Staal ready for next level

By Rob Rossi
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Wednesday, September 17, 2008


Penguins' Jordan Staal (11) hopes to be on the power play this season.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images file


Jordan Staal is on a power play for Ryan Malone's old gig.

"If I'm playing well, there's no question that I think I should be on the power play," Staal said Tuesday after the Penguins were examined at UPMC Center for Sports Medicine.

"I can be that kind of player."

Staal could spend much of training camp -- opening practice is slated for 9 a.m. today at Mellon Arena -- doing his best impersonation of Malone, who last season thrived as left wing on a line centered by Evgeni Malkin and in front of the net on the top power-play unit.

Coach Michel Therrien said Staal "has the potential" to make up for the loss of Malone, who signed as a free agent with Tampa Bay over the summer.

"We've got to find a guy to replace Malone," Therrien said. "You look at our lineup ... (Staal) has the experience to play on the left side and the size and skill to play up front on the power play, so it's something we might try during camp to see how he fits."

Those words do not guarantee Staal anything -- "I'm never afraid to make changes if I have to, as (everybody) probably knows by now," Therrien said -- but they do put Staal's opportunity into perspective.

Staal, an impending restricted free agent, said he will "play wherever" in the final season of his entry-level contract. But his focus is clearly set on filling the role left vacated by Malone.

He also is ready to put a second NHL season he previously labeled "disappointing" in his past.

Staal turned 20 last Wednesday, and that number carries a lot of significance. He plans to return to the class of 20-goal scorers and hopes for about that much average ice time.

He scored only 12 times last season -- a 17-goal drop from his surprising offensive output as a rookie the year before, when he played mostly left wing on a line centered by Malkin.

Staal upped his production in the playoffs, with six goals in 20 games, but had no points, six shots and a minus-6 rating in the Stanley Cup final.

Staal has described his chemistry with Malkin as "pretty natural" and would not mind again sharing five-on-five shifts with his fellow 2007 Calder Trophy finalist.

That is not news to anybody within the organization. Staal said last season he does not envision himself as a "third-line guy."

Neither does Therrien. But barring injury, Staal will not replace superstar centers Malkin or Sidney Crosby on the top scoring lines, and Therrien has often praised Staal's defensive work as a penalty killer and last season, a so-called shutdown No. 3 center.

"He's very versatile, so it's a nice problem to have," Therrien said. "I want to keep my options open with Jordan. But if he plays on the top two lines, it will because he has shown he can score goals there and because of his defense."

The Penguins learned first hand in the Stanley Cup final that a scoring line consisting of two natural centers can pay dividends. Detroit's top line is anchored by centers Henrik Zetterberg, the playoff MVP an co-scoring leader, and Pavel Datsyuk, the league's top two-way forward.

"They played so well together," defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "I don't know if it was because they were both centers. But both those guys can play anywhere... it was tough to play against.

"It's an obvious advantage they have. It's an advantage we could have."

Rob Rossi can be reached at rrossi@tribweb.com or 412-380-5635.

Crosby has goals

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has his hair done by makeup artist Kaithlin Caridi for the team's picture day.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

Even if his evolution were to suddenly flatline, and he remained the exact same player for the next 15 years, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby would go down as an all-time great.

His points-per-game average of 1.38 would dwarf those of Mark Messier (1.07), Jaromir Jagr (1.26) and Gordie Howe (1.05) and trail only the likes of Wayne Gretzky (1.92), Mario Lemieux (1.88) and Mike Bossy (1.50).

But you just know Crosby is looking to expand.

That's what the greatest of great ones do. They constantly seek to enhance their repertoires. And for all he has accomplished by age 21, Crosby still has plenty of growth potential. He wants to become a better two-way player and penalty killer. His faceoff skills need polish.

Most significant is this: He could be a better goal scorer.

He'll likely need to be, if the Penguins are to get where they want to go. He'll definitely need to be, if he is to claim the title of undisputed best player in the world.

On the eve of Penguins training camp Tuesday, after his physical at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine on the South Side, Crosby considered the numbers I presented to him on a piece of paper. They showed his decreasing goal-scoring output from his first three NHL seasons:

Goals per game:

2005-06: 0.48

2006-07: 0.46

2007-08: 0.45


Power-play goals per game:

2005-06: 0.20

2006-07: 0.17

2007-08: 0.11

Understand, the man already has two seasons of more than 30 goals, which is two more than Peter Forsberg ever had. But the trend is apparent.

"That doesn't surprise me," Crosby said, "because, obviously, I look to pass a little more than I look to shoot - and eventually, the less shots you have, the less chance you have of scoring."

Indeed, Crosby's shots per game the past two years (3.16, 3.26) fell below his rookie average of 3.43. And as Gretzky once said, you don't score on 100 percent of the shots you don't take.

Crosby intends to reverse the trend.

"I want to keep opposing teams on their toes a little bit more," he said, "and be a bit more of a dangerous shooter."

To that end, he has considered trying a curved stick, which can increase shot velocity and overall sniping ability. But it's hard to let go of the straight blade he was weaned on. It makes passing much easier, especially on the backhand.

"I've thought about (using a curve)," Crosby said. "I'm always kind of messing around with different sticks, but the stick I've used, I've used for so long it's pretty difficult to change -- especially in a month-and-a-half."

I wondered if it's fair to say Crosby is less confident in his finishing ability than other parts of his game.

"I don't think less confident. No," he said. "I like my chances around the net. I believe in myself. I know I'm capable of scoring goals. But I also know that a lot of times my first instinct is to pass because that's what's more natural to me. I mean, trying to see the ice, trying to read plays, I'm looking where other guys are. Sometimes I probably should be looking at the net or looking to find a shooting lane.

"I think that's something you have to learn with experience and having that mentality. With time, I'll get better at that."

I don't doubt it, and I'd look at a legendary player from another sport -- Magic Johnson -- as the ideal blueprint.

Johnson, like Crosby, began his career doing things no other player so young had done. His special skill, as with Crosby, was as a distributor.

But in time, as the composition of his team changed, Johnson was called upon to score more. So he refined his post game, developed an outside shot and mastered the art of foul shooting. By his eighth season, he'd upped his scoring average by five points, to a career-high 23.9.

Gretzky is another example. He wasn't a natural sniper in the mold of a Bossy or a Brett Hull, yet he scored more goals than any player in the history of the game. He figured it out.

So must Crosby.

Joe Starkey can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com or 412-320-7810.

Penguins' bar rises

By Bob Smizik
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Wednesday, September 17, 2008


Sidney Crosby (Getty Images)

One hundred three days after they skated off the Mellon Arena ice -- a loser to the Detroit Red Wings in six games of the Stanley Cup final but a winner on all other counts -- the Penguins officially reconvened in Pittsburgh yesterday.

It was a short off-season, but no one was complaining.

"That's a good problem to have," said Sidney Crosby, who by turning 21 over the summer officially is no longer Sid the Kid. Of course, even when he was a teenager, Crosby always was The Man for the Penguins.

The team reported for physicals on the South Side in the morning. Blood was drawn, tests were run, bodies were examined. Later in the day, some of the players participated in an optional skate at Mellon Arena. The first practice is this morning; the first exhibition game in four days; the first regular-season game in 18.

The shortness of the preparation period is stunning compared to the NFL and MLB. On this count, the NHL, which often trails the other sports in how it operates, is well out in front. Those leagues would be wise to take a look at how NHL teams prepare for a season and learn from it.

There was good feeling all around as the players met and later stood for interviews. Even losing teams enjoy getting together for the first time after an offseason. Winning teams savor it more. Not only do they remember the good times, they look forward to even better ones.

And so it is with the young Penguins. There are grand expectations for them. Since they reached the Stanley Cup final last season, anything less this season will be a disappointment. Even the team's fans, the most forgiving in this town, might show a touch of anger if the team does not at least duplicate the wondrous ride of last season.

The expectations are well placed. Despite losing top forwards Ryan Malone and Marian Hossa, the Penguins look to be the class of the Eastern Conference. This is the first time there has been such expectations for this group. They came out of nowhere two seasons ago to make the playoffs. The conventional wisdom going into last season was that, although this was a supremely talented team, it might take a step backward before it became a legitimate Cup contender. Few expected the team to do as well as it did.

Such expectations can be daunting, even for talented teams. But the Penguins, although young, seem to have the kind of leadership and dedication that won't falter in the face of these expectations.

In any case, repeating will be difficult. It always is, and it will be determined by an 82-game schedule, not preseason conjecture.

Much has happened in the almost 15 weeks since the Red Wings dashed the hopes of a team and its fans with a 3-2 victory. Malone and Hossa are gone, and the biggest offseason moves were not in attracting new players but in locking up much of the team's core.

There was doses of unbridled optimism, which is as it should be this time of the year.

Defenseman Ryan Whitney, a month removed from foot surgery that will keep him out for three months and possibly longer, gushed over second-year player Kris Letang, who likely will inherit many of his responsibilities.

"Looking at him last year, he was ready," said Whitney. "Seeing him now, it's even more so. He's made the big jump. He looked fantastic when they were skating. I see no surprise in him making a huge step and having a great year."

As always, Crosby set the tone.

One of the major decisions that will come out of this preseason is what coach Michel Therrien will do with third-year center Jordan Staal. He is a superior defensive player and could anchor an excellent checking line. But he also is gifted offensively and, with the team light at wing, could play there beside Evgeni Malkin.

"It's a win-win situation for us no matter where he plays," said Crosby. "If he's on the wing, he complements Geno [Malkin] great. If not, then he's playing center. He's a great centerman and a tough guy to play on both sides of the puck. We can't lose in that situation."

Crosby dispassionately discussed the departure of Hossa, who, after leading people to believe he planned to sign a long-term deal with the Penguins, outraged fans by signing with Detroit.

Asked if he had attempted to persuade Hossa to stay, Crosby said, "I didn't have to persuade him. I saw him before free agency started [July 1] and he was pretty sure he was coming back. It didn't work out that way.

"Honestly, it's behind us. It's over and done with. It has been put behind us, and we're moving on."

It's an exciting time in Pittsburgh sports. The Steelers will have to share the headlines and the TV sports minutes with the Penguins. The town has two championship contenders. It has been a long time since we could say that.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author
First published on September 17, 2008 at 12:00 am

Mientkiewicz calls Pirates' effort 'embarrassing'

Dismal play in every facet leads to 6-2 loss to Los Angeles

By Dejan Kovacevic
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Jeff Karstens: 5 runs, 11 hits in five innings.

Doug Mientkiewicz, fresh off kicking an equipment box in the aftermath of the Pirates' flat-lined 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last night at PNC Park, went for a brief walk beyond the clubhouse walls, tried to clear his head, then returned to sit at his stall.

The one constant: He never stopped shaking his head.

"I'm probably not the guy to ask right now because I probably won't say ... it's just embarrassing. It really is. You've got three guys who run balls out right now. It's frustrating. Just frustrating. The whole thing is frustrating."

He motioned with his right arm to the rest of the clubhouse, no players left and only a vacuum humming in the opposite corner.
"I mean, look at this place. It's a ghost town."

Another shake of the head.

"I don't know. What are you going to do? Nothing you can do. Just pick up and try again tomorrow, I guess."

With that, Mientkiewicz politely declined to continue the interview.
Which was fine, because not much needed to be said, anyway, that the 12,741 on hand did not witness themselves with the Pirates' worst effort -- and effort is the operative term -- of an already awful season.

"It wasn't good," manager John Russell said when asked of his team's performance. "We gave them three extra runs and couldn't make a routine bunt play. It wasn't very sound for us."

Jeff Karstens was tagged for five runs in as many innings, and he was the one who muffed that bunt play.

Rewind to the second inning ...

Los Angeles' Casey Blake led off with a home run, and the Dodgers kept coming with two singles wrapped around an out. Karstens' mound opponent, Derek Lowe, put down a bunt that Karstens fielded cleanly but threw low to Freddy Sanchez covering at first. Sanchez initially failed to scoop it, but -- as replays conclusively showed -- picked it up before Lowe's foot hit the bag.

"He was out," Sanchez said.

Not in the eye of first base umpire Tim Timmons, who called Lowe safe. Sanchez glared at Timmons and raised his arms, and Mientkiewicz, standing behind Sanchez, did likewise.

Russell never emerged from the dugout to argue, continuing a trend of staying put in all but extreme cases.

His reason this time?

"You hate to argue a routine play," Russell said. "You've got to make that play. It's a play you work on day in, day out. It's just a play that needs to be made."

Russell has been ejected once this season, Aug. 24 in Milwaukee.

Karstens offered no excuses. He would give up 11 hits in losing for the sixth time since those promising first two starts, and his line included a sacrifice fly, an Andre Ethier single and Manny Ramirez double that brought three unearned runs after his error.

"I've got to get it there, regardless if he was out or not after Freddy picked it up," Karstens said. "I should have made the throw right to his chest. We go over those things over and over in spring training and all season."

There was more ...

Lowe's bunt was preceded by Angel Berroa's single through the left side that drew a barely budging attempt by third baseman Andy LaRoche and, in turn, some vocal jeers from the crowd.

LaRoche would hear it again later, when he struck out to end the game for another 0-for-4 night that dropped his average to .169.


Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Center fielder Nate McLouth attempts to corral a ball hit by Los Angeles' Casey Blake as it caroms off the wall last night at PNC Park. Blake wound up with a triple -- one of his three hits.

One more ...

After the Pirates opened the fourth with three singles off Lowe, pulling within 5-1, Brandon Moss bounced directly in front of home plate and, inexplicably, never left the box. That resulted in a 2-6-3 double play that could have been executed by the Dodgers if one of them had strolled to touch each base.

More boos.

This time, Russell emerged and briefly conferred with home plate umpire Jim Reynolds as to whether the ball was fair, but it was evident that it was.

Moss, long known for playing hard, looked crestfallen afterward.

"I thought it was foul, but that's no excuse," Moss said. "It makes not just me but the whole team look bad. And it won't happen again with me. I can guarantee that."

Of Moss, Russell said simply, "He thought it was a foul ball."

What seemed to trouble Russell more was that Nate McLouth, the man at third, never broke for home.

"The very least you want to get out of that situation is a run on the double play," Russell said.

Mercifully for the home side, the game ended in a breezy 2 1/2 hours.

The season, most unfortunately, still has 11 games to go.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.
First published on September 17, 2008 at 12:00 am


Box score
Statistics
Standings

Today

Game: Pirates vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.

TV/Radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).

Pitching: LHP Zach Duke (5-14, 4.84) vs. RHP Chad Billingsley (15-10, 3.02).

Key matchup: Duke has dominated the only three Dodgers with double-digit at-bats against him: Juan Pierre is 3 for 17, Jeff Kent 2 for 14, Rafael Furcal 2 for 13.

Of note: Clutch is not everything: The Pirates have batted .323 with runners in scoring position this month, but are just 6-9.

Roethlisberger shoulders load for Steelers

By John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/archive/
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

If he did play a near flawless game with a separated shoulder, as was reported during Sunday night's national telecast on NBC, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a masterful actor.

Roethlisberger shrugged off the unfavorable elements and blocked out the jolts of pain that may or may not have been shooting through his shoulder each time he attempted a pass during the Steelers' 10-6 win at Cleveland Browns Stadium.


Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger gets rid of the ball as he is hit by the Browns' Shaun Rogers Sunday night.

Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

He ignored winds gusting as strong as 40 mph, swirling rain and a surprisingly stout Cleveland defense.

Despite playing most of the contest with a wet, slippery ball, Roethlisberger completed 12-of-19 passses for 186 yards and a touchdown pass to Hines Ward in the second quarter. He hasn't thrown an interception through the first two weeks of the season.

Glib and upbeat, Roethlisbeger entertained the media during his post-game news conference.

"The shoulder. How does it feel?" Roethlisberger was asked.

"I've still got it," joked Roethlisberger, indicating that his shoulder was still attached to his body.

Questions about Roethlisberger's injury were a topic of discussion immediately following the game.

"Ben, did you separate it last week? They said on television you separated it."

"You have to ask the trainers. I'm not sure," Roethlisberger replied.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stuck up for his battered quarterback like never before, maybe because Roethlisberger has elevated his game to new heights.

"He's hurting pretty bad, but he's a tough character," Tomlin said. "When the rubber met the road, we put the ball in No. 7's hands and he delivered.

"He delivered time and time again."

When the Steelers needed to kill the clock to preserve their four-point lead late in the game, Roethlisberger challenged his teammates.

"Enough talk. Let's just do it," Roethlisberger told them.

Roethlisberger's 48-yard laser to Santonio Holmes into tight coverage to set up a field goal in the third quarter was unfathomable, considering the poor weather conditions and his injury. Yet, Roethlisberger somehow threw the ball to the only place where Holmes could make the catch.

"That's why I went with the glove. I knew I could throw a tighter spiral with the glove," said Roethlisberger, who wore a glove on his passing hand for the first time this season. "I told the receivers before the game, 'I'm just going to put it close and you guys have to make plays for me.' It's the farthest I've thrown the ball in two weeks."

More significant was Roethlisberger's physical reaction to his toss.

"I (feel) great."

As do the 2-0 Steelers.

John Harris is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

Steelers' late-game offense with Parker a tough grind on foes

By Ed Bouchette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Tuesday, September 16, 2008


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Willie Parker has a couple of sizable escorts leading him into the hole Sunday night against the Browns with 6-5, 321-pound Marvel Smith (77) and 6-3, 344-pound Chris Kemoeatu. Parker has opened the season with consecutive 100-yard games.

Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel's strategy to kick a field goal Sunday night and hope to get the ball again for one final try to win the game might have been a good plan against the Steelers.

Last season, that is.

Crennel had to be confident his defense could thwart the Steelers' attempt to run out the final 3:21 with a four-point lead. After all, the Steelers' offense came up empty enough in similar situations last season.

Sunday night in Cleveland, however, it looked like the old, clock-killing grinding Steelers offense at the end that chewed up all but 26 seconds and left the Browns on their 26.

The Steelers took over at their 31 with 3:21 left after they fielded the kickoff after Phil Dawson's 38-yard field goal closed the gap for Cleveland to 10-6. They ran eight plays, seven of them runs by Willie Parker, before they finally turned the ball over to the Browns with little time to do anything about it.

In similar circumstances last season, most notably their home playoff loss to Jacksonville, the Steelers' offense could not kill the clock and protect a late lead or tie, allowing for two losses to the Jaguars at home, and a loss to the New York Jets in overtime.

That failure prompted coach Mike Tomlin to work on what the Steelers call their four-minute offense, the one that differs from the hurry-up two-minute. The four-minute is designed to put an opponent away and it worked behind Parker to perfection Sunday night in Cleveland.

"Yeah, in the four-minute offense we kind of struggled with it last year," Parker said. "We practiced each and every practice on our four-minute offense this year, and in minicamp and all offseason. We're counting on it being a plus for us this year."

They're 1-0 counting on it.

"That last drive, that's just putting a dagger into a team," Parker said. "For them to know we're going to run the ball and they can't stop it, I have to give a lot of credit to our offensive line. They couldn't stop us, and we did it in the last few minutes."

Parker has done it two games now. He's third in the NFL with 243 yards rushing, and ahead of his fast pace of last season when he had 232 after two games and led the NFL with 1,315 yards after 14 games. His right fibula was broken on his first carry of game 15.

He carried 28 times for 105 yards against the Browns.

"I get into a rhythm knowing I'm getting the rock, keep getting the ball, keep getting the ball," Parker said. "I was hoping to pop one, but I couldn't get everything I want."


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Willie Parker tries to run over defensive back Mike Adams Sunday night. The Steelers' four-minute offense, with Parker as the main cog, effectively closed out the 10-6 win.

He did pop an important one on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter, maybe not into the end zone, but it helped ultimately get them there. From Cleveland's 40, Parker hit off right guard and bounced it outside for a 13-yard gain. Four plays later, Ben Roethlisberger threw a third-down pass to Hines Ward for an 11-yard touchdown and a lead they never relinquished.

"I thought Willie ran hard, you know, not the player of the week kind of performance but we'll take it nonetheless," Tomlin said.

And, again, the Steelers coach seems determined to run Parker "until the wheels come off," something he promised last season. Parker's 53 carries are the most by a running back in the NFL. Next is Chicago's Matt Forte with 46.

The idea that rookie Rashard Mendenhall might either take some of the carries away from Parker or even share the load seems to not even be a consideration early in the season.

Mendenhall did not play on offense Sunday night, thus did not have a carry. He carried 10 times in the opener, all but one in the second half; five came in the fourth quarter after Parker bowed out with a 35-3 Steelers lead.

Parker could not explain Mendenhall's inactivity Sunday except that "I really didn't get tired."

"I was kind of surprised, I thought he'd be in there a little bit but we just grinded it out," Parker said.

If he reaches a point where he thinks he needs a break, Parker can take himself out. That did not happen in Cleveland.

"When your number gets called you just have to make a play," he said. "That's what we're here to do as a team, make plays and win games."


Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.
First published on September 16, 2008 at 12:00 am

Beat the Steelers? Here's a novel idea, how about the Browns keep from beating themselves?

by Bud Shaw
Cleveland Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/
Monday September 15, 2008, 12:33 AM


Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu intercepts a pass in the end zone at the end of the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, in Cleveland.(AP)

For this alleged rivalry to favor the Browns one of these years/decades/centuries (pick the most likely time frame) they might have to play smarter than the Steelers or at least more disciplined.

There's always a catch, I know, but they really should give it a try just once since the dwindling alternatives have dwindled to voodoo dolls of Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu.

Ten snafus in a row -- if you are still counting and aren't lying on a leather couch this morning blubbering to a shrink.

This night of prime-time football at the lakefront was among the most agonizing of the lot and not only because it carried the hope of identifying the Browns to a national audience as the new sheriff in the AFC North.

Sure it did. Say hello to Sheriff Fife.

"This was maybe one of the best games we played against Pittsburgh in a while," Romeo Crennel reasoned. "But we still shot ourselves in the foot."

Crennel fired the one bullet he carries in his pocket late in the game when he went for a field goal to make it 10-6 with 3:21 remaining at the Steelers' 20. His decision not to try to convert a fourth-and-7 there trailing 10-3 wasn't as confounding as last week's field goal that shaved a 28-7 deficit to 28-10 in the fourth quarter.


Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith (91) in the last seconds of a 10-6 Pittsburgh win in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, in Cleveland.(AP)

But the Browns needed a touchdown to at least send the game into overtime before Dawson's kick, and they still needed a touchdown to win after Dawson's kick. Roethlisberger was honest enough to say the decision was "surprising" while Derek Anderson claimed to be "with the boss every time."

Shocking. Also shocking -- that is, if this was the only Browns' game you'd ever seen -- they didn't immediately get the ball back. Or even in a little while.

When the Browns took over on downs, still trailing 10-6, they were on their 26 with 26 seconds remaining and no timeouts. From there, a Benny Hill chase scene featuring the Steelers pass rush in pursuit of Anderson followed.

It's one thing if Crennel were still relying on Bill Belichick's defense to turn possession over to the offense. Since it's his defense, the expected happened. The secondary lost tight end Heath Miller at the worst possible time. Willie Parker protected the ball and swallowed time.

The Steelers elected to run on fourth down instead of kicking a field goal, presumably out of respect for Shaun Rogers' reputation as the Marvin "The Human Eraser" Webster of blocked field goals.

The clock for the Browns remains a distorted timepiece, a Salvadore Dali creation. There were a number of examples for why this team always finds a way to lose to Pittsburgh. The Browns managed to commit even more penalties (10) than the reckless Steelers.

But limiting the conversation to those wouldn't do the happenings of Sunday night true justice.


CLEVELAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a fourth quarter pass while avoiding the rush of Alex Hall #96 and D'Qwell Jackson #52 of the Cleveland Browns on September 14, 2008 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Pittsburgh won the game 10-6. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Crennel trusted his defense at the end of the game and the offense at the end of the first half. Both let him down, Anderson most spectacularly of all with a red zone interception. A field goal at least makes it 7-3.

Hanging Crennel for the field goal at the end takes too much of the glare off Braylon Edwards' awful start to 2008 and the fact the Browns rushed for all of 53 yards.

In the last three "rivalry" games, the Steelers have outrushed the Browns, 482-139. That's the most telling proof that things still aren't close, no matter how a late field goal made it seem.

Kemoeatu making some forget about Faneca

By John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, September 15, 2008

CLEVELAND -- It is becoming a welcome sight for the Steelers' offense, almost as common and comforting as a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass:

Left guard Chris Kemoeatu pulling swiftly and violently to his right, clearing a path the size of a Deluxe Double Egg and Cheese Primanti Brothers sandwich and escorting Willie Parker to daylight.

Kemoeatu made his mark in the season opener against the Houston Texans, turning his massive frame upfield and bowling over a helpless defensive back as he delivered a knockout block.

He did it again in the second quarter Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns on what might have been the biggest play of the game.

Faced with fourth-and-1 from the Cleveland 40-yard line, the Steelers' offensive didn't flinch.

A 57-yard Jeff Reed field-goal attempt in swirling winds was too long and risky. A Mitch Berger punt so deep in Browns' territory was out of the question.

Better to call Parker's number and hide him behind Kemoeatu.

Make no mistake, all of the Steelers' offensive linemen did their part on Parker's big run. Kemoeatu, however, stole the show.

Following a convoy of one - Kemoeatu -- Parker ran right and ran hard for 13 yards - 12 more than needed.

It was a symbolic play for the Steelers and a firm show of confidence in the offensive line, one that could bode favorably as the season deepens.

For his part, Kemoeatu executed another one of his trademark look-out blocks. Technically, however, he didn't actually block anyone. Then again, he didn't have to.

As he pulled, Kemoeatu sealed off an area on the right side of the line, effectively clearing a running lane for Parker. Parker ran all the way to the Cleveland 27 before he was stopped.

A few plays later, Roethlisberger drilled an 11-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward for a 7-0 lead. If not for Kemoeatu's block and Parker's run, the score would not have been possible.

It is easy to overlook Kemoeatu's contributions, much easier than it is to overlook the man, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 344 pounds.

His job was made more difficult because of the player he replaced. Alan Faneca manned left guard for the Steelers with distinction. So far, Kemoeatu has been nothing short of proficient.

He has been everything the Steelers could have hoped for from a former sixth-round draft pick who started two games prior to this season.

Playing guard - especially left guard - for the Steelers is no joke. Thanks to the high standard set by Faneca, every bad play is magnified while every good play is taken for granted.

Kemoeatu is far from a finished product. His pass-blocking needs polishing, which is common among nearly all offensive linemen.

Kemoeatu's run-blocking is what sets him apart from the ordinary. He's already shown himself more than adequate at clearing holes for Steelers running backs. But it's his ability as a pulling guard that should excite Steelers fans for years to come.

During a key moment in last night's second quarter, Kemoeatu again showed why the Steelers didn't leap to re-sign Faneca. As a result, their faith in Kemoeatu continues to grow.

John Harris is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

History doesn't lie in Browns-Steelers matchups

By Gene Collier
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/
Monday, September 15, 2008


James farrior (51) and Larry Foote (50) stop the Browns' Jamal Lewis
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

CLEVELAND -- The drive that Cleveland spent all night looking as though it couldn't possibly manage started with a little screen pass to little Jerome Harrison, the suspect 5-foot-9, third-down solution who chugged it 23 manic yards through a Steelers defense that had been, to that point, virtually impenetrable.

But you knew something was up, something untoward was cooking, when Derek Anderson's short pass to Kellen Winslow got tipped straight up in a collision with Troy Polamalu, and on the instantly ensuing jump-ball, Winslow came down with it for 11 more yards to the Pittsburgh 46.

And when Anderson, who couldn't seem to find a clutch throw anywhere in his shaggy trick bag, converted a third-and-7 to Syndric Steptoe and a second third-and-7 to Braylon Edwards right in front of Steelers corner Ike Taylor, it began to look as though the Browns could not only score without porfolio, but score twice.

All this late in a desperate fourth quarter.

Three plays later, Anderson tried a third-down strike to Edwards again, but Bryant McFadden busted it up to give Browns coach Romeo Crennel something to think about with three and half minutes remaining last night and his rickety offense trailing by a touchdown.

Crennel didn't think long.

"I just felt I needed to get some points on the board there," Crennel said in the losing interview room -- you'll excuse the redundancy. "I wanted to give my defense a chance to get the ball back."

So he sent Phil Dawson onto the soggy lawn at Cleveland Browns Stadium to whump a resoundingly unpopular field goal that merely sliced Pittsburgh's lead to 10-6.

Yeah, the Browns had all their timeouts left, and yeah, Ben Roethlisberger and his offensive teammates maybe weren't playing the best game of their lives, but hadn't Crennel already seen a half-dozen of these Steelers-Browns pantomimes?

Could he ignore all this history?

He was 0-6 in 'em, and somehow he thought the Browns had a last-second touchdown in them?

That's a triumph of human confidence right there, but more likely on Cleveland yak-radio it'll get portrayed as a evidence of galloping lunacy.

"If they score seven there, that's a difference maker," McFadden said. "If they take a field goal, we feel that field goals can't beat us. It's gratifying to hold a great offensive team like this without a touchdown."


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Willie Parker picks up first down against the Browns in the second quarter.

It had only taken an hour and 25 minutes after the national anthem ended for the Browns to cross midfield last night, a stirring accomplishment for Northern Ohio that coincided with the news that Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel would not be back on the field after a first-quarter calf injury.

So with Keisel out most of the night, McFadden sitting in at left corner for Deshea Townsend and the Cleveland offense operating in the second and fourth quarters with a wind gusting up to 60 miles per hour at its back, the Browns soared to all of ... six points.

McFadden set up the only Steelers touchdown with an interception late in the second quarter, the first of the game's nine possessions to that point that did not end in a punt. The fourth-year corner from Florida State went stride-for-stride with Braylon Edwards down the right sideline, turned at precisely the right instant and sent the Steelers the other way.

"They were running a lot of comeback routes," McFadden explained, "but with Braylon, if he's running deep, you know they're looking for him. I just got my head around in time."

With meteorological elements portending a low-scoring game in this freshest re-enactment of an ancient NFL rivalry, the Steelers defense had something more dramatic in mind: the no-scoring game.

That idea got vetoed by, of all people, defensive captain James Farrior, whose inexplicably uncharacteristic taunting penalty set the Browns up at Steelers' 11 late in the third quarter. From that point, the Browns drove smartly backward to the 13, from where Dawson plunked home the field goal that put his awful offense on the board for the first time in almost 44 minutes of game clock.

No matter.

McFadden picked off one Derek Anderson pass, Polamalu intercepted another three yards from his own end zone just before the half and Pittsburgh's consistently superb defense strangled the tormented Browns to take a two-game lead in the AFC North after exactly, uh, two games.

Polamalu made a violent opening statement for the national TV audience and a wind-slashed, rain-pelted crowd of Clevelanders when he torpedoed Jamal Lewis in his own backfield on the game's first play from scrimmage. That appeared to plunge the Browns into a rut that included three consecutive three-and-outs, during which a couple of themes had their origination.

First, safety Ryan Clark began to abuse Kellen Winslow, banging into him on a crossing route that seemed to discourage similar route-taking in the later stages. Further, Larry Foote slammed into Lewis in the open field to the right of Cleveland's formation, turning what looked like a potential breakaway into a pratfall of a 2-yard-gain for the veteran running back.

Keisel got hurt on the first Browns possession that resulted in an actual first down and was capably replaced thereafter by Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason.

The Browns, with one final chance with 26 second left, couldn't move an inch.

A lone voice in the mist screamed, "Kick a field goal!"

Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1283.
First published on September 15, 2008 at 12:32 am

Holmes, Ward make Big Ben look good

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/
Monday, September 15, 2008


Ben Roethlisberger congratulates Hines Ward after his touchdown in the second quarter.
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

CLEVELAND -- I took a fair amount of grief last week for opining that Ben Roethlisberger is the NFL's best quarterback now that Tom Brady is done for the season. It didn't all come from Peyton Manning fans and Tony Romo fans. A lot came from Steelers fans, who made it clear they love Big Ben, but that I'm seriously overrating him.

Sorry.

I'm sticking to my opinion and I'll give you two more reasons why:

Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.

Those guys would make any quarterback pretty good.

Let me put it another way:

Would Terry Bradshaw have been so terrific without John Stallworth and Lynn Swann?

Ward and Holmes were huge in the Steelers' 10-6 win against the Cleveland Browns last night on a wet, blustery, miserable evening beside Lake Erie, in a game that gave them early control of the AFC North Division and a two-game lead over the Browns (0-2). Ward scored the only touchdown with an 11-yard catch in the second quarter and bailed the Steelers out of big-time trouble with a 31-yard reception late in the third quarter. Holmes set up Jeff Reed's 48-yard, third-quarter field goal with a fabulous catch for 48 yards.

Ward and Holmes combined for 10 catches for 153 yards in the abysmal conditions.

It's fair to say Roethlisberger wouldn't trade 'em for any pair of wide receivers in the league.

"I know I wouldn't trade 'em for anybody," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was saying as midnight approached last night. "They both block. They both do everything we ask of them. And they're both capable of making huge plays."


Santonio Holmes picks up a first down over the Browns' Eric Wright.
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

It wasn't surprising that Ward tormented the Browns again. He always seems to do something to beat them. Last night, it was that touchdown catch in the middle of the end zone, one play after he took a big hit and couldn't hang on to what would have been a superb touchdown grab. You noticed Roethlisberger had no trouble coming right back to him, didn't you? Certainly, Big Ben didn't hesitate to look for Ward again on a second-and-10 play from the Steelers' 2 late in the third quarter after the Browns had cut the Steelers' lead to 10-3 and appeared to be taking control of the game. Ward's 31-yard catch didn't lead to a score, but it changed the field position.

"I try to be perfect, but I'm not perfect," Ward said of his drop in the end zone. "I make that catch 98 percent of the time, but I didn't make it on that play. It was nice to be able to come right back and redeem myself."

Ward celebrated the touchdown by scratching like a dog -- right in front of the Dawg Pound, of course.

"Just marking my spot," he said, grinning. "That silenced 'em. That was real nice."

It was the third consecutive game against the Browns in which Ward scored a touchdown. It also continued his red-hot start; he had six catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns in the 38-17 win against the Houston Texans last week.

"I'm healthy for the first time in a long time," Ward said. "That's what I can do when I'm healthy."

It also figured that Holmes would make a big play against the Browns. The pride of The Ohio State University loves playing in Ohio. He's now 5-0 as a pro in games in Cleveland and Cincinnati. His major contribution on this hideous night was the 48-yard catch, a terrific grab because he had to outfight cornerback Brandon McDonald for the football. It gave the Steelers a first down at the Cleveland 36, and Reed came on to kick what proved to be the clinching field goal three plays later.

"He can do that every game," Arians said. "I was a little bit mad at myself last week because I really didn't give him a lot of opportunities. We've got to take at least two or three shots [deep] a game with that guy."

Big-time players make big-time plays when it counts.

So it was last night for Roethlisberger, who, despite the rotten conditions, completed 12 of 19 passes for 186 yards and had a passer rating of 113.0.

So, too, it was for Ward and Holmes.

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on September 15, 2008 at 12:33 am

Mientkiewicz, Pirates infuriate Cardinals

Benches clear, McLouth homers in 7-2 win, three-game sweep

By Dejan Kovacevic
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Monday, September 15, 2008

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

The Pirates' Doug Mientkiewicz is kept away from the Cardinals' Aaron Miles in the eighth inning.

It was a highly productive day for several Pirates en route to a 7-2 slamming of the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday at PNC Park, from Nate McLouth nearly hitting a ball out of the stadium to Adam LaRoche's three RBIs to brother Andy's three hits to continued bullpen excellence.

And yet, somehow, it was Doug Mientkiewicz who set the scene ablaze with a late and fairly insignificant pinch-hit appearance that culminated in his shouting match with St. Louis second baseman Aaron Miles and, ultimately, benches and bullpens clearing.

"Hot Sunday afternoon," Pirates manager John Russell replied with a grin when asked what might have sparked Mientkiewicz.

Surely, as Randy Johnson and so many others in Major League Baseball have learned, it does not take much.

There was one out in the eighth inning when Mienktiewicz, after being introduced to the standard warm ovation from the 18,994 on hand, hustled out an infield single against reliever Josh Kinney.

Freddy Sanchez then bounced to Miles, who was close enough to tag Mientkiewicz ... except that Mientkiewicz beat him to it, essentially, by swatting the ball out of his glove. Everyone was safe.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa emerged to argue with second base umpire Gary Darling but not much. Curiously, La Russa also appeared to gesture to Mientkiewicz to come toward him and join the conversation. Mientkiewicz stayed on the bag.

"I went after the glove to try to knock the ball out," Mientkiewicz explained of the play. "I've played second base for one start in my career, and I got plowed on my rear end. ... I didn't deliberately smack at him. I just kept running and tried to hit the glove. That's what you're supposed to do. I didn't try to hurt him."

"It was a dirty play," Miles said. "I just thought it was a double play. The rule is, if he's trying to hit the ball out of the glove, it's interference."

That is accurate, and Mientkiewicz acknowledged trying to do that. But not that he was doing anything dirty.

The two spoke on the spot.

"I told him I didn't think it was appropriate at the time of the game," Miles said.

"He said he'd do the same thing ... if the game was close," Mientkiewicz said of Miles. "And I said, 'Well, it's not like we're up 12.' We were up five, and I think we all know that a five-run lead for us is not exactly insurmountable."

The Pirates led, 7-2, at the time.

The next batter, Luis Cruz, softly lined to shortstop Brendan Ryan, who tossed to Miles to double off Mientkiewicz. And it was there that Miles said something to Mientkiewicz while quickly darting away, prompting a shouting rebuttal from Mientkiewicz and, within seconds, more than 70 uniforms spilling onto the diamond.

"When I caught the ball, I had a little fire burning in me and I said, 'You're out. You're gone. You're out of here,' " Miles recalled. "Obviously, he's a fired-up type of player, and it got to him, too, I guess."

Mientkiewicz seemed particularly irked that Miles zipped away.

"I'm not going to talk about it with him, then, two seconds later, have him run his mouth running off the field," Mientkiewicz said. "If you have a problem, come talk to me."


Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Pirates outfielder Nate McLouth scores as the ball flies over the head of Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue in the first inning of yesterday's game at PNC Park.

Not much else came of it, except that three Cardinals were needed to restrain reliever Ron Villone from going after Mientkiewicz after he and first baseman Albert Pujols briefly spoke.

Mientkiewicz and Villone were teammates with the New York Yankees last season.

"I was going over to talk to Albert about it," Mientkiewicz said. "Albert said, 'Dougie, what's the matter?' I started walking to him, and Ron really took exception to it. That's his prerogative. I don't know what I've ever done to Ron Villone."

"We're not teammates now," Villone said. "He got away with a play, and I'm upset that we lost."

Russell did not elaborate on the matter, but La Russa sounded incensed.

"The guy swiped the ball. He swiped it, and the umpires didn't see it," La Russa said. "Mientkiewicz ... that's a [expletive deleted] play in a 7-2 game. He's acting like he's innocent. The tape doesn't lie. ... But that's a small aside to getting beat today and getting beat over the weekend."

No one would dispute that: The Cardinals, who had fancied themselves still in contention entering this weekend, were swept in three.

For the Pirates, that meant their first three-game winning streak since taking four in a row July 21-24, and their first series sweep since taking three in Houston in that same stretch.

They burst open a 6-0 lead through two innings off Brad Thompson, half those RBIs coming from LaRoche on a single and two-run double in the second. Brandon Moss had an RBI single in each inning.

McLouth's dagger came in the fourth, when he launched a 2-0 fastball from fresh reliever Randy Flores over the Clemente Wall's seating section for the 7-2 lead. It landed on the interior riverwalk and might have left the stadium but for striking a canopy there.

Oh, and it went into a stiff wind.

"I thought I hit it pretty good," McLouth said.

After getting embarrassed offensively in Houston, scoring nine times with 17 hits in losing all four games, they scored 24 with 40 hits against the Cardinals.

"It's nice for everyone to score some runs," Russell said. "We had some good pitching, too."

Jason Davis, summoned for a spot start, gave up a run over three innings. T.J. Beam followed up with an identical line. Romulo Sanchez, Sean Burnett and Craig Hansen put up zeroes.

The Pirates evened their record at PNC Park to 37-37. The only season in which they had a winning record at PNC was 2006, when they went 43-38.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.
First published on September 15, 2008 at 12:00 am


Box score
Statistics
Standings

Today

Game: Pirates vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.

TV/Radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).

Pitching: RHP Ross Ohlendorf (0-1, 8.10) vs. RHP Hiroki Kuroda (8-10, 3.93).

Key matchup: In his first 40 games with Los Angeles, Manny Ramirez has 14 home runs and 41 RBIs, making him Major League Baseball's most productive midseason acquisition through 40 games since 1949, when Hank Sauer had 15 home runs and 47 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs.

Of note: The Dodgers finally are taking control of the West Division, having won 11 of 13 and gained eight games in the standings over the past 16 days.

Maybe trades were about money

By Bob Smizik
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Boston Red Sox's Jason Bay runs home after his two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. Looking on is Tampa Bay Rays catcher Dioner Navarro (AP).

Although Pirates management is hesitant to use the word, it's obvious by the trading in July of Jason Bay and Xavier Nady they are in a full-bore rebuilding mode. That's a reasonable, although not clear-cut, course considering where the team was at the time of the trades and it's chances of getting significantly better in the future.

But here's a question about that rebuilding:

Is it being done to put a better product on the field in the future or is it being done, in a familiar refrain for the franchise, to lower the payroll.

President Frank Coonelly and general manager Neil Huntington likely would react with indignation to the suggestion their motives weren't strictly to improve the team. But their actions speak for themselves.

The trading of outfielders Bay and Nady, along with left-handed reliever Damaso Marte, saved about $3 million this season. Bay would have earned, through an existing contract, about $7.5 million next season and Nady, through arbitration, about $5 million. Marte would not have been brought back. That's an additional savings of about $11 million (taking into account close to minimum-salaried players would replace Bay and Nady).

The rationale for trading Bay and Nady, two of the team's best offensive players, was that the organization needed more depth.
There's little doubt depth was needed and, despite the disappointing play on the major-league level of the acquired players, it's too early to label these trades a mistakes. But it's not too early to begin thinking that way. Going into the weekend, the Pirates were 12-32 since the day they traded Nady and Marte to the New York Yankees. That's an astounding 118-loss pace.

SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 07: Xavier Nady #22 of the New York Yankees is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners on September 7, 2008 at Safeco Field in Seattle Washington. The Mariners defeated the Yankees 5-2. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Despite the payroll savings, there wouldn't be reason to believe the Pirates made the deal for financial considerations except for the fact two other trades they made reek of financial consideration. If the team's motive in trading reliever Salomon Torres and third baseman Jose Bautista were financial -- and it's hard to believe otherwise -- maybe the same motive can be attributed to the Nady and Bay trades.

In December, the Pirates traded Torres to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor-leaguers Marino Salas and Kevin Roberts. The trade has been catastrophic for the Pirates. Torres filled a valuable role as a right-handed setup man for closer Matt Capps. No one has filled that role, and all who have been tried have failed.

The Pirates have claimed Torres was traded because he was making a nuisance of himself. He had threatened to sue the team over an alleged promise made to rent his training facility in the Dominican Republic. While it's true Torres behavior was strange, he had been nothing but a good teammate and a valuable member of the team since 2002.

If Huntington felt a strong need to trade him, at least get something of value in return. He did not.

Maybe, just maybe, this illogical trade had something to do with the fact Torres was set to earn $3.3 million in 2008.

In a failed attempt to replace Torres, the Pirates have used, aside from Capps, 11 right-handed relievers. Those relievers -- T.J. Beam, Denny Bautista, Jesse Chavez, Jason Davis, Craig Hansen, Evan Meek, Franquelis Osoria, Salas, Romulo Sanchez, John Van Benschoten and Tyler Yates -- have combined for an astronomical 5.77 earned run average going into the weekend.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Salomon Torres reacts after striking out Cincinnati Reds' Jerry Hairston Jr. to end the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, in Milwaukee. The Brewers won 4-3 (AP).

Torres, meanwhile, has evolved into a star. He has moved into the closer's role for the Brewers and has 27 saves, 21 since June 1, with a 2.68 earned run average. Opponents are batting .233 against him.

The players received have been busts. Salas had a 8.36 ERA in 12 games with the Pirates. Roberts had a 7.56 ERA at Altoona and an 0-5 record at Lynchburg.
In August the Pirates traded Bautista to Toronto for minor-league catcher Robinson Diaz. The Pirates had some need for a backup to catcher Ryan Doumit, and it's possible Diaz will fill that role. But Bautista offered far more upside. For one, he is an alternative to starting third baseman Andy LaRoche, acquired in the Bay trade, who was batting .150 in 107 at-bats with the Pirates.

Even if the Pirates insist on sticking with LaRoche, Bautista would be an excellent reserve. He can play multiple positions and hits with decent power. The Pirates seem to consider Jason Michaels a good bench player. Not only can Bautista play more positions than Michaels, he has hit more home runs in every one of his three major league seasons than Michaels has at any time in his seven-year career.

So why would the Pirates give up on a player who has some upside and is only 27. Because they didn't want to pay him more than $2 million, which he surely would receive in arbitration next year.

The Pirates will say this is not about the money. But you know when they say it's not about the money it is about the money.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author
First published on September 14, 2008 at 12:00 am

Crosby to live with Lemieux again

By Shelly Anderson
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Thursday, September 11, 2008


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Sidney Crosby is shown the score sheet from 1967 by lifelong season-ticket holder David Disney after Crosby delivered Disney's season tickets yesterday. It marks the second season Penguins players helped deliver the tickets to their fan base.

It's likely Penguins center Sidney Crosby scoped out a few houses with for sale signs yesterday as he and other members of the organization roamed the area hand-delivering season tickets to 35 homes.

For all that the fourth-year center has seen and everything he has experienced in the NHL, Crosby finds himself in familiar surroundings this week -- that is, he is back living at the home of team owner and former teammate Mario Lemieux and his family.

"I've been looking for a place for the last year, but I haven't found anything I'm quite ready for yet," Crosby said after spending time at the Mt. Lebanon home of David and Mary Disney, original Penguins season-ticket holders dating to 1967.

This was the second year the team had members deliver season tickets. The other Penguins who participated were goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, forwards Jordan Staal, Max Talbot, Tyler Kennedy, Pascal Dupuis and Jeff Taffe, defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Brooks Orpik and coach Michel Therrien.

One thing Crosby, 21, is ready for is the 2008-09 season. Players officially report Tuesday and open the regular season Oct. 4 against Ottawa in Stockholm, Sweden. Most of them are in town.

"It's been a short offseason, but we're here now," Crosby said. "Guys are all skating together, and we've all got that itch to get back out there."

At the end of the 2006-07 season, Crosby was recuperating from a broken foot but was able to resume workouts June 1 as usual. This year, the team still was playing on that date, advancing to the Stanley Cup final before losing to Detroit in six games.

That meant a change in routine.

"It's just a little bit less of everything," Crosby said. "You have to let your body heal a little bit more. You probably can't gain as much as you might have in a typical summer in terms of getting stronger or faster. It's more of just getting back to where you need to be and getting back to feeling good."

That includes his right ankle. He missed 28 games in the second half of the regular season because of a high ankle sprain.

"No issues there," Crosby said. "Hopefully, I don't have to deal with it and I can have a healthy season."

After the Penguins won the Atlantic Division title and spun through the first three rounds of the playoffs with just two losses, falling to the Red Wings hit them hard. That meant there was some soul-searching during the short offseasonhe mostly spent at home in Nova Scotia.

"For the first few weeks after the season, it still stings. You still think about it," he said. "But, once you start working out and you start seeing who's coming in and everything that's happening in free agency and things like that, you realize that it's a new season and you use last season as a motivation. I think we've all moved on. We'll take the experience."

Among the roster changes were the loss of top-six forwards Ryan Malone to Tampa Bay and Marian Hossa to Detroit. It was expected that Malone would leave for a big contract, but Hossa's decision to join the Red Wings on a one-year deal while turning down a multiyear offer from the Penguins came as a surprise to many.

Hossa recently arrived in Detroit to skate with his new teammates and again explained his reasoning.

"It's my decision, and I try to get the best chance to win the Cup and I felt like this is the team to be [with] and that's why I sign with Detroit," Hossa told The Detroit Free Press, adding that it came down to the Penguins or Red Wings and he wasn't concerned about criticism of his choice.

"I don't care. People can say what they want. It's my life, and I make the decision I like."

Crosby, who developed good chemistry with Hossa when they were linemates late in the regular season and during the playoffs, doesn't hold a grudge.

"He's happy with his situation. That's fine," Crosby said.

Asked who he thought had the better shot at winning a Cup -- the Red Wings in 2008-09 or the Penguins over the next five to seven years, Crosby grinned.

"I love when they ask that question because there's 30 teams and the league isn't [predictable] anymore," said Crosby.

"Detroit's got a great team, and they haven't really lost anyone and they've added Hossa. I'm not going to take anything away from them. They're the champions right now and they're a favorite. But since when has it really been a favorite that's really dominated? The league's too competitive. I could say us for the next five years, too, but who knows?"

First published on September 11, 2008 at 12:00 am


Pens Fan Gets Crosby Delivery

By Tricia Lafferty
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/
Thursday, September 11, 2008


Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby hugs season-ticket holder Aubri Covol after he delivered tickets to Guy and Karen Bradford at their Edgewood home.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

When Guy Bradford opened the front door of his Edgewood home, he didn't expect to see Penguins center Sidney Crosby on his doorstep.

Bradford and his wife, Karen, knew their Penguins season tickets would arrive Wednesday afternoon. The couple, however, didn't know Crosby would be the player to deliver them.

"We didn't know who it would be until we opened the door, and then it was, 'Oh my!'" Karen said.

Moments after Crosby knocked on the door, sounds of excitement and surprise were heard from the Bradfords and the six other guests inside the house. But by the looks of the Crosby banner hanging on the porch and the handful of guests wearing Crosby jerseys, you would have thought the group knew their favorite player would be stopping by.

"We didn't want to know, but it was the best," Karen said. "It was the best we could have hoped for."

Crosby, dressed in jeans and a jersey, was one of 10 Penguins who delivered tickets yesterday to the homes of 35 randomly chosen season-ticket holders. The fans were informed a player would be delivering their tickets, but they weren't told which Penguin would be visiting. Marc-Andre Fleury, Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Oprik, Maxime Talbot, Tyler Kennedy, Pascal Dupuis, Jeff Taffe and head coach Michel Therrien each made a couple home visits yesterday.

"It's a personal thing," Crosby said. "You see (Mellon Arena) jammed every night, but you don't get to meet people usually personally. We get a lot of support every night, so it's a nice gesture.

"It's fun. I think a lot of the guys enjoy this. It's pretty easy for us. We're more than happy to do this. I don't think you see too many teams in any sport do this."

Crosby was first greeted by Guy, who chatted with Crosby about this past season and the Penguins' run to the Stanley Cup final, where they fell to the Detroit Red Wings.

"Thank you for last year," Guy said.

As Crosby made his way through the living room, Karen showed off her 32-year-old son Turner's first hockey stick. Crosby then signed the three-foot long wooden stick before taking a seat at the head of the Bradford's dining table. He signed paraphernalia, including jerseys, pictures and T-shirts.

The guests -- all of whom are season ticket holders -- chatted with Crosby about the Ice Bowl, the playoffs, Nova Scotia and Crosby's backhand that just missed the net in the final seconds of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final.

"Oh, so close," Crosby said.

Conversation with Crosby was easy as the Bradfords and their guests had so much to say to the Penguins star.

"He's so personable," Karen said. "He's so nice and just makes you feel relaxed. He's just such a good role model that I'm so proud he's in Pittsburgh."

The Bradfords sheepishly admitted that they weren't always Penguin fans. Guy grew up a New York Rangers fan, and Karen cheered for the Boston Bruins before the couple moved to Pittsburgh in 2001.

It didn't take long, though, for the Penguins to win them over.

"It's not hard when they're so great," Karen said.

After Crosby spent about 25 minutes in the Bradford's home, the group headed outside to take a group picture on the porch.

But the fans had one last request before Crosby left.

"Aubri wants a hug, Sidney," someone blurted.

So Crosby turned around and gave Aubri Covol, a 15-year old from Plum Borough, a hug to cap the visit.

"I was in disbelief, lost for words," Covol said. "I never would have dreamt it. I go to all the games to see him play, but I never would have dreamt being 10 feet away from him."


Tricia Lafferty can be reached at tlafferty@tribweb.com or 412-380-5666.

Slightest slight is motivation for Hines Ward

Imaginary burden on receiver's shoulders pushes him to astonishingly real results

By Bob Smizik
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/
Friday, September 12, 2008


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Steeler receivers Santonio Holmes and Hine Ward

There's not much remaining for Hines Ward to accomplish in his NFL career, and even he admits as much. He owns virtually every Steelers receiving record, and, with all respect to the great John Stallworth, deserves to be called the best to play the position for the franchise. What's more, not only has he been on a Super Bowl winner, he was MVP of the game.

Still, Ward continues to play the only way he knows how -- with not so much a chip on his shoulder but an entire lumber yard.

Congratulated on his six-catch, two-touchdown performance in the season opener against Houston, Ward did not offer up an, "Aw, shucks."

Instead, with a touch of belligerence in his voice, he asked the media, "Did I shock you guys?"

It was pure Ward, a player who has used slights, real and perceived, to motivate himself to the threshold of greatness. It is Ward's belief that any accomplishment of his is a shock to the world. No one, in his mind, believes he can do much of anything. There's a basis in reality for this belief. After tying for the team lead in receptions in 1999, Ward, a third-round draft choice in '98, found himself on the second team in training camp behind two first rounders -- Troy Edwards and rookie Plaxico Burress.

Ward seethed at the demotion, which was temporary, and used it as a motivational tool. He led the team in receptions that season -- catching more passes than Edwards and Burress combined -- and has led it every year since.

He has accumulated numbers, particularly in the Steelers run-oriented offense, that border on the astonishing. He is the all-time leader in career receptions, yards and touchdowns. With 725 receptions, he has caught 188 more passes than Stallworth and 389 more passes than Lynn Swann, both of whom are in the Hall of Fame. He has the three most prolific seasons in Steelers history with reception totals of 112, 95 and 94. To put those numbers in perspective, Stallworth's three best years were 80, 75 and 70 and Swann's were 61, 50 and 49.

Since eras are different, it's often not fair to compare players of today, to whom more passes are thrown, with players of the '70s and '80s. But Ward's numbers so dwarf any other player's that comparisons are more than fair.

On top of all that, he is widely acknowledged as one of the best and most fierce blocking receivers in the league. He prides himself on his leadership role and has handled it well even before being named captain.


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Hines Ward celebrates after scoring his second touchdown against the Texans last Sunday.

He's near the end now, in his 11th season and 32 years old. But he is not ready to quit -- not even thinking about it. His eyes are set on the Cleveland Browns, who the Steelers play Sunday night. Ward kind of likes the fact the game will be in Cleveland.

"I like the Dog Pound," he said of the Browns' infamous rooting section. "They say some mean things. I love it. When you're warming up and they're talking about your mamma and your daddy and stuff like that. Real classy.
I just smile. They just try to spit and throw things and say a lot of mean stuff. It's part of football. The more harsh things they say, the more they respect me as a player. I look at it as a compliment."

That's Ward. He'll take a compliment anywhere he can get it.

These days he faces another young star ready to replace him as Ben Roethlisberger's favorite target. Santonio Holmes, another No. 1 pick and a superb deep threat, looks ready, in his third season, to make Ward less relevant. Let it happen, claims Ward, who only will use the challenge to push himself harder.

"When Santonio makes a play, I want to go out and make a play. We both bring out the best in each other. When Plax was here, we both wanted the ball. That's a good thing. When you have two guys who want the ball it can only help the team."

He has nothing left to prove -- "I've got every record in Steelers history and that speaks for itself" -- but admits one personal number interests him.
"I'd love to get 10,000 yards. That would be something to get 10,000 yards in this offense. It would be a huge mark. I'm about 1,200 yards short."

In the distance is the Hall of Fame. The fact his numbers are so superior to Stallworth and Swann means nothing. Voting for the Hall of Fame is highly unscientific.

"That's for you guys to vote on," he said. "It would be a huge honor. Am I a Hall of Fame player? I don't know. I just go out and play."

All the Steelers need between now and Sunday is for someone to mention to Ward in no uncertain terms that he is not a Hall of Famer.

That would crank up that famous Ward paranoia and woe unto the Cleveland Browns.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
More articles by this author
First published on September 12, 2008 at 12:00 am

Willie Parker's no fraud

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/
Friday, September 12, 2008


Steelers running back Willie Parker stiff-arms Houston's Fred Bennett en route to his first touchdown during the first quarter Sunday.
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review

Maybe it's because he isn't built like the larger-than-life running backs of Steelers lore - Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis and John Henry Johnson.

Maybe it's because he let down so many fantasy football owners last season.

Maybe it's because he will never match the man he replaced - Bettis - as a media darling.

Maybe it's because he was undrafted.

Whatever the case, "Fast" Willie Parker can't seem to outrun his critics. They call him a track-star back who can't get tough yards, or, as Baltimore Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce so memorably put it last season, "a fraud."

I must be missing something.

Are we talking about Amos Zereoue here, or a back who needs just 48 yards to pass Johnson for third place on the Steelers' all-time rushing list?

Parker has the best per-carry average (4.5) in franchise history, not to mention three of the club's top eight rushing seasons and two of its three highest single-game totals. He finished second in the NFL in 20-plus-yard runs last season, likely would have led the league in rushing if he hadn't been injured and had no problem grinding out tough yards two years ago, when he scored 13 rushing touchdowns.

Know what else? He keeps getting better. He has learned to change speeds and run more patiently.

But you go ahead and question Parker. Keep pointing out what he can't do. Keep finding reasons the Steelers should replace him.

He likes that.

"He's the first guy in here every day and probably the last guy to leave," receiver Hines Ward said.

True to form, Parker was among the last off the practice field Thursday. Dripping sweat and still trying to catch his breath, he considered the question carefully.

Why isn't he automatically mentioned when people speak of the NFL's top backs?

Fast Willie leaned forward, squinted and said, "One day, they are going to talk about me as one of the best. They'll have no other choice."

About the rap he is stopped too often at the line of scrimmage (31 times last season, fifth-most in the NFL according to an article on ESPN.com) and has too many negative-yardage carries?

"Watch me this year," Parker said. "That's all I'll say."

Then, he said some more: "In the past, I probably got too greedy and wanted to make the big play every time. Barry Sanders had that same problem. I know what to do now. I'm trying to get positive yards, even if it's two yards."

Parker's teammates back him on that. He flashed his form Sunday with a 138-yard, three-TD opener against Houston, stiff-arming tacklers, spinning away from them and running right through them.

"A lot of people think of him as a little back, and he's not," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said of the 5-foot-10, 209-pound Parker. "He's a handful - a violent runner. I wouldn't trade him for anyone."

I would, but after LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, I'd have to think hard before trading Parker for any other runner - and it's not like Peterson has proved his durability. Parker has the third-most rushing yards (4,012) in the NFL over the past three years.

Ward was among those who eased Parker's concerns when the team drafted Rashard Mendenhall, pointing out that it could help him.

Pardon Parker if he didn't pop a bottle of champagne that day.

"I'm the type of person where I jump to the craziest conclusions anyway," Parker said. "I thought the worst. That's the way I was thinking. But then, after talking to some people, they made me calm down."

Seems to me, Mendenhall was brought in to preserve and enhance Parker, not to replace him.

Parker isn't perfect. He's just one of the best running backs in the NFL, and already, at age 27, one of the best in Steelers' history.

"If he didn't get hurt, he would have led the league in rushing last year," said backup quarterback Charlie Batch, who is on injured reserve but has seen numerous elite runners in his years in the league. "He's a proven runner, deserving of all the credit he's getting."

Or not getting.

Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com.

Steelers' Harrison on the attack

By Scott Brown
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/
Tuesday, September 9, 2008


Steelers' outside linebacker James Harrison rushes Texans' quarterback Matt Schaub at Heinz Field.

Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review file

The way the Steelers bullied Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub was reminiscent of what they did to Cleveland Browns quarterback Charlie Frye in the first game of the 2007 season.

Their 38-17 pasting of the Texans bodes well for the kind of start the Steelers enjoyed last season when they won four of their first five games.

What James Harrison, who served as the leader of the Steelers' sack parade Sunday, doesn't want to see this season is a repeat of what happened at the end of 2007, when the team lost four of its final five games.

"We got a little burned out toward the end of last year," Harrison said Monday, "and I don't think it really had that much to do with the games as far as what we did the whole year; practicing where we were just banging every day."

When asked if Steelers coach Mike Tomlin needs to consider adjusting the practice schedule later in the season to account for tired legs, Harrison said, "Yeah, you need to lighten up. You've seen how it did us last year. If that's not a good enough example, I don't know what is."

Harrison doesn't just have the subtlety of a jackhammer. He is as relentless as one too. Texans rookie left tackle Duane Brown and Schaub found that out Sunday at Heinz Field. The fifth-year veteran dropped Schaub three times and forced a turnover with one of his sacks.

Somewhere, Kevin Greene had to be smiling.

The former Steelers linebacker, who is third on the NFL's all-time sacks list, worked with Harrison and LaMarr Woodley during camp on their pass-rushing moves.


Brett Coomer: Houston Chronicle

It was a rough day for Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8), who was sacked five times in Sunday's 38-17 loss to Pittsburgh, including three times by Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

For one game at least, they showed why they might be the best pass-rushing tandem the Steelers have had at outside linebacker in more than a decade. Greene said during camp that Woodley has chance to be better than he was.

All Woodley did in his first career start was record a sack, intercept a pass and recover the fumble that Harrison caused in the fourth quarter.

"That's why we are optimistic about what we are capable of doing," said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin whose team visits the Browns on Sunday night. "Because of those guys."

Even better, Harrison and Woodley acknowledge they will make each other better because of competition between them.

"For both of us, playing the same position on opposite sides of the ball, you want to try to outdo the other person on the other side of the ball," said Harrison, who had 8 1/2 sacks last season.

"He's two up," Woodley said, "but I'll catch him."

What Harrison does not want is the fatigue that he said played a factor in the Steelers' late-season malaise in 2007.

"You're padded up, hitting each other every day, and you're in Week 15, 16," said Harrison, who didn't have a sack in the Steelers' final five regular-season games. "You're still doing the same thing that you were doing in Week 1, and it takes wear and tear on your body."

The Steelers have some depth at linebacker, and Lawrence Timmons spelled Harrison during one series Sunday.

One thing the Steelers don't have to worry about with Harrison is complacency. The Steelers cut the 6-foot, 242-pounder three times before he stuck with the team, and he has never forgotten what it took for him to get where he is.

That much was evident when Harrison said he didn't allow himself so much as five minutes to enjoy what he did in the Steelers' season opener.

"Why? It's one game," Harrison said. "The next 15 games we could lose."

Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.