that we have young players, and it is normal, expected and natural that, as those players mature, those dollars are going to have to come up. That certainly is my expectation.

But I think we've shown good discipline in building this 2010 team, in that there is lots of flexibility that Neal still has. He's building the team that he thinks will perform best for the coming year but also can still succeed going forward.

Q: So, Neal can spend more than what we see right now?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Why not, some might say, just take some heat off yourself and have a $50 million-$55 million payroll?

A: Well, what I really believe is that we've put in place an orderly, systematic plan, and the last thing we can do is divert from that plan or change it, as I've seen done before in Pittsburgh and with other clubs. I believe that the decisions being made are giving the team the best opportunity to compete this year, as well as going forward. I don't want to do anything that handicaps that.

Look, some of the trades we've made ... would it have been easier not to do those?

Of course it would have.

But I really believe we're going in the right direction and that we're being driven by baseball decisions, not financial ones.

Q: So, your expectation remains that, if this group becomes competitive, you will be able to someday spend at the level of the Brewers and Reds?

A: I think that's expected. I think it's rational. I think it's where Pittsburgh needs to be.

And we're in that trajectory now. As you see our current core of players -- one I have faith in -- as they mature, the dollars are going to increase. If that needs to be supplemented, we need to have the flexibility to be able to do that.

Q: You can understand where the general public can look at the payroll with frustration?

A: Again, I understand the focus on that single number. I also strongly believe that is not the right indicator for organization performance or strength. You need to look at our commitments top to bottom, the foundation we've built.

Q: Do you have any expectation that what just happened with the Marlins could happen to the Pirates?

A: I really can't speak to the Marlins' situation, but what I can say is that, in Pittsburgh, I'm very comfortable that what we're doing is in the best interest of the team. We're using our revenue-sharing dollars appropriately, and we're building a program to improve on-field performance, which is the goal of revenue-sharing.

Q: So, you have no reason to think the Pirates are next in that regard?

A: Again, I can't speak to what the union might do, or the commissioner's office. But I'm comfortable that we're moving in an appropriate direction. We're using our dollars correctly, efficiently and well. And we're going to continue moving down that path.

Q: What would you consider a successful 2010?

A: Honestly, I won't be satisfied with any season until we win a championship. Incremental improvement might be encouraging at some level but, in terms of what's satisfactory ... I'll be pleased with a championship season.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.

Steelers' Townsend 'can still be a starter'

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

In a season in which the secondary had problems preventing big plays and making even the simplest ones, the Steelers had to turn to one of their most reliable players to help ease the chaos.

After watching cornerback William Gay struggle and eventually lose confidence in his first full season as a starter, Deshea Townsend was thrust back into a role he hadn't performed in nearly two seasons -- starting opposite Ike Taylor.


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend intercepts a pass in front of Dolphins wide receiver Greg Camarillo during a game at Landshark Stadium in Miami earlier this month.

Townsend, a 12-year veteran who had spent most of the past two seasons as a nickel back, started the final two games at left cornerback for Gay, primarily because opposing teams were picking on Gay with more than modest success. But even that switch didn't produce instant results or prevent more coverage breakdowns.

Townsend gave up a 30-yard touchdown to Ravens tight end Todd Heap in a Week 15 victory against Baltimore and got caught out of position on pass plays of 22 and 34 yards the following week in Miami, the latter for a touchdown.

But, he did come up with the first interception by a Steelers cornerback this season, even if it did take him 16 games to do so. And, in his opinion, he convinced the coaches he can still be a starter in the National Football league.

"I think I showed them I can still be a starter," he said.

The Steelers are not counting on Townsend, who will be 35 in September, being a starter next season. Nor are they sure he will even be around. But he has played a valuable role as a nickel back who lines up in the slot in passing situations and also lines up at safety in some of their specialty packages.

Still, Townsend is an unrestricted free agent, and the Steelers are preparing to move on if he chooses to sign with another team. When they drafted cornerback Joe Burnett in the fifth round last year, they proclaimed him a defensive playmaker who could be a valuable nickel back.

But the Steelers believe Townsend wants to return, and they will take him at a reduced rate, though there will be no urgency to re-sign him.

Depth is not an issue at cornerback -- at least not right now. The Steelers used two picks in last year's draft to help shore up the position when they took Keenan Lewis with one of their three third-rounds picks and Burnett with one of their two fifth-round picks.

But making plays is most certainly an issue, especially after the Steelers went 15 games without an interception by a cornerback this season. Curiously, it was Townsend who ended the drought with a second-quarter interception in the season finale in Miami. Taylor, who dropped what would have been a big interception in the loss in Kansas City, added another against the Dolphins.

Don't be surprised if those shortcomings prompt the Steelers to seek a cornerback in the early rounds of the draft.

Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com.

Pirates to unveil Mazeroski statue plans

Will show design, believed based on home run, to fans at PirateFest

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Bill Mazeroski, already immortalized for hitting baseball's greatest home run, soon will be immortalized all over again.

In bronze.

The Pirates will unveil plans for a new PNC Park statue honoring Mazeroski as part of this weekend's PirateFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, according to multiple sources. It likely will come during the Friday session, 5-9 p.m., for season-ticket holders. Mazeroski will be in attendance -- and signing autographs -- that night and Saturday.


James G. Klingensmith/Post-Gazette

The Pirates will unveil a statue of former second baseman Bill Mazeroski this season.

The building of the statue has not yet begun, but it is expected to be complete by June 18-19, when the Pirates will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1960 World Series championship during a weekend series against the visiting Cleveland Indians. Mazeroski's ninth-inning home run ended Game 7 at old Forbes Field, bringing a 10-9 victory against the heavily favored New York Yankees.

A design for the statue has been chosen, and it is believed to be based on the home run, though that could not be confirmed. A location also could not be confirmed, but the entrance at the turnaround end of Mazeroski Way -- on the side of PNC Park that faces Heinz Field -- is the likely choice.

Team officials will not comment on the statue until this weekend.

Mazeroski could not be reached.

The statue will be PNC Park's fourth, along with those honoring Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Honus Wagner. The statues for Clemente and Wagner moved to PNC from the Pirates' previous homes. Inside PNC, there is a Ralph Kiner memorial showing his hands gripping a bat, as well as several smaller monuments to players from Pittsburgh's Negro Leagues teams.

Among the city's other professional sports teams, the Steelers have only a statue of former owner Art Rooney Sr. at Heinz Field, and the Penguins have none at Mellon Arena. The Penguins are highly likely to erect one of Mario Lemieux after the new Consol Energy Center opens.

Mazeroski, 74, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 largely because of superlative defense, as he won eight Gold Gloves at second base. He batted .260 with 138 home runs over 17 seasons -- all with the Pirates -- and won two World Series, including 1971.

He remains involved with the Pirates, notably as an instructor in spring training, where he still dons his full uniform.

Dejan Kovacevic: dkovacevic@post-gazette.com. Find more at PBC Blog.

Memories will last if Steelers' Parker doesn't

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Willie Parker's 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL was the longest in Super Bowl history.

Some of Willie Parker's memories will probably be emblazoned forever in the minds of his teammates and fans.

The first of his 26 career 100-yard rushing performances in the 2004 season finale in Buffalo, the game that convinced Bill Cowher he needed to seriously consider Parker as a starter, not a reserve.

A 75-yard touchdown run on a play called Counter 34 Pike early in the second half of Super Bowl XL in Detroit -- the longest touchdown run in Super Bowl history.

Setting a franchise single-game record that had stood for 36 years when he rushed for 223 yards in a Dec. 12, 2007, game against the Cleveland Browns.

Leading the National Football League in rushing with two games remaining and breaking his leg in Week 15 in a Thursday night game in St. Louis in 2007.

"He won two Super Bowls with us," said wide receiver Hines Ward. "He'll always be a Steeler for life, in my opinion."

Even if he is no longer with the Steelers.

That possibility is creeping closer to reality because Parker, a former two-time Pro Bowl running back, is an unrestricted free agent who sounds as if he has played his last game with the Steelers.

After losing his starting job to Rashard Mendenhall in Week 4, Parker played sparingly the rest of the season, even though he might have gone out in grand style when he rushed for 74 of his 91 yards on the final game-preserving drive in Miami.

At age 29 and with an average of 244 carries in each of his past five seasons, he wants to, and thinks he still can, be a starting running back in the NFL. Even though his 5-foot-10, 209-pound frame has absorbed a lot of blows.

"I'm a starter always looked at myself as starter, that's what I want to be," said Parker, who was an undrafted free agent from North Carolina in 2004. "So, till I hang up pads, that's how I'm going to look at myself. Rashard is a great back and he had a great season and, hopefully, he'll carry it on.

"I had six great years here with the Steelers. We won two Super Bowls. I want to thank the organization and thank everybody. You know how the business goes. I love these guys. I love the organization. I'm a Steeler by heart. We'll see what happens in the future."

The development of Mendenhall, who rushed for 1,108 yards on 242 carries after an injury shortened rookie season, has likely hastened Parker's departure.

It is likely he could return to the team at a value significantly less than the $3.6 million he was paid this season. But it is more likely he can land with another team who is seeking a former two-time Pro Bowl running back with six years experience.

If Parker leaves, the Steelers will have to find a replacement. Their offseason roster includes several candidates, including Isaac Redman, or possibly Justin Vincent, both members of the practice squad.

But they might have to use the middle to late rounds of the April draft to get a backup for Mendenhall.

And that is not a far-fetched possibility.

In the past three years, backs such as Cincinnati's Bernard Scott (sixth round), Indianapolis' Mike Hart (6), Miami's Lex Hilliard (6) and Ahmad Bradshaw of the New York Giants (7) have all been plucked in later rounds.

"It's a business," Ward said. "If Willie's not here, he had a phenomenal career with us. There's still a lot of football left in Willie. Hopefully he'll end up here."

Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com.

Penguins need Talbot

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Max Talbot, a winger for the Penguins when he isn't hawking cars in some of the coolest local television commercials ever made, knows the numbers next to his name are pretty weak. "But I don't play for stats," he insisted the other day. Then, after a rather uncomfortable pause and with a sad sort of smile, he added, "I know that's easy for a guy who has scored just one goal to say."

The harsh truth:

A superstar in those automobile commercials, Talbot has been anything but one on the ice this season.

One goal and five points in 27 games.

One measly goal!


Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Penguins forward Maxime Talbot has scored one goal this season.

It's hard to see it happening to one of the Penguins' more popular and likable players. It was especially hard to see Talbot as a healthy -- relatively speaking -- scratch for a couple of games against Philadelphia in December and another against Atlanta early this month. We're talking about a guy who was absolutely huge in the Stanley Cup season last season.

I'm going to do something right here that Talbot never will do. I'm going to blame his frustrating season on his bad left shoulder. He missed the first 21 games after surgery in July to repair multiple tears in his labrum. Talbot isn't into making excuses, but, clearly, he hasn't been right since he came back. Who knows? Maybe his injury will turn out to be like an elbow problem for a pitcher or a knee problem for a running back. Maybe he won't be really right until next season.

Not that I'm ready to write this one off for Talbot.

Not knowing his amazing history of elevating his game to extraordinary levels in the playoffs.

Surely, you remember his two goals in the Penguins' 2-1 win against Detroit in Game 7 of the Cup final in June?

"I know that's still out there and I'm looking forward to it," Talbot said of the NHL postseason. "But why wait for that to play good? There are a lot of games before then. It's nice to be known as a playoff guy, but you want to be known as a season and a playoff guy."

That's why Talbot is so eager to get back in the Penguins' lineup, perhaps for the home game Thursday night against Ottawa. He sat out his third consecutive game Monday -- a 4-2 win against the New York Rangers -- because of a groin injury. That's unfortunate. Talbot said he thought his play finally was starting to come around just about the time New York Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson took a whack at him with his stick in a game a week ago, causing the groin strain.

Talk about rotten luck and worse timing.

Only three games earlier, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma had reunited Talbot on a line with center Evgeni Malkin and winger Ruslan Fedotenko and given him increased ice time. "It was nice to be back with them," Talbot said. "That was our line in the playoffs [last season]. That's where I played the best hockey of my career."

It's nice to think Talbot will hook up with Malkin and Fedotenko again soon and that he'll get that next goal quickly. His only goal came Nov. 28 against the Rangers in his sixth game back after the shoulder surgery. But Talbot is right when he says he doesn't "need to have a goal and two assists for people to say I had a good night. ... When I'm on my game, I'm finishing my checks and playing good defense and making good decisions with the puck and scrapping a little and bringing some energy." All of those things were just as important to the Penguins' run to the Cup last season as his two Game 7 goals against the Red Wings. Unfortunately, all have been missing much of this season.

Again, I blame Talbot's shoulder.

"I would never say that," he said. But he did mention that he's looking forward to the two-week Olympics break, which starts Feb. 15. He said he will head "south" for five days for a little R & R, "then it's right back here to get after it."

His ongoing shoulder rehab.

The NHL trade deadline comes soon after the break -- March 3. Talbot figures to attract a lot of interest despite his lack of production. Every contending team could use a guy like him heading into the playoffs: A veteran who plays his best hockey when it means the most.

"I don't want to go anywhere," Talbot said, flatly. "If I could play my whole career here, I would. But you can't just choose that. It's not just up to me."

It's up to Penguins general manager Ray Shero, actually. Here's hoping he keeps Talbot. I can't help but think Talbot is going to do something special to salvage this season. Maybe he isn't a superstar at the moment, but it won't be a surprise if he's a superstar in April, May and maybe even into June.

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com.

Steelers Free Agent Decisions: Ryan Clark

A look at the other free agents the Steelers must decide on in anticipation of the start of free agency on March 5: Money will decide if Clark stays a Steeler.

Monday, January 25, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Ryan Clark misses an interception against the Chiefs Nov. 22.


Safety Ryan Clark wants to stay. The Steelers want to re-sign him.

So, what could be the problem?

Money. It always comes down to money. Often when a player leaves a team as a free agent, it is not because he wanted to leave or the team did not want him back, the sides just could not agree on the money.

First, let us get Clark's intentions up front. He wants to come back and play for the Steelers in 2010, rejoining Pro Bowl strong safety Troy Polamalu.

"Yeah, I do. I do," Clark said. "It's a great place to play. I think the Rooney family runs the team the way an organization should be run. I want to come back and make it right too. I want to come back and play with Troy, get all our guys back and make another run at it."

How much value do the Steelers place on Ryan Clark as their free safety vs. what Clark and his agent want? The average annual compensation for the top 10 safeties (both free and strong) a year ago was $5.13 million. No. 2 on that list was Polamalu at $6.82 million. Clark counted $2.4 million on the salary cap last year.

Clark had a good season with the Steelers in 2009 and they needed it with Polamalu missing 11 games. But they are not likely to have their two safeties among the highest-paid players on their defense.

Could Clark get more elsewhere by becoming an unrestricted free agent March 5? Undoubtedly. Clark re-signing with the Steelers will boil down to how much less he is willing to take from them vs. going elsewhere.

"I'm going to do everything possible to make that happen," said agent Joel Turner, who believes talks with the Steelers will commence early in February. "To be perfectly honest, I don't see why it shouldn't happen. Unless Mr. Rooney doesn't want him back, no way it should not happen.

"We will not sell out for a song, and we will not ask to be the highest paid at his position. We're extremely reasonable and fair-minded people."

The NFL is steaming toward its first uncapped year on payrolls since 1992 and while that means teams can pay whatever they want, Steelers president Art Rooney II said his team will stay within normal guidelines.

The Steelers did not make an offer to Clark last year when he had one season left on his contract. That is a window the Steelers often use to negotiate extensions and they did so with James Harrison, Brett Keisel, Heath Miller, Justin Hartwig and Max Starks in 2009.

The Steelers want to sign others before they can become free agents March 5 and have done that previously. Besides Clark, they aim to try to sign Jeff Reed and Casey Hampton. Turner said he had a conversation with Steelers executives Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan in August about Clark.

"Kevin and Omar told me they want Ryan Clark here, that they intend him staying here. Omar said Ryan will retire a Pittsburgh Steeler."

Clark, 29, ranked second on the team last season with 110 tackles, tied for first with three interceptions and ranked third with nine pass breakups. He has also become a leader on defense and a contributor in their community. Naturally, the Steelers would want him back. If he leaves, they would have to draft someone, sign a free agent or insert Ryan Mundy to replace him and not likely get the same performance level.

"Ryan really wants to stay there, as does his wife and children," Turner said. "They've made that their home. We're going to do everything humanly possible to make that happen. The Steelers' organization is very fair. I don't expect them to try to come in under market value and I'm not going to come in and say we want more than Ed Reed."

Everyone in these circumstances has said the right thing. Soon, money will do all the talking.

For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette on the Steelers at http://www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com.

Playing with pain is in their blood

Monday, January 25, 2010
By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

The big surprise isn't that Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis played Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers with 37 stitches above his right eye from a gash so deep that doctors could put a finger in and touch his skull. The surprise was that Dupuis didn't play against the Washington Capitals Thursday night after ramming face-first into the boards two nights earlier, leaving him momentarily unconscious and his blood turning the Mellon Arena ice a hideous red.

"Couldn't play that game. The eye was swollen completely shut," Dupuis said, almost apologetically.

Pascal Dupuis is helped from the ice by teammates Sidney Crosby and Bill Guerin after he was run into the boards in the third period of their NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. New York Islanders' Andy Sutton was penalized five minutes and given a game misconduct. The Penguins won 6-4.(AP)

But if the swelling had dissipated just a bit and the eye had opened just a crack for Dupuis to be able to see? There's no doubt he would have played against the Capitals. That's what hockey players do. They are the toughest athletes in all of pro sports. Dupuis is among the toughest of the toughest.

"You want to be out there," Dupuis said. "You don't want to miss any games. These are big games right now. Division games. If you feel like you can help the team, you want to be out there."

So Dupuis took a regular shift against the Flyers, skating with center Sidney Crosby and winger Bill Guerin on the first line in the Penguins' 2-1 win. He didn't make it on the score sheet in his nearly 15 minutes of ice time, but he willingly gave up his body -- again -- to block a big slap shot by Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger in the second period.

This sort of thing is hardly unusual in hockey. Players don't want to be known as soft. They don't want to let down their teammates. Maybe most of all, they don't want to lose their job. As Penguins center Jordan Staal said the other day, "They'll replace you pretty quickly if you start complaining about injuries too much or missing too many games."

Perhaps the most famous tough-guy hockey story came during the 1964 Stanley Cup final when Toronto defenseman Bob Baun scored the winning goal against Detroit in overtime of Game 6 despite playing on a broken ankle. The Maple Leafs went on to win Game 7 and the Cup.

The Penguins have had their share of similar stories. Staal briefly left the game against New Jersey Dec. 21 to get some stitches -- "Just five or six" is how he put it -- on his broken nose, then returned to the action. In Game 5 of the 2008 Stanley Cup final against Detroit, winger Ryan Malone stuck gauze up his broken nose and played on. In that same game, defenseman Sergei Gonchar creaked back on the ice in the third overtime after missing three periods with a bad back and set up teammate Petr Sykora's winning goal. Going back further in team history, winger Rick Tocchet returned to a game in Chicago with a cracked jaw and scored two third-period goals in a 4-3 win.

Then, there's Dupuis.

He was checked from behind into the boards Tuesday night by New York Islanders defenseman Andy Sutton. "The first thing I remember was the ref saying, 'Stay down. It's pretty bad. The trainer and doctor are coming,' " he said. "I knew it was bad. My helmet was a bucketful of blood."

Sutton received a five-minute boarding penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct late in the Penguins' 6-4 win and was suspended for two games by the NHL the next day. That did little to ease Dupuis' pain after he was helped to the locker room.

"I felt nauseous, like I needed cold water," Dupuis said. "So I stuck my head in the sink and turned on the cold water. Finally, someone said, 'C'mon, Duper, you've got to get out of there. You're filling it up.' I was bleeding like a waterfall. The next thing I know, they're poking me with a needle a couple of times to dull the pain and stitching me up."

Teammate Max Talbot, who had left the game earlier with a groin injury after taking a whack from Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson's stick, immediately telephoned Dupuis' wife, Carole-Lyne, to tell her he appeared to be OK, if a little less handsome because of the deep cut and the swelling that already was starting. "She wasn't watching the game at the time so she didn't know anything had happened," Dupuis said. "But the rest of my family was watching. My parents [Lise and Claude] in Quebec. My friends. I received 28 messages right away and about 150 in the next day or so from people wondering if I was all right."

Dupuis knows he was lucky. He could have lost his eye. He could have lost his life the way his neck snapped back from the force of his face hitting the boards. The 37 stitches almost seem like nothing.

"Good thing I have big, bushy eyebrows to hide the scar," Dupuis said, grinning.

Just as a precaution, Dupuis left his car at Mellon Arena that night and caught a ride home to Nevillewood from teammate Chris Kunitz. The first thing he did after showing his wife the doctor's stitch work was get on the Internet to see Sutton's hit. "I watched it from every angle," he said. "It was pretty bad."

That didn't stop Dupuis from playing Sunday. By then, most of the swelling and discoloration around his eye were gone. He said he would have no fear of getting hit again. "I guess I'm just too dumb to remember."

No, Dupuis is a hockey player.

Playing hurt, playing in pain, playing with no regard for their health or good looks tomorrow is what they do.

"It's our job," Dupuis said, shrugging.

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com.

Shero needs another deadline win to keep Pens in Cup hunt

By Rob Rossi, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Sunday, January 24, 2010

Three names to think about before anybody buries the Stanley Cup champions: Gary Roberts, Marian Hossa and Bill Guerin.

General manager Ray Shero acquired those players at the last three NHL trade deadlines, and each acquisition greatly improved the Penguins. Roberts' veteran savvy and toughness steeled a young club to finish its playoff push. Hossa teamed with center Sidney Crosby to help steer the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final, and Guerin's leadership and guile helped Crosby captain them to the Cup last year.

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 5: Bill Guerin #13 of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles the puck against the Atlanta Thrashers at Mellon Arena on January 5, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Penguins defeated Atlanta 5-2. (Getty Images)

The Penguins, regulation losers in 10 of their past 16, will play 11 games before the NHL trade deadline March 3. Shero will have near $1 million in pro-rated cap space to improve. He might need every last dime to give his champs a shot at repeating.

A deeper look at the Penguins season to date reveals four legitimate concerns beyond their struggles from the last month:

LACK OF URGENCY

A defending champion can be forgiven for not treating every regular-season game like a Game 7. Still, the Penguins have lost at home to Minnesota, Carolina and Toronto, and were downed at Florida, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. Chances are four of those five teams will miss the playoffs, and Carolina and Toronto will contend for the worst record.

NET-FRONT NEEDED

The power play that has hovered around 15 percent all season has many problems, but one that must be addressed is finding a net-front presence. Since traffic-causing winger Ryan Malone was traded in July 2008 the Penguins have scored 96 power-play goals in 134 games. They netted 77 in Malone's final season.

MILD WINGS

Centers Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal combine to count for 59.1 percent of roughly $32 million the Penguins have designated for forwards against the $56.8 million salary cap. Crosby, Malkin and Staal have combined to score 46 percent of the Penguins' 137 goals from forwards, compared to only 40.7 percent last season. The Penguins' biggest advantage — three elite centers — seemingly will need to carry them this season even more than last if a Cup run is in the cards.

SOMETHING TO PROVE

The Penguins have played 15 games against teams I'd label Cup contenders, but I'll throw out a loss at Vancouver given their goaltending situation in that contest. However, they are 5-8-1 against New Jersey (0-3), Philadelphia (3-1), Buffalo (1-1), Chicago (0-0-1), San Jose (0-1), Boston (1-1) and Washington (0-1).

Steelers Free Agent Decisions: Casey Hampton

The Steelers have some tough decisions to make concerning their six unrestricted free agents before the signing period begins March 5. What they do about their hulking nose tackle may be one of the hardest.

Sunday, January 24, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Larry Roberts/Post-Gazette

Casey Hampton Pos: NT Age: 32

Casey Hampton will play in his fifth Pro Bowl next Sunday and it might not be the last time this year he wears a football uniform other than his Steelers No. 98. • For nine seasons, since he broke into the starting lineup as a rookie in 2001, Hampton has anchored some of the best defenses of the decade at nose tackle. But unless the team makes a move to keep him over the next month, Hampton will become an unrestricted free agent March 5.

The Steelers have options, none of them cheap. They can negotiate a long-term contract over the next month or they can put either a franchise or transition tag on Hampton.

His agent does not know what to expect, but sources told the Post-Gazette the team will try to sign Hampton one way or another before he becomes a free agent. That is something they did not try to do last year while they signed other players to long-term contracts before they started their final year under their old deals, players such as defensive end Brett Keisel, tight end Heath Miller and offensive tackle Max Starks.

"Really, we don't know right now," said agent Eric Armstead, who hopes to talk to the Steelers during Senior Bowl practices this week in Mobile, Ala. "They have time to toy around until March. It's an administrative decision.

"Typically, the Steelers do business one way. When they want to retain a person, they sign him a year early and don't make a big splash. They are textbook."

That is what they did with Hampton the last time around. He had one year left on his contract when they signed him to a new one in the summer of 2005 at $22.75 million for five years. They ignored him last summer under identical circumstances and one year after coach Mike Tomlin put him on the physically unable to report list when the coach said he did not report to training camp in shape.

Replacing Hampton would be a difficult job. Chris Hoke remains his backup and played well when he started 12 games in 2004, including two in the playoffs, after Hampton's season ended with a torn ACL. Hoke has not had to play often since then, although he regularly enters games to give Hampton a rest. Hoke turns 32 in April, Hampton 33 in September.

Hampton has said he wants to stay with the Steelers and privately has told people that someone promised him the team would not put the franchise tag on him.

However, the Steelers might have no choice and it might be their best avenue. The cost to put the one-year franchise or transition tenders on a player have not yet been revealed by the league or the players union. Last season a one-year salary required to pay a franchised defensive tackle was slightly more than $6 million, about $5.5 million for the transition tag.

Each team will have both a franchise and transition tag if the collective bargaining agreement is not extended by March 5. That might not be a bad way for the Steelers to go with Hampton, who counted $6,652,000 against their salary cap last season. He would roughly count the same if franchised in 2010.

If they put the "exclusive" franchise tag on Hampton, he cannot negotiate with other teams. The "non-exclusive" tag would allow him to negotiate and if he signs and the Steelers do not match, they would receive two first-round draft choices in return. The transition tag only allows the Steelers the right to match another contract and keep the player.

"They haven't suggested making him the franchise player," Armstead said. "But a lot of times teams don't, so we really, really don't know."

For more on the Steelers, read the new blog, Ed Bouchette On the Steelers at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.

Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.

First published on January 24, 2010 at 12:00 am






A look at the other free agents the Steelers must decide on in anticipation of the start of free agency on March 5:

Today: Nose Tackle Casey HAMPTON

Monday: Safety Ryan CLARK

Tuesday: Running Back Willie PARKER

Wednesday: Cornerback Deshea TOWNSEND

Thursday: Right Tackle Willie COLON

Friday: Kicker Jeff REED

Steelers Final Report Card 2010

GERRY DULAC grades the Steelers' overall effort in their 9-7, playoff-less season:

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Quarterback: A-

Ben Roethlisberger set a team record with 4,328 yards passing and was intercepted only 12 times. But some of those picks were as costly as unnecessary. Three times in the red zone he was intercepted in the end zone on first down. He is responsible for some of his 50 sacks, but his ability to make plays on the move and rally his team in the fourth quarter is unequalled. His value is immeasurable.

Running Backs: B-

The emergence of Rashard Mendenhall as a 1,000-yard rusher was probably more than anyone expected, especially after he was benched in Week 3. He averaged 4.6 ypc and showed he can be a breakway threat. Willie Parker's contributions were limited to a good first half vs. Cincinnati in Week 3 and a good fourth-quarter in Miami in Week 16. But give him credit for not whining about his limited role.

Wide receivers: B+

It was the first time in franchise history the team had three receivers with 70 catches -- Hines Ward (95), Santonio Holmes (79) and TE Heath Miller (76). And rookie Mike Wallace was the most pleasant surprise of the year, showing he can run past any secondary coverage and make big plays. Holmes got off to a slow start, but he has emerged as one of the top game-changing receivers in the league.

Offensive line: D

It's hard to see improvement in a line that allowed Roethlisberger to be sacked 50 times, but there was. Problem is, there wasn't enough. In the end, it cost line coach Larry Zierlein his job. The running game averaged 7 more yards per game than last season, but, after a quick start, there were too many failed short-yardage conversions.

Defensive Line: C-

There is no question the defense missed DE Aaron Smith, especially late in the season when age and depth conspired to weaken the run defense. NT Casey Hampton stayed healthy and showed he can still be a dominant force with another Pro Bowl season. But the team has to do a better job of developing young talent and rebuilding the depth on the line.

Linebackers: B-

James Harrison made his third Pro Bowl, but he went long stretches without making a big play. Lawrence Timmons did not have the impact expected, but two ankle injuries probably had something to do with that. And two big fourth-down conversions on James Farrior in Cincinnati and Baltimore really hurt. LaMarr Woodley showed he can be one of the most dominant pass-rushers in the league.

Defensive Backs: F

It would be easy to excuse some of the big pass plays and lack of takeaways (12 INTs) on the loss of S Troy Polamalu, who missed 11 games. But the combination of the two was a big factor in the midseason collapse. CB William Gay lost confidence, and then his starting job. Ike Taylor was solid, but someone on the corner has to make plays. Nobody was affected more by Polamalu's absence than S Ryan Clark.

Special Teams: D

Stefan Logan set a franchise record with 1,466 kick-return yards. His 26.7-yard average was the Steelers' best since 2001. Jeff Reed showed again he is one of the most dependable kickers in the league. But the kick coverage went from No 1 in the league in 2008 to one of the worst. There can be no excuse for four kick returns for TDs in a five-game span, which is why Bob Ligashesky lost his job.

Coaching: C+

Winning the final three games showed that Mike Tomlin did not and will not lose control of the team. However, some of his bold decisions were factors in losses. The failure of the defense to correct recurring problems cost them in losses to the Chiefs, Ravens and Raiders. And, after a fast start, the offense failed too many times in the red zone, especially against the Bengals.


Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com.

Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.

First published on January 24, 2010 at 12:00 am

On the Penguins: Team of the '90s

The trouble wasn't finding enough players to make up the team for the decade of the glorious 1990s. It was deciding who to leave off.

Sunday, January 24, 2010
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Things changed for the Penguins during the 1990s.

Swiftly. Dramatically.

Before then, success meant just qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs, and players set the franchise's standard for excellence simply by being chosen to play in the All-Star Game. It didn't matter if they only got in because league rules dictated that each team be represented.

Clockwise from bottom, Mario Lemieux with the first Cup in 1991, Larry Murphy, Ulf Samuelsson, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr, Kevin Stevens and Bob Errey.

But after two-plus decades that were, for the most part, best forgotten -- except by those who are big fans of gut-wrenching defeats, bankruptcy or relocation threats -- the Penguins underwent an extreme makeover during the '90s.

They won two Stanley Cups and the only Presidents' Trophy in franchise history and, especially during the first half of the decade, never went more than a couple of shifts without sending at least one future Hall of Famer over the boards.

Which made it quite challenging to settle on the 20 members of their Team of the Decade.

The intent was not to identify the 12 most talented forwards and six most skilled defensemen, but to assemble a team that follows the rough template of the 2009-10 Penguins: Two lines counted on to drive the offense, a third that's good at both ends and an "energy line" that blends physicality with responsible defense. The defense pairings are intended to offer a balance of offense and defense.

Players were selected on the basis of their performance for the Penguins during the period of 1990-91 through 1999-2000.

Thumbnail notes

Barrasso: Could have been playoff MVP in 1992.

Bourque: Played a good game long before he started talking one.

Coffey: Made things exciting at both ends of the ice.

Errey: Reliable and responsible, played bigger than he was.

Francis: One of the great two-way centers in NHL history.

Hatcher: Too bad he didn't have brother Derian's mean streak.

Jagr: Adored, then abhorred, like few others.

Kasparaitis: Will anyone forget that knockout hit on Eric Lindros?

Kovalev: One of hockey's greatest pure talents.

Lang: Arrived on waivers, left as a star.

Lemieux: The cornerstone of it all.

Mullen: Skill and instincts surpassed only by his willingness to compete.

Murphy: Blended steady, cerebral defense with excellent offensive ability.

K. Samuelsson: Had the wingspan of a pterodactyl, and used it effectively.

U. Samuelsson: Hard-hitting, often nasty, game made him a folk hero here.

Stevens: A prototypical power forward -- big, tough, fast, skilled.

Straka: Small but speedy, could play anywhere up front.

Tocchet: Rugged, combative style complemented some pretty fair talent.

Trottier: Capped Hall of Fame career by winning two Cups here.

Wregget: Labeled a backup, but didn't play like it.

PDF
Roster for the team of the 1990s


For more on the Penguins, read the Pens Plus blog with Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Dave Molinari can be reached at dmolinari@post-gazette.com.

Penguins Plus, a blog by Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson, is featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.

First published on January 24, 2010 at 12:00 am