Big Ben comes up 'empty'

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, October 6, 2008


JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 05: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on October 5, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

JACKSONVILLE -- Although he’s been battered and bruised in recent weeks, Ben Roethlisberger had no reservations whatsoever taking snaps in formations that featured "empty sets" and afforded no protection whatsoever for the Steelers’ quarterback beyond what his offensive line could provide.

"No, I was calling them," Roethlisberger said. "I like it."

With the Steelers running their no-huddle offense "almost the whole game," in Roethlisberger’s estimation, they wound up relying upon empty sets more than they had all season in Sunday night’s 26-21 victory over the Jaguars.

"By far," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "Maybe all of last year, too. We knew they were struggling with their secondary injured. They actually took the one cornerback out and put the linebacker back in and kind of dictated zone coverage.

"You could get the ball out quick, spread the field. Our line did a great job protecting and Ben handled the no-huddle beautifully."

The Jaguars, Arians said, never went with a five-defensive backs set after cornerback William James was beaten by wide receiver Nate Washington from an empty set on what became a 48-yard TD pass from Roethlisberger early in the second quarter.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers attacked Jacksonville’s base defense on third-and-5 from the Jacksonville 8-yard line with 1:59 remaining with a personnel group that included two tight ends, two wide receivers and running back Mewelde Moore. They eventually ran their play from another empty set.

Roethlisberger’s 5-yard fade to wide receiver Hines Ward wound up winning the game.

No wonder Roethlisberger loves to operate out of an empty set.


JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 05: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on October 5, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

"It spreads you out," he said. "You can kinda see who’s blitzing, usually. It utilizes weapons that we have, not just at wide receiver but at tight end and running back."

Roethlisberger was sacked three times and pressured on numerous other occasions.

But the empty sets repeatedly sparked the offense prior to Ward’s touchdown.

The Steelers ran seven plays from an empty set over the first two quarters.

Those plays resulted in one incompletion, two penalties against the Steelers and four completions that produced four first downs, 89 passing yards and one touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, the Steelers went back to the empty set.

Plays run form the empty look resulted in one sack, one penalty against Jacksonville, one incompletion and four catches for 35 yards and another score.

On the drive that won the game Roethlisberger went 3-for-3 for 24 yards and the game-winning TD while operating with an empty backfield.

"Ben is an amazing player," Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis said. "He makes plays that other quarterbacks probably wouldn’t, and in that last drive he definitely made some great plays."


Mike Prisuta can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.

What a way to head into a bye week

Monday, October 06, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Steelers tight end Heath Miller picks up yardage against the Jaguars last night.

No Willie Parker. No Rashard Mendenhall. No Carey Davis. No Kendall Simmons. No Marvel Smith late.

No problem.

Watching the Steelers come from behind to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 26-21, on the road last night after a short week and a body-bag Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens brought back memories of something Bill Cowher always said after his team stood tall in the face of the roughest adversity:

"I've never been more prouder of a bunch of guys."

Well, Mike Tomlin was pretty darn proud after this one, too.

With good reason.

"This was a great night for the Steelers, man," Tomlin fairly gushed shortly before midnight. "Our injury situation was well-documented. Those guys didn't look for a potential excuse. They embraced the challenge. They stepped up and delivered."

Maybe the Steelers caught a break with a game against the Jaguars, a shell of the team that beat them twice in Pittsburgh last season, including a killer loss in the playoffs. The Jacksonville defense had just five sacks in four games coming in. Its secondary was without two injured starters, cornerback Drayton Florence and safety Reggie Nelson.

But to just say the Jaguars' defense was bad would unfairly cheapen an impressive, when-it-counted performance by a Steelers' offense that was down to fourth-team running back Mewelde Moore and had guard Darnell Stapleton making his first NFL start for the injured Simmons. Moore and his backup, Gary Russell, provided enough of a running threat to keep the Jaguars honest, Moore rushing for 99 yards on 17 carries. Stapleton, little-used tackle Trai Essex -- in for Smith (cramps) in the fourth quarter -- and their oft-criticized pals on the offensive line kept quarterback Ben Roethlisberger relatively clean, allowing three sacks.

Big Ben must have felt as if this were a lovely moonlit night on Jacksonville Beach after he was sacked 15 times in the first four games.


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Ben Roethlisberger converts a third down with the Jaguars defense hanging on.

No one will confuse Roethlisberger's offense with, say, Tom Brady's New England offense or Peyton Manning's Indianapolis offense, but, on this October evening, it was just good enough to send the Steelers into their perfectly timed bye week with a 4-1 record and control of the AFC North Division.

Roethlisberger, especially, was good enough.

"Ben is an amazing player," Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis said. "He makes plays that other quarterbacks probably wouldn't. On that last drive, he definitely made some great plays."

Down 21-20 with 61/2 minutes left, Roethlisberger led the Steelers on the winning touchdown drive. All things considered, it was stunning: an 11-play, 80-yard work of art. Big Ben completed a third-and-three pass for 8 yards to wide receiver Nate Washington and then, after Washington took a selfish, foolish taunting penalty and under tremendous pressure from the Jaguars' rush, a fabulous third-and-eight pass for 18 yards to wide receiver Hines Ward. The 5-yard fade pass to Ward for the touchdown with 1:53 to go was routine by comparison.

Brady and Manning couldn't have run that drive any better.

No quarterback could have made that 18-yard pass to Ward better.

"That was a heck of a football play," Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said. "Guys were draped on him and somehow he got his arm out of the way and got the ball completed out of there. That's special. That was really the difference."

"That's why he's Big Ben," Moore said. "Only a few guys can stare down the barrel like that and still throw the ball on target. He's one of them."

Said Tomlin of Roethlisberger's 18-yard pass to Ward: "That's Ben. Sometimes, he holds the ball too long and the O-line catches a bad rap for it. But you take the good with the bad. He's capable of making plays like that. He's very good at what he does."


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Hines Ward scores touchdown in the 4th quarter.

"A double-edged sword," Roethlisberger called it. "Sometimes it helps you. Sometimes it hurts you."

It helped big time on this night.

No, Roethlisberger's offense wasn't perfect, not by a long shot.

Roethlisberger -- more accurately, wide receiver Santonio Holmes -- gave the Jaguars an early 7-0 lead on cornerback Rashean Mathis' 72-yard interception return for a touchdown. Holmes stumbled coming out of his break on an inside move, giving Mathis a clear shot at the pass.

The offense also stumbled for much of the second half after putting up 300 yards in the first two quarters and building a 20-14 lead. It didn't get out of its territory until the winning drive.

But what a winning drive it was.

What a way to go into the much-needed bye week.

"It's going to feel good," Roethlisberger said, "to get some time off."

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on October 6, 2008 at 12:16 am

Bruised defense delivers in clutch

Monday, October 06, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

Mike Tomlin celebrates by hugging James Harrison after beating the Jaguars.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With the Steelers running back corps decimated, the conventional wisdom was they would have to rely on their passing offense to secure a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Actually, there was another method of securing victory: Shut down the Jacksonville offense.

And that's what a gallant Steelers defensive unit did last night at Jacksonville Memorial Stadium, helping the Steelers secure a 26-21 victory that sent them into a bye week with a 4-1 record and feeling good about the much-needed time off and even better about their prospects for the remainder of the schedule.

The Steelers have won four of five while being racked with injuries. If they can get healthier in the next 14 days, they'll be all the more formidable for the remaining 11 games.

It was an 8-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Hines Ward with 1:53 remaining that won the game. But this was a victory achieved every bit as much by the might of the defensive unit, particularly the injury-ravaged line.

The Steelers had no right to expect what they got from their defense. Not with two starters -- end Brett Keisel and nose tackle Casey Hampton -- out of the lineup. But their backups more than did the job. Chris Hoke took over for Hampton and Travis Kirschke for Keisel. Orpheus Roye, who was signed Aug. 17, backed up Kirschke.

"I can't say enough about Hokey and Travis Kirschke," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "And how big is Orpheus Roye? We go get him late in the process and thankfully we have him. He's been delivering for us."

The running back tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, which tortured the Steelers last year, carried 15 times for 26 yards.


JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 05: Greg Estandia #83 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled by Ike Taylor #24 and James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on October 5, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

"There are lots of guys to mention," Tomlin said. "The pass rush we got from No. 92 [James Harrison]. Bryant McFadden ... you can run down the list. It was a great overall team win."

The Jacksonville point total was in no way a reflection of how well the Steelers defense played. The Jaguars might have finished with seven points -- not 21.

Their first touchdown came on a 72-yard interception return by Rashean Mathis. Their second touchdown was greatly aided by a 41-yard phantom penalty. They got the ball on the 1 late in the first quarter after Ike Taylor was called for pass interference in the end zone. Replays showed the contact came after the ball had sailed beyond the reach of receiver Matt Jones. Jones-Drew scored from the 1 to give the Jaguars the lead, 14-7.

The first-half dominance of the Steelers can best be shown by the statistics, not the point total. Jacksonville managed only four first down and 49 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes as the Steelers controlled the clock. The Jaguars did not get a first down on three of their four first-half possessions.

Momentum switched in the second half as the Steelers offense failed to get a first down in the third quarter and the Jaguars' offense took a forward step.

The first time the Jaguars got the ball in the second half they moved for two first downs to the Steelers 36. From there, two passes failed and a third netted a holding penalty which left them in a third-and-20 situation. They were ripe for a blitz and linebacker Lamarr Woodley did just that -- nailing quarterback David Garrard for a 7-yard loss.

On their next possession, after Jones-Drew was stopped for no gain on third and 1, coach Jack Del Rio went for it on fourth down and Garrard passed 15 yards to Jones. But here the defense again held. Aaron Smith batted down a fourth-down pass by Garrard.

But the Jaguars were gaining confidence and the Steelers defense, getting little help from the offense, was wearing down.


JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 05: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls a signal in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on October 5, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

On the Jaguars next possession, which began late in the third quarter, they moved 76 yards on six plays for a go-ahead touchdown with 14:05 remaining.

The score came after a crucial penalty against safety Ryan Clark. After a Garrard pass had gone incomplete, which would have left the Jaguars in a third-and-16 situation, Clark hit Jones after the play, an obvious 15-yard penalty. Given life, on the next play Garrard threw a 24-yard touchdown pass Marcedes Walker.

But the offense found a spark and came back for the go-ahead score.

That brought the defense out for one more stand. The Jaguars had the time -- 1 minute, 53 seconds -- and the timeouts -- two -- to get the job done. But they didn't have the ability to handle the Steelers defense.

They managed one first down -- on a fourth-and-9 situation -- but nothing more. Harrison sacked Garrard for a 6-yard loss on second down and the next two passes were incomplete.

The defense held the Jaguars to 213 yards, more than 200 fewer than the Steelers accumulated. It was a stellar defensive effort and the major reason for the win.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on October 6, 2008 at 12:15 am

Alex Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby

OPENING DAY IN THE NHL

Like the great hockey debates of old (remember Wayne Gretzky vs. Mario Lemieux?) two of the brightest – and youngest – superstars are the focus of a rivalry for the ages

By Damien Cox
Sports Columnist
The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/
Oct 04, 2008 04:30 AM

Tonight's the night. Or rather, today's the day.

Time is relative, after all, when the NHL's regular-season opener takes place overseas as it does today when the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning drop the puck in Prague at noon EST. A few hours later, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators drop the puck in Stockholm.


AP PHOTO/REUTERS
Alexander Ovechkin, left, has brought needed excitement to the Capitals, while the Penguins' Sidney Crosby is the youngest NHLer to register 100 points.

Only the NHL, you have to believe, would kick off its season and have its top attraction, Sidney Crosby, about as far from home and about as far from key North American media markets as possible.

Did we say top attraction? Perhaps it's fair to say one of its two top attractions, as the explosive season rolled out last year by Washington Capitals super-nova Alexander Ovechkin once again underlined the reality that the NHL is blessed with a talented tandem the likes of which hasn't been seen on the rinks since Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux shared exclusive ownership of the NHL scoring title for 15 years.

Gretzky or Lemieux? Lemieux or Gretzky? That debate went on for years, and it was never more fierce than during the two seasons from 1987-89 when they went toe-to-toe for the Art Ross Trophy, with Lemieux winning both times with astronomical totals of 168 points and 199 points.

After that, Lemieux ran into injury and health problems, and even retired for a period of time. The fact that Gretzky was in his seventh year of pro hockey when Lemieux was just a rookie meant that while their careers overlapped, they weren't in their primes at the same time.

That's the true beauty of Crosby vs. Ovechkin. They came into the league together out of the wreckage of the lockout. They have each won a Hart Trophy, Ovechkin last year and Crosby the year before.

Ovechkin just turned 23 and Crosby is 21, but they are essentially contemporaries still scratching the surfaces of their respective potentials.

Having both in the same conference is an added benefit. Gretzky and Lemieux only shared the same conference very late in their careers when Gretzky joined the Rangers from 1996-99, and Lemieux only played one of those seasons.

For Crosby and Ovechkin, every meeting this season – the first is Oct.16 in Pittsburgh – will be a heralded occasion. At one point, you have to believe, the chatty Crosby and the bullish Ovechkin will collide on less than friendly terms, and a playoff series between the two clubs would provide another platform to add spice to their rivalry.

Finally, while Gretzky and Lemieux played on one memorable occasion for Canada, the '87 Canada Cup, Crosby and Ovechkin are both slated to be at the Vancouver Olympics in 16 months as leaders of their respective countries, Canada and Russia.


Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux at the 1990 NHL All-Star Game in Pittsburgh (Getty Images)

While Crosby wasn't selected for Team Canada for the '06 Olympics in Turin, a massive oversight as it turned out, Ovechkin did skate for Russia and scored the winning goal in a tense playoff victory over Canada. Last spring, with Crosby's Penguins still in NHL post-season play, Ovechkin led the Russians to victory in the gold-medal game over Canada at the IIHF world championship in Quebec City.

Really, then, the difference between Gretzky-Lemieux and Crosby-Ovechkin as individual rivalries is that Crosby and Ovechkin have the opportunity to be much, much bigger, and with international ramifications.
Happily, they are contrasting characters. Crosby, the youngest NHLer to ever register 100 points, is the quintessential, earnest all-Canadian boy, happy to deliver season tickets to the homes of subscribers during the off-season.

Ovechkin, with 163 goals in his first 245 NHL games, is a happy-go-lucky rock star, the owner of a 13-year, $124 million (U.S.) contract who radiates energy on and off the ice.

They are more Bird and Magic than Mario and The Great One.

And they're just picking up steam.

Steelers should trust Big Ben with this one

Make passing offense the first choice against Jaguars

Sunday, October 05, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/


Peter Diana / Post-Gazette

This is the sort of day when Ben Roethlisberger can earn his contract.

When it was proposed to Hines Ward the other day that the Steelers should come out passing, passing and passing some more against the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight, his trademark smile spread across his face and he answered with a laugh:

"You would, of course you would like to."

But Ward has been a Steeler too long. He knows how the team operates and he immediately followed those words with these:

"But we're not going to come out and sling the ball 60 times."

OK, maybe not 60, but what's wrong with, say, 40?

Why shouldn't the Steelers revert to an aerial circus in this crucial AFC game?

They've got a $100 million quarterback and a Five & Dime Store rushing attack. It makes perfect sense to put the game in the hands of Ben Roethlisberger. He's their best offensive player -- by far. Roethlisberger is no longer some young kid who can't be trusted to put the team on his shoulders. He's not a quarterback who should be asked to manage the game, he's a quarterback who should be asked to win the game.

That's the approach the Steelers need to take tonight.

When the discussion gets around to the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Roethlisberger is definitely in it. He was second only to Tom Brady in passing efficiency last season and was third in the league in yards per attempt. He is a proven asset and should be utilized to his fullest. The day is passed when he needed to be a second option. He's a first option of the highest order.

With Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker and No. 1 draft choice Rashard Mendenhall out with injuries, the Steelers are reduced to Mewelde Moore, who is primarily a third-down back; Gary Russell, who was pulled off the practice squad this week and who has seven NFL carries for 21 yards, and Najeh Davenport, who was signed this week and hasn't played since last season. Moore will start. He has carried nine times this season for 19 yards.

It makes perfect sense to turn the game over to Roethlisberger, who has a highly capable corps of receivers. Ward holds every Steelers receiver record, will be a Hall of Fame candidate when he retires and has shown no sign of slowing down in his 11th season. Santonio Holmes, who looks to be ready to become one of the NFL's elite receivers, led the league in yards per catch last season. Former first-round draft choice Heath Miller is an excellent tight end who has been under-used in his Steelers career.

Why wouldn't the Steelers want to more fully employ such talent?

Considering the alternative -- a no-name rushing offense -- it would be dereliction of duty by coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to do otherwise.

To come out with the same run-first strategy that has been the Steelers' calling card for decades would be the height of stupidity in this game.

For what it's worth -- and such stats aren't worth much at this time of the year -- Jacksonville is 24th in the league against the pass and 12th against the run.

Ever the loyalist, Ward argued against throwing the ball.

"Everyone is saying [with all the injuries] that the Steelers can't run the ball, all they can do is pass. That's not necessarily the truth. We're going to try to run the ball."

The Jaguars certainly will be prepared for a Steelers passing attack, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be used.

What's wrong with going with your strength? What's wrong about dictating strategy instead of allowing the opposition to do so?

For decades, the opposition has known the Steelers would run the ball, which is what the Steelers did, and, for most of the time, with great effectiveness. When you have players of talent -- Jerome Bettis, Barry Foster, Parker -- you use them, even if the opposition is geared to shut them down.

Sure, the Jaguars will come after Roethlisberger, particularly if they know the Steelers are emphasizing the pass. Let them come. There are ways of halting a rush, and Roethlisberger is capable of making those changes. Screens, short slants and draws will slow down the rush.

A visiting stadium isn't the best place to use the two-minute offense the Steelers employed so effectively Monday night against Baltimore. That's fine. Go with the conventional passing attack. Roethlisberger has proven exceptional in running such an offense.

It's a no-brainer. The Steelers have the talent to forge an exceptional passing offense. They don't have to talent to run the ball.

Let Big Ben win this game.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author
First published on October 5, 2008 at 12:00 am

Unlikely heroes in Penguins' season-opening OT victory were ... Scuderi and Kennedy

Sunday, October 05, 2008
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Niklas Larsson/Associated Press

Tyler Kennedy circles the Ottawa net after beating Senators goalie Martin Gerber for the winning goal in overtime of the Penguins' season opener yesterday in Stockholm, Sweden.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- One had a goal drought that left a fire in his belly all summer. The other has a goal deficiency, one he carries around without much thought.

The Penguins' Tyler Kennedy and Rob Scuderi picked the same night to bust out of those droughts, and it spoiled the party this city threw around the appearance of one of Sweden's own.

Ottawa winger Daniel Alfredsson, the only native Swede on either roster, didn't have a point and watched from just behind as linemate Jason Spezza turned the puck over in overtime to set up Kennedy's winner as the Penguins opened their regular season with a 4-3, comeback victory at Globe Arena.

"I worked hard this summer. When I work hard in the summer, I build confidence," Kennedy said. "A lot of my goal this year is just to try to get as many pucks on net as I can."

He moved from center to right wing on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal because Petr Sykora was out with a groin injury and parlayed that comfort level into two goals on two shots. He went the final nine regular-season games and all 20 playoff games as a rookie last season without one.

He opened the scoring 40 seconds into the game on a wrist shot from the left circle and closed the scoring with another wrist shot past Senators goaltender Martin Gerber at 4:35 of overtime.

In between, the Penguins blew several chances to open the game in their favor. Most notably, they were 0 for 7 on the power play and gave up a shorthanded, go-ahead goal by Spezza, with all of those chances coming in the first two periods.

That's why they trailed, 3-2, going into the third period, with Ottawa sitting on 1:25 of a five-on-three power play.

The Penguins not only killed that and the ensuing 30 seconds of a five-on-four Ottawa power play, but also got shorthanded chances from Max Talbot and Sidney Crosby.

"We could have killed the game there, but we couldn't make any sharp passes," Alfredsson said, referring at least in part to ice that both teams called choppy.

Two minutes after the teams were back to full strength, at 3:56, the Penguins got a surprise when Scuderi, a prototypical defensive defenseman, scored his first goal since Feb. 16, 2007, a span of 95 games, or 120 if you count the playoffs.

"That was a long shot, eh?" coach Michel Therrien said, with a hearty laugh. "We were not expecting that one."


Niklas Larsson/Associated Press

Sidney Crosby helps clear the traffic near the Penguins' goal, taking out Ottawa's Antoine Vermette in the third period of game yesterday in Stockholm.

Against what would normally be his better judgment, Scuderi pinched in as Crosby, along the right boards, drew a crowd. Crosby threaded a pass through several Senators skates, leaving Scuderi to punch it home on the far side from the left circle.

"Sid's pass? Yeah, it was pretty good," Scuderi cracked. "No, obviously, the play was all Sid."

Joining the rush is foreign to Scuderi.

"Sometimes, it's a little scary," he said. "An alarm goes off in my head sometimes when I'm below the top of the circles, but I knew we had [an advantage in] numbers, and Sid always makes a lot of plays.

"At that point, I knew I was going to shoot it. He moved everybody over to his side and slid it over. It was a great play by him. I'm fortunate to get one."

And the Penguins were fortunate to pull out the game, considering the lack of production on 12:32 of power-play time.

Therrien switched personnel some -- particularly, Staal and Ruslan Fedotenko alternated between the first and second units in the role of the forward in front of the net -- as the Penguins try to overcome the loss to injury of its quarterback at the point, Sergei Gonchar, and work new players into the mix.

The power play got some movement and space, but couldn't generate a lot of quality chances.

"We need more shots," Crosby said. "But Ottawa is a good first-game test, too. They have a great penalty-kill. They give a lot of teams trouble. But there's no doubt we need to do better."

It wasn't a lost night on special teams for the Penguins. Malkin took advantage of a turnover at Ottawa's left point for a shorthanded breakaway and slid the puck under Gerber for a 2-1 lead at 3:18 of the second period.

Dany Heatley got that back for Ottawa when -- with Eric Godard in the penalty box for hooking Chris Neil -- he shoveled the puck around Malkin and past the glove of Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury at 12:15 of the second period.

Spezza gave Ottawa its final lead, 3-2, at 17:55 of the second period when he drove the right side and, after defenseman Kris Letang committed and went to the ice, lifted the puck over Fleury's glove.


Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1721.
First published on October 5, 2008 at 12:00 am

Sid is king for NHL's marketing

Sunday, October 05, 2008
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com


TORONTO - SEPTEMBER 26: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during their pre-season NHL game at the Air Canada Centre September 26, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- It had been a long day -- with another jet flight to come -- when Sidney Crosby wrapped up an interview scrum in the Penguins' locker room Thursday night in Helsinki, Finland, after an exhibition win.

A small line of people, including reporters and at least one employee of the Helsinki arena, approached with objects for the hockey star to sign. Crosby, always one to accommodate, began to comply before team officials stepped in to let the seekers know that this wasn't the appropriate setting.

Some 90 minutes later on the Penguins' charter back to Sweden, a flight attendant hurried to an overhead bin when the team operations liaison stepped to the lavatory. She pulled out a Mario Lemieux jersey and headed to where the players were relaxing and dozing in the rear for -- what else? -- autographs from Crosby and Co.

"He's very well known in Europe, for his performance on the ice as well as his marketability off the ice," Ken Yaffe, senior vice president of NHL International, said of Crosby, who turned 21 in August.

"He's been profiled by the media [in Scandinavia] because they cover the NHL as if it was a local league."

In only his fourth year, Crosby has been crowned as the league's preeminent marketing figure, both at home and abroad.

When the league decided to inaugurate an outdoor Winter Classic, Buffalo was chosen as the site, but there was little doubt the Sabres' opponent last New Year's Day would be the Penguins. In fact, NBC, which holds the U.S. broadcast rights for NHL games, pretty much insisted on it.

And when the league was looking to bolster its brand in Europe with two sets of regular-season games, it chose the Penguins and Ottawa Senators to play last night and tonight at the Globe Arena here, and the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning to play the same nights in Prague, Czech Republic.

"From the brand side, they are really front and center," said Brian Jennings, NHL executive vice president of marketing.

"Clearly, Sid is the star, and there's a ton more star power there with [Jordan] Staal, [Marc-Andre] Fleury, [Evgeni] Malkin and so on. With Sid, it's because of the type of person he is, and, clearly, he's a gifted athlete and fierce competitor. It's a real potent combination."

In 2005-06, after the Penguins won the right to draft Crosby in a lottery, he had 102 points to break Lemieux's rookie record and finished second in league rookie of the year voting. The next season, Crosby swept the league scoring title and MVP awards. He was tied for the NHL scoring lead last season when an ankle injury cost him 28 games.

"The second that [lottery] ball went to Pittsburgh, it became like this beacon of light -- OK, now there's hope and possibilities for this franchise," Jennings said. "Then, all of a sudden, it's tangible. You see this building momentum."

Third-year Penguins general manager Ray Shero has helped build around Crosby, drafting and/or negotiating long-range deals with centers Malkin and Staal, goaltender Fleury and defensemen Ryan Whitney and Brooks Orpik.


Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby controls the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against Ottawa Senators Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008 in Stockholm.
(AP Photo/Niklas Larsson)

Malkin so far has remained more in the background, but that's mostly because the Russian player has been reluctant to speak English in public. That's changing, meaning his marketing value could soar, considering that with Crosby gone for a chunk of last season, he finished a close second to Washington's Alex Ovechkin in the scoring and MVP races.

Shero said the team's marketing value can be summed up in very few words.

"Two in particular," he said. "Crosby and Malkin. Or Sidney and Crosby."

Crosby's teammates understand the draw of the team's stars.

"Whenever you can get Sid and Geno [Malkin] over [in Europe], it's a little bit different from taking a different team," center Jeff Taffe said.

Perhaps Malkin will catch up, but Crosby, a well-spoken Canadian with all-American good looks, has a big head start.

There is essentially no NHL ad campaign or promotion that doesn't feature or at least include Crosby. Last year, the top-selling item on shop.nhl.com was a Penguins DVD of their 10 greatest games. Also on that league sales site, Crosby's jersey topped sales among player merchandise every month from September 2005 until February 2008, which is just after he got hurt. Ovechkin took over in March.

Crosby also is the most-searched player at shop.nhl.com the past three years. In addition, the Penguins' Web site led all United States teams in hits the last three months of last season.

Asked if he understands why the Penguins are coveted for special events, Crosby smiled and looked at the floor.

"I think we have a lot of guys who bring a lot of attention," he said. "That's something we should all be happy to be a part of. We should feel fortunate we get these opportunities because these are things not every guy gets a chance to do."

Although Crosby has been able to move around Stockholm with his teammates in relative anonymity the past week, the games here are hardly overlooked. They sold out quickly as did the exhibition Thursday in Helsinki, where the Penguins beat the Finnish pro team Jokerit, 4-1.

"We're honored the league thinks of us as one of the marquee teams," Penguins president David Morehouse said. "It is an exciting, energetic young team that I think a lot of people are falling in love with not only [in Pittsburgh] but across the country and across Canada and now exposing a European audience to."

So that means even more people will want a piece of Crosby -- or at least his autograph.

Shero doesn't have to look farther than several friends to know that.

"When we were leaving for Sweden and Finland, they dropped me off jerseys and stuff to get signed -- Crosby and Malkin jerseys," he said.

Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1721.
First published on October 5, 2008 at 12:00 am

A civic birthday to remember

Thousands crowd Downtown to celebrate Pittsburgh's 250th (and see fireworks)

Sunday, October 05, 2008
By Len Barcousky, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/


Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh celebrates its 250th birthday with fireworks launched from 17 points around Downtown, the North Shore and the West End Bridge last night.

Thousands of people gathered on Pittsburgh's North and South sides last night to see a Zambelli Fireworks show celebrating the city's 250th birthday.

It was to be the final course in a daylong "Birthday Blow-out" that began 12 hours earlier with a flotilla cruise featuring more than 100 vessels.

Spectators at Point State Park could be counted in the hundreds yesterday morning, but their numbers quickly grew as skies turned blue and temperatures rose into the low 60s.

People began gathering on the North Shore, Station Square and Mount Washington in anticipation of the 10 p.m. scheduled start of what organizers have billed as the city's biggest-ever aerial show. Fireworks were to be launched from 17 locations.

Point State Park, located where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers join to form the Ohio, was the site of the French-built Fort Duquesne and of Fort Pitt, the British fortress that replaced it in 1758.

Yesterday's celebration included more than 30 performances and activities recalling the region's history and looking to its future. Highlights included the unveiling of a bronze plaque honoring the Forbes Expedition, which drove the French from the Forks of the Ohio, and a display of 21st-century robots developed here.

The Colcom Foundation, created by the late Cordelia Scaife May, was primary sponsor for the event. "Cordelia May loved Pittsburgh," foundation vice president John Barsotti told spectators from the Point State Park stage. "She loved the heritage, the culture, the landscape and the way we come together as a community."


Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh celebrated its 250th birthday last night with a dazzling fireworks display above the spires of its Downtown skyline.

Organizers of "Pittsburgh 250," the agency overseeing the yearlong commemoration of the city's naming, have emphasized that the "community" they are honoring extends far beyond the city's municipal boundaries.

Yesterday's events included representatives from several Western Pennsylvania communities and other places with links to Pittsburgh.

Copies of the 30-inch bronze Forbes medallion will be placed in Carlisle, Bedford and Ligonier, "Pittsburgh 250" Chairman James Rohr said. Those three communities were along the trail that Gen. John Forbes and his army of 6,000 cut across the Pennsylvania wilderness. A similar medal will be sent next year to Dunfermline, Scotland, the birthplace of Gen. Forbes.

George Washington, a provincial officer serving under Gen. Forbes, played a major role in the campaign and in yesterday's celebration.

Portrayed by Michael Fuller, Col. Washington answered questions from the Point State Park stage about the naming of Pittsburgh and commented on how the city had developed. Informed that the national capital of the new United States eventually would be named for him, Washington said, "I'm looking forward to that day."

The city's official birthday is Nov. 25, the day that Gen. Forbes and his troops arrived at the ruins of Fort Duquesne. It had been abandoned a day earlier by the badly outnumbered French.

Hoping for milder weather, event organizers decided on an early October celebration, although British and provincial troops at that time in 1758 were still 50 miles away at a newly established outpost along the Loyalhanna Creek.


Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

History came alive at Point State Park as the beginnings of Pittsburgh were reenacted to celebrate the city's 250th anniversary yesterday. Part of the celebration was a ceremony depicting the abandonment and burning of Fort Duquesne by the French, and the establishment of Fort Pitt by the British.

Fearful that he would not be able to capture Fort Duquesne before the weather became too bad, Gen. Forbes briefly named the British outpost at Loyalhanna "Pittsburgh," in honor of the British Secretary of State, William Pitt.

The original Pittsburgh lost its name a few weeks later when Forbes's army pushed on to take Fort Duquesne, according to Douglas MacGregor, educator at the Fort Pitt Museum. The fort along the Loyalhanna was renamed Ligonier.

An impatient, argumentative and bold young man of 26, Washington learned forbearance during his service with the Forbes expedition, Charles Fagan said. He serves as chairman of Ligonier's 250th birthday celebration, which will be marked with Fort Ligonier Days next weekend.

From the Point State Park stage, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera offered a 30-minute tribute to regional inventions, inventors and innovators in a mini-musical that mentioned suspension bridges, alternating current, Ferris wheels, Klondike bars and the mass production of plate glass.

The Pittsburgh Born & Bred concert drew on the talents of the region's jazz, classical, country and rock musicians for a five-hour show.

While much of the entertainment took place on the Point State Park stage, other performers offered glimpses of 18th life and culture in displays and performances outside the Fort Pitt Museum.

William Lockard, conductor of the Old Economy Orchestra, described the workings of a rotary-valve flugelhorn, "natural" French horn and five-key clarinet. Musicians then used those instruments to perform "The Pittsburgh March," "God Save Great Washington" and other selections from the Harmonist Society's archives.


VWH Campbell Jr./Post-Gazette

Washington's Encampment was reenacted at Boyce Park. Involved were re-enactors and interpreters along with area Boy Scouts that are holding their Fall Camporee in the Park.

Antonio Cortes, of Green Tree, brought his two sons, Luca, 7, and Marcos, 5, Downtown for the afternoon events and had plans to return for the fireworks. The boys seemed most impressed by the colored water in the Point fountain. Pink dye is added to the water each October to call attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink is the signature color of the annual campaign.

More than a dozen foreign students, participating in a program sponsored by the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, learned something about early American life.

Chinese post-doctoral students Ling Zhang and Yanyan Qu discovered that making wool yarn with an 18th century spinning wheel was not as easy as Kathleen Schneider made it seem.

"This must be a very old traditional culture," Ms. Zhang said. "I've never seen anything like this before," Ms. Qu agreed.

Mrs. Schneider belongs to the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, a group of Revolutionary War re-enactors. Other members of the group were explaining 18th century leather-working and gun-smithing to students from Ukraine, Brazil and Belarus.

Not far away from where the 8th Pennsylvanians had set up their displays, 13 new National Guard and Reserve volunteers were sworn into the armed forces by Brig. Gen. Roy Uptegraff. Gen. Uptegraff is commander of the 171st Air Refueling Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

In remarks about the sacrifices American troops have made over the centuries, he reminded the crowd that 215 Pennsylvanians, including 32 members of the state's National Guard, have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. He asked for a moment of silence in their memory. Their sacrifices also were honored with a 21-gun salute.

No sooner had the Armed Forces salute ended when a C-130 cargo plane flew low over the Point, wagging its wings in an aerial tribute.

The plane and its crew were from the 911th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve, based near Pittsburgh International Airport.


Len Barcousky can be reached at lbarcousky@post-gazette.com or 724-772-0184.
First published on October 5, 2008 at 12:00 am

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Penguins ready for season despite depleted defense

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, October 4, 2008


Brooks Orpik

It's official.

Michel Therrien has created a monster.

How else can Therrien's explanation for the Pens' relatively passive performance in the first two periods of the North American exhibition finale a week ago Friday in Toronto be interpreted?

"We were focusing a little bit too much on our system."

Therrien actually said that.

Seriously.

Swear to God.

The team that used to consider "system" a four-letter word is now apparently obsessed with the proper execution of the same, to the degree that on at least one occasion this preseason, the Pens were more focused on playing the system than they were playing the game.

That's a good problem to have as the Pens prepare to open their regular season today in Sweden.

When recognized, it's easily fixable, as it was Sept. 26 against the Maple Leafs.

And as long as that system-first approach is maintained, the Penguins have a chance to go places, such as to the Stanley Cup final - a trip they made last spring.

To get there, they'll have to play the system, and at the same time, play aggressively.

They'll have to use their instincts, not merely execute their assignments.

They were reminded of the difference between the two in Toronto.

"We want to take a lot of pride in playing solid defensive hockey," Therrien said "But playing solid defensive hockey, you gotta be aggressive. You gotta win your battles. You gotta try to create turnovers. That means you gotta move.

"When you're on your heels, you wait, you wait, you wait, and you're second on the puck."

Rather than being on their heels, Therrien wants the Penguins "playing on our toes."

And that's the case whether it's Sergei Gonchar or Kris Letang playing defense with Brooks Orpik, whether Ryan Whitney or Alex Goligoski is working the magic from the point on the power play.

Kris Letang

The two injured defensemen will be missed, beginning today against the Senators.

But if their replacements adhere to the system, the negative effects of Gonchar and Whitney's absences can be minimized.

That's the theory, at least.

And it's one the Penguins subscribe to wholeheartedly after seeing what a system executed by skilled players could do for them last postseason.

"We'd like to think we're interchangeable," defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "With the system we have here, the reason to have it is for when you have injuries, when you have a little adversity. You can just plug someone else in."

Letang, while lacking experience, isn't short on confidence.

"That's what we always say, if you want to know how good he is just ask him," Orpik said.

He was joking at the time, but at the same time, shedding a little light on the Penguins' expectations of Letang and Letang's of himself.

Goligoski, likewise, will be expected to, at the very least, contribute what the system demands from whoever happens to be in his role.

The system creates opportunity, and talented players take advantage while at the same time bottling up the opposition.

What's not to like about that?

No wonder the Penguins are convinced they can overcome the losses of Whitney and Gonchar.

"This is a group with a lot of confidence," Therrien said. "They're confident they can win every game."

Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.

Pirates' McLouth wins BBWAA Clemente award

By The Associated Press
Friday, October 3, 2008

Once center fielder Nate McLouth got off the Pittsburgh Pirates' bench this year, he wasn't about to return.

McLouth, the last Pirates position player to win a starting job during spring training, became the second player in three seasons to go from backup to Roberto Clemente Award winner.

McLouth was an unanimous winner of the award, which is presented annually by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Pirates player who best exemplifies the standard of excellence achieved by Clemente.

Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez won the award in 2006, when Sanchez began the season as a utility infielder, and repeated in 2007.

McLouth, a backup during his first three major league seasons, became an NL All-Star in his first season as a starter. He hit .276 with 26 home runs, 46 doubles and 94 RBIs -- unusual power production for a hitter who often batted first or second -- and added 23 stolen bases. He tied with Houston's Lance Berkman for the NL lead in doubles and had a .356 on-base percentage.

At midseason, McLouth, left fielder Jason Bay and right fielder Xavier Nady had the best combined statistics of any NL outfield, but Bay and Nady were traded in late July.

Defensively, McLouth's errant throw Sept. 23 in Milwaukee was his first error in 166 games. His .997 fielding percentage led National League outfielders.

The Clemente award given by Pittsburgh baseball writers is not the same as that presented annually by Major League Baseball to a player based on sportsmanship, community involvement and contribution to his team.

No doubt about it: Lanny Frattare retires

By Rob Biertempfel
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, October 2, 2008


Lanny Frattare jots down notes as one of the featured speakers addresses the crowd at the Mercer County Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Jan. 2007).
Tom Davidson/The Herald (Sharon, PA).

Summertime in Pittsburgh won't sound the same without Lanny Frattare in the Pirates' broadcast booth.

Frattare -- the Voice of the Pirates since 1976 -- retired Wednesday, ending a 33-season career as the team's radio and television play-by-play announcer. He was the longest-tenured announcer in team history.

"A couple of generations have grown up listening to Lanny Frattare," said Greg Brown, who has worked the past 15 years with Frattare. "I'm one of them. I became a Pirates fan listening to him."

Next season, Brown will take over as the Pirates' senior announcer. The rest of the broadcast crew -- color analysts Bob Walk, Steve Blass and John Wehner -- will return.

President Frank Coonelly said the team will begin an "exhaustive" search to replace Frattare, who had one year remaining on his contract.

A Pirates' spokesman said Frattare, 60, was too emotional to conduct interviews. Frattare did not return a phone call from the Tribune-Review.

In a prepared statement, Frattare thanked his family, his broadcast partners and Pirates' fans.

"The decision to retire ... was something I have been thinking about and have discussed for some time, but (it was) a decision I did not make until after the final road trip of the season," he said. "It was a difficult and emotional decision, but, in the end, I decided it was time."

On Aug. 10, Frattare broadcast his 5,000th game, a 6-3 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Coonelly said he will lobby for Frattare's induction into the Hall of Fame. The team will honor Frattare before a game next season.

Brown said he "almost dropped the phone" when Coonelly called with news of Frattare's retirement. Former Pirates relief pitcher Kent Tekulve, who has known Frattare for more than 30 years, said the announcer never indicated he was ready to retire.

Members of the Pirates' front office, however, were not caught off guard.

"It wasn't expected, but it wasn't a shock," Coonelly said. "I sensed from talking to him last year that he wasn't certain how much longer he could go."

According to Coonelly, Frattare late last season indicated he was growing weary of the travel and daily grind of the job. Two weeks ago, during the Pirates' final homestand, Frattare asked about working a reduced schedule in 2009.

Coonelly said the Pirates were considering Frattare's request but had not made a decision. A few seasons ago, Blass gave up traveling with the team and now only broadcasts games at PNC Park.

"It's difficult to have the continuity you'd like to have in a broadcast if your play-by-play man is on a reduced schedule," Coonelly said. "But we were willing to at least talk about it."

Coonelly stressed that Frattare was not forced out by the Pirates.

"It was Lanny's decision," Coonelly said.

In August 2004, Frattare was granted a 10-day leave of absence as he battled clinical depression. He has taken several days off over the past few seasons.

"It's hard to imagine Lanny's not going to be in the broadcast booth next year," Brown said.

Frattare grew up a Yankees fan in Rochester, N.Y. After getting his broadcasting degree from Ithaca College in 1970, he worked as a disc jockey in his hometown.

After spinning records for five years, Frattare was hired as the announcer for the Charleston (W.Va.) Charlies, the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate.

After the 1975 season, the Pirates fired longtime announcers Bob Prince and Nellie King. Frattare got the kind of promotion every ballplayer craves: a call-up to the major leagues.

Frattare and Milo Hamilton became the Pirates' on-air duo in 1976. When Hamilton joined the Houston Astros, Frattare became the official Voice of the Pirates.

Frattare's signature lines -- "Go, ball! Get outta here!" and "There was no doubt about it!" -- became part of Pittsburgh soundtrack, along with Fred Rogers' neighborly hellos and Myron Cope's joyful, jolting yelps.

Yet, Frattare's hallmark was more than one-liners. He worked a ballgame the way a CSI team works a crime scene, gathering even the tiniest details and filing them away in a briefcase for later use.

"It's the history of Pirates baseball for the last 33 years in there," Tekulve said. "Those details always have been important to him. Being right, being able to get the information and present it right away to the listeners.

"That's why he was so good at what he did. He didn't cut corners or take the easy way out. He did it the way he felt was the best and most complete job."


Longevity

Longest tenured play-by-play announcers in Pirates history:

Lanny Frattare: 33 years (1976-2008)

Bob Prince: 28 years (1948-1975)

Rosey Rowswell: 19 years (1936-1954)

* Color analyst Steve Blass has been with the team for 23 years (1986-present)


Memorable calls


"There was nooooo doubt about it." -- After a Pirates win

"Go ball, get outta here, it's gone." -- After a Pirates home run


Memorable gaffe


In 1998, Frattare mistakenly told listeners that James Earl Jones had passed away when, in fact, it was Martin Luther King Jr. assassin James Earl Ray who had died. Frattare became the answer to a Trivial Pursuit question: "What is the name of the announcer who misidentified the death of James Earl Ray?"


By the numbers

2,499 -- Pirates wins during Frattare's tenure

2,714 -- Pirates losses during Frattare's tenure

2 -- No-hitters called (John Candelaria, 1976; Francisco Cordova-Ricardo Rincon, 1997)

4 -- Division series called (1979, 1990-92)

1 -- World Series called (1979)

8 -- Managers employed by the Pirates during Frattare's tenure (Danny Murtaugh, Chuck Tanner, Jim Leyland, Gene Lamont, Lloyd McClendon, Pete Mackanin, Jim Tracy, John Russell)
9 -- General managers during Frattare's tenure (Joe O'Toole, Joe L. Brown, Harding Peterson, Syd Thrift, Larry Doughty, Ted Simmons, Cam Bonifay, Dave Littlefield, Neal Huntington)

4 -- Ownership groups during Frattare's tenure (John Galbreath, Pittsburgh Associates, Kevin McClatchy, Robert Nutting)

4,500 -- Scorecards available for sale on www.lannycards.com

5 -- Batting champions on the Pirates during Frattare's tenure (Dave Parker twice, Bill Madlock twice, Freddy Sanchez)

20 -- Innings broadcast by Frattare when the Pirates beat the Cubs, 5-4, on July 6, 1980

4 -- Players who hit for the cycle during Frattare's tenure (Mike Easler, Gary Redus, Jason Kendall, Daryle Ward)


Partners

A look at Lanny Frattare's broadcast partners:

Milo Hamilton (1976-79)

Dave Martin (1980)

Jim Rooker (1981-93)

John Sanders (1981-89)

Bob Prince (1985)

Steve Blass (1986-2008)

Kent Derdivanis (1990-92)

Greg Brown (1994-2008)

Bob Walk (1994-2008)

John Wehner (2005-2008)


Rob Biertempfel can be reached at rbiertempfel@tribweb.com or 412-320-7811.

Frattare retires the voice of the Pirates

By Bob Smizik
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Thursday, October 02, 2008

Major-league baseball play-by-play announcers are members of a small, elite fraternity. There are only about six dozen such jobs, and the men who hold them don't often give them up and almost never do so voluntarily. But to the shock of friends and fans alike, that's what Lanny Frattare, who finished his 33rd year of calling Pirates games last month, did yesterday.

Mr. Frattare, 60, walked into the office of Pirates president Frank Coonelly and told him he was retiring, although he had a year remaining on his contract.

The announcement marks the end of the longest broadcasting career in Pirates history. Mr. Frattare called more than 5,000 games since joining the Pirates in 1976. His tenure surpassed that of the legendary Bob Prince, who Mr. Frattare, along with Milo Hamilton, succeeded.

"It was a difficult and emotional decision," said Mr. Frattare in a prepared statement by the Pirates, "but in the end I decided it was time."

Mr. Frattare was not available for comment.

"I'm shaken," said Greg Brown, who shared play-by-play duties on radio and television with Mr. Frattare since 1994. "I owe my Pirates career to the guy. I didn't see this coming."

Mr. Coonelly, who had had several discussions with Mr. Frattare, was not as surprised.

"We were not shocked," he said. "Lanny and I spoke last year about his future. While he was certainly energetic and passionate for Pirates baseball, based on our conversation I could see he was starting to think how long he could do it.

"A 162-game schedule over 183 days is grueling. You have to be on your game every night. In my first conversation with him last year, he was saying all the things that made him sound like he had several years left in him, but I also sensed he was thinking about leaving. During out last homestand, he said it was starting to wear on him. He was considering his options -- a reduced schedule or step aside."

Mr. Frattare had privately discussed with some people the possibility of only working home games, but, in the end, decided to go into retirement.

He'll be remembered for his trademark calls, with the best-known one being, "There was no doubt about it," which he declared after every Pirates win, no matter how close the outcome. His signature home run call -- "Go ball, get out of here" -- was equally well known.

Beyond his broadcasting career, Mr. Frattare was tireless in promoting the Pirates, both on the air and in person at events, and in raising money for charity.

"Lanny's positive impact on the Pirates and the Pittsburgh community reaches far beyond the broadcast booth," Mr. Coonelly said. "Whether it was the countless number of appearances he made in the community on behalf of the Pirates or his two decade-long personal push to raise funds for mentally challenged individuals in our area, Lanny is part of the fabric of this community."

Mr. Brown, who is likely to assume the role of the team's No. 1 announcer, came to his calling by listening to Mr. Frattare and Mr. Hamilton while growing up in central Pennsylvania.

"I started listening when Lanny and Milo came aboard," he said. "I became a big fan of Lanny. I can remember the day and where I was standing after a game when I got his autograph and how great he was to me and what a thrill it was."

When Mr. Brown later had an internship with the Pirates, Mr. Frattare advised him to get a job in the minor leagues.

"I went ahead and did that, then, in 1994, I got the job here. I am certain Lanny played an absolute key role in my being hired, although he never said a word about it."

Two years ago, at Mr. Frattare's suggestion, the Pirates promoted Mr. Brown to co-No. 1 announcer.

Mr. Frattare was an announcer with the Pirates' top minor-league affiliate, the Charleston Charlies, when the hugely popular Prince and Nellie King were fired after the 1976 season. The firing raised a storm of protest, and it was clear the men who succeeded them would have a difficult time.

The fact that Mr. Frattare was in a decidedly junior role to Mr. Hamilton spared him some of the abuse that Mr. Hamilton received. Mr. Hamilton, later elected to the broadcasting wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame, was a stern mentor. He allowed Mr. Frattare to do only two innings of play-by-play, the third and seventh.

That prompted Prince, who worked for the Houston Astros in 1976, to good-naturedly refer to Mr. Frattare as Mr. Three-Seven whenever they met during the season.

It was Prince, true to his generous spirit, who gave Mr. Frattare his first taste of major-league broadcasting. After the Charleston season in 1976, he came to Pittsburgh to watch some Pirates games. He was sitting in the back row of the broadcasting booth when Prince put him to work -- a thrill Mr. Frattare greatly appreciated.

When Mr. Hamilton left the Pirates after the 1979 season for a job with the Chicago Cubs, Mr. Frattare was elevated to the No. 1 role.

Although he lacked the flamboyance of Prince and never developed such a devoted following, Mr. Frattare went out of his way to meet the fans. Last season, he would often sit outside the press entrance to PNC Park around 6 p.m., under the guise of smoking a pre-game cigar and doing preparation, but it was easy to see the enjoyment he received from mingling with the fans who said hello.

"It has been a privilege and an honor to bring Pirates baseball to the fans for more than 33 years," Mr. Frattare said. "I owe it all to the strong support of my family, my broadcast partners, all of my colleagues throughout the years and, perhaps, most importantly, the fans.

"I look forward to remaining an active part of the Pirates' family and the Pittsburgh community."

Mr. Coonelly said the search for a successor will be "exhaustive" and will begin immediately.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on October 2, 2008 at 12:00 am

Bay has handle on expectations for postseason

By Paul Meyer
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/
Thursday, October 02, 2008

Finally getting to play in a postseason game last night was definitely a thrill for Jason Bay -- and for more reasons than the obvious.

Yes, it marked the first time the former Pirates left fielder had played meaningful baseball in October.

But for at least three hours last night in Anaheim, he didn't have to answer more questions from the media.


ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 01: Jason Bay #44 of the Boston Red Sox watches his ball after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during game one of the American League Division Series at Angel Stadium on October 1, 2008 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

"It's been astronomical," Bay said yesterday of the attention he has received from the Boston media about his first playoff experience.

And this was before his first playoff game, after 771 major league games that for the most part were irrelevant.

"They all want to ask the same stuff," Bay said, exhaustion clearly apparent his voice.

It went like this:

"Jason, how do you feel about playing in the postseason?" someone asked.

"I don't know," Bay said. "I haven't played a game yet."

"Jason," someone else asked, "how do you think you'll handle playing in the postseason?"

"I don't know," Bay said. "It's all speculation at this point. I don't have anything for you."

Bay paused, thinking.

"It's been otherworldly," he said.

Well, he could still be a Pirate and not have to face the questions.

"Oh, I know the alternative," Bay said, laughing.

Bay played on six Pirates teams that finished a collective 139 games under .500 and never sniffed meaningful October baseball. Or meaningful October baseball questions.

The Pirates traded Bay to Boston July 31 as part of the deal that sent Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ramirez had worn out his welcome with the Red Sox.

"The marriage just soured at the end," Red Sox first baseman Sean Casey said.

But the team didn't just unceremoniously dump Ramirez.

"To get a player of Jason Bay's caliber back?" Casey said. "Wow!"

Casey, who played for the Pirates for half of the 2006 season, immediately began talking up Bay to his Red Sox teammates.

"I told the players, 'The way he plays and the way he goes about his business are second to none,' " Casey said. "I was so glad we got him. He's a great teammate -- one of my all-time favorite teammates -- and a great player. And he's such a good dude."

Casey made Bay feel right at home after the trade.

"The first couple days are kind of weird," Casey said. "When I got traded to Detroit [in 2006], it helped to have Todd Jones and Dmitri Young -- guys I'd played with in Cincinnati -- there."

"He made it easier," Bay said. "Going from Pittsburgh to Boston is not an easy transition. In a 24-hour span, everything changed. It took a little getting used to, but it helped to have Sean there."

Bay made quite the positive impression on his new teammates. Immediately.

In his first game Aug. 1 at Fenway Park against Oakland, Bay walked twice and scored twice, including the winning run in a 2-1, 12-inning victory after he tripled with two outs.

"My first game against Oakland felt like a playoff game to me," Bay said. "And we had big series against the Yankees and Tampa Bay. The novelty kind of wore off."

Bay usually batted sixth in the potent Boston lineup and wasn't required to be Jason being Manny.

"He could just fit right in," Casey said. "In Pittsburgh, it was like if he didn't go, we didn't go. Here, if he's scuffling, we still go. We have a lot of big bats."

None was bigger than Bay's in August. That month, he batted .315 with 4 home runs, 29 RBIs and 22 runs scored.

Fairly productive, it would seem.

"What? Are you nuts?" Casey said with typical flair. "He got big hits! Big home runs! He scored runs! He played great defense! I think he was more than [the Red Sox] thought he'd be."

Bay slowed some in September, perhaps because he missed a couple games to race back to Boston from St. Petersburg to witness the birth of his second daughter, Evelyn Jane, Sept. 19.

"Made it by 47 minutes," Bay said proudly.

Still, he finished his two-month stint with the Red Sox with a .293 batting average in 49 games and 9 home runs, 37 RBIs and 39 runs scored in 184 at-bats.

The Red Sox before Bay's arrival were 61-48. Afterward, they were 34-19 en route to becoming the American League wild-card entry.

Boston played the Yankees in the final regular-season weekend, meaning Bay was across the diamond from Xavier Nady, another former Pirates outfielder traded away six days before Bay.

The Yankees missed the playoffs.

"We chatted," Bay said. "I don't think he was like, 'Dang! I wish I was with Boston.' But I think he was disappointed. Having both of us make the postseason, that would have been the cherry on top.

First published on October 2, 2008 at 12:00 am


Ramírez's replacement turns tide

By Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe Columnist
http://www.boston.com/sports/
October 2, 2008


Jason Bay connected for a two-run home run in the sixth inning.
(Reuters Photo)

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Manny is here even when he's not here.

His image was here on the giant videoboard, showing him hitting a homer in Chicago.

His agent was here in his luxury box behind home plate, making phone calls and counting future millions.

And his replacement was here, hitting a game-winning home run for the Red Sox in the opener of their best-of-five American League Division Series against the Angels.

Jason Bay's sixth-inning, two-out, two-run blast off Angels ace John Lackey powered the Sox to a 4-1 victory last night/this morning. Jon Lester smothered the Halos on six hits over seven innings as the Sox beat Los Angeles for the 10th consecutive time in postseason play dating to 1986. The game ended at 1:21 a.m. Boston time.

"Everybody was wondering how I'd do in my first playoff game," said Bay. "I had nothing to compare it to. It's baseball again and I couldn't have picked a better first game, I guess."

No one expects Bay to be Manny Ramírez. A mild-mannered Canadian who toiled in anonymity in Pittsburgh, Bay hit .293 with nine homers and 37 RBIs in 49 games for the Red Sox after the blockbuster deal that sent Manny to SoCal. Bay didn't invent any injuries or duck inside the Wall to relieve himself. He hardly said a word. He was just Jason being Jason.

Meanwhile, Manny Mania gripped LA and much of the nation. In 53 games with the Dodgers, Manny hit .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs. The goofy slugger is considered a legitimate National League MVP candidate (though Ryan Howard will win) even though he played only two months with Los Angeles. Manny continued his dominance with a homer in the Dodgers' shocking NLDS Game 1 win over the Cubs last night.

Southern California is in the midst of a baseball renaissance, and the Angels graciously allowed fans to keep track of the Dodgers-Cubs game while the Sox and Angels were warming up for their late start. Bay was on the field with his teammates when Manny interrupted the action. There was a gasp in the half-empty park when the big board showed Manny crushing a pitch that almost bounced on home plate. A few fans in Red Sox garb booed while Manny rounded the bases.

It was hard not to watch.

"Mike Lowell said, 'Geez, did you see the pitch he hit?' " said Bay. "Obviously, he's one of the best postseason players of all time. Regardless of where he's at, we enjoy watching him."

Meanwhile, Scott Boras, Manny's agent - believed by some to be the evil force who urged Manny to shoot his way out of Boston - smiled at the sight of Manny being Manny in the playoffs. Ca-ching.

Bay was having something of a rough night when thunder struck in the sixth inning. He chased a lot of breaking stuff and struck out feebly in his first two at-bats against Lackey. He was caught playing a little too deep (by the dock of the Bay) when Torii Hunter dumped an RBI single to left in the third.

Then he came up and put a perfect swing on an 0-and-1 pitch (a fastball cookie), and Boston's 1-0 deficit turned into a 2-1 lead.

"Lackey was throwing some really good breaking balls," said Sox manager Terry Francona. "He tried to get a fastball by Jason. Fortunately for us, he didn't."

"I'd never faced Lackey before," said Bay. "In the third at-bat, I felt like I got into a little better rhythm. I was seeing the ball. He left a fastball up and I hit it."

Bay added a two-out double off Scot Shields in the eighth. Not a bad start for the new guy. The 30-year-old Canadian never played a postseason game before last night. Now he's a career .500 hitter in the playoffs.

Bay's big night probably settled the stomach of Theo Epstein, the man who shipped Manny out of town. Theo traded the wildly popular Nomar Garciaparra at the midsummer deadline in 2004 and the Red Sox went on to win the World Series. Will he be able to turn the same trick after trading Manny?

The Sox went 34-19 after dumping Ramírez this year, but a lot of wise guys predicted postseason doom. Conventional wisdom holds that the Sox don't have enough punch. David Ortiz misses Manny. There's no longer a big 1-2 in the middle of the lineup. Bay last night was slotted in the sixth spot in the order, below J.D. Drew.

But he made his general manager and his manager look good. He beat Lackey and the Angels with one swing of the bat. Pretty good after five years of hardball isolation in Pittsburgh.

The Angels will have an extra day to think about last night's loss. They blew a lead. They let Lester off the hook with dumb at-bats in the early innings. Lackey threw a ridiculous pitch to Bay. Vlad Guerrero was guilty of a horrible base-running blunder in the eighth. When the Red Sox blew it open with a pair in the ninth, Angel Stadium took on the look of Gillette in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins made it 38-13. Mass exodus.

These Angels were swept by the Sox in 2004 and 2007. Now they've seen their best pitcher lose at home and they are getting ready for Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett. The Red Sox have outscored the Angels, 23-5, in four playoff games since last October.

The Halos came into this series thinking they had the Sox' number this time. Los Angeles was 8-1 against Boston this year, and there's no Manny Ramírez to torture Mike Scioscia's pitching staff.

It turned out none of it mattered. The Sox still won, this time with Jason Bay playing the part of Manny Ramírez.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.

More no-huddle, please

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Ben Roethlisberger laughed when the question arose Monday night, a half-hour after the Steelers' 23-20 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Did he lobby coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to go to the no-huddle offense late in the third quarter?


Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger eludes Baltimore's Tom Zbikowski during the third quarter Monday at Heinz Field.
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review

"That's the reason we went to it," Roethlisberger said. "I went to Coach Tomlin first and said, 'Go ask B.A.' And then B.A. asked me, 'Do you want to do it?'

"I said, 'Yeah, I was the one who came up with the idea.' "

Hmmm. Shouldn't that have been the other way around, and shouldn't it have happened much earlier?

You'd have thought the 37th sack of Roethlisberger in the Philadelphia game, or perhaps the rapid-fire succession of three-and-outs Monday night would have prompted Arians to try to change the pace.

All the no-huddle did, when the Steelers finally went to it, was turn the momentum of the game (combined with the idiotic personal foul on Baltimore's Jarret Johnson) and perhaps the momentum of the Steelers' season.

Be glad Roethlisberger spoke up. If he hadn't, the Steelers could well be two games behind the Ravens in the loss column instead of leading the AFC North at 3-1.

Roethlisberger's been pining for more no-huddle since before the 2006 season, when Bill Cowher was his coach and Ken Whisenhunt his offensive coordinator. It's surprising Arians hasn't gone there more often, seeing as his promise coming in was to turn the offense over to his maturing quarterback.

Given the Steelers' desperate plight at running back - I believe they're giving Dick Hoak a tryout today - this seems like the perfect time to do just that.

And that means more no-huddle.

It might not need to be the base offense. It definitely needs more air time.

The no-huddle allows Roethlisberger to call plays based on his feel for the game. It can keep a defense off-balance. Where others might see chaos in the no-huddle attack, Big Ben sees order.

He thrives in it.

"We kind of get a rhythm," he said. "It's going off what I see, not necessarily what the coaches see."

That sounds like a good thing.

Before going no-huddle Monday, the Steelers' offense was every bit as dreadful as it was a week earlier against the Eagles. Maybe worse.

When they took possession at their 33 with 5:49 left in the third quarter, the Steelers were trailing, 13-3, with an embarrassing total of 64 yards. Their previous six possessions had gone like this: interception; three-and-out; three-and-out; three-and-out; three-and-out; five-and-out.

This time, they moved 67 yards in four plays.

Now, it's hard to say the no-huddle was an immediate elixir. Johnson's late hit on Hines Ward and what Roethlisberger described as a "broken-play" 38-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes accounted for most of the yards on that drive.

But look what happened afterward. The Ravens' defense suddenly could not dictate the tempo, as it had for the better part of three quarters. The Steelers, who went no-huddle for only one more series - a nondescript one, at that -- suddenly were able to move the ball (102 yards on their final three possessions).

In the end, going no-huddle meant a lot more than Big Ben's blistering halftime speech, though that also spoke to his progression as a leader.

"He led, and we followed," running back Mewelde Moore said. "It was motivational, man. He did everything that a leader's supposed to do."

Tomlin spoke Tuesday of needing to trust Roethlisberger more when the play clock is running down. It's time the coaching staff trusted the quarterback to play his preferred offense, as well.

Next time, Roethlisberger shouldn't have to ask.

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