Altoona Mirror, August 30, 2015

The Steelers are open for business on Sundays, and they inspire a lot of zeal and fervor.
That doesn't mean they're a religion, though.
They're a football franchise that is in business to win games and maximize revenue. That's why they were willing to take the risk of signing the controversial Michael Vick.
They had a sudden and urgent need for an experienced backup quarterback because Bruce Gradkowski was injured. Vick had a need for a job after no team even invited to camp to try out for a spot.
Damaged goods. Desperate buyer. The deal was made.
The Steelers are in a position a lot of sports franchises don't enjoy. They sell every ticket, every year. Their TV ratings are through the roof. There isn't anyone in the region who doesn't have some type of Steelers merchandise.
Newborn babies are wrapped in Terrible Towels. Old men go to the grave with one in their casket.
If there's any organization that can withstand a controversial signing, it's the Steelers. Their ticket office is the loneliest place in town.
The Steelers just added 2,700 seats to Heinz Field and sold them to people who had been on the season ticket waiting list for 20 years.
Supposedly there are 20,000 "signatures" on an online petition urging the Steelers to reverse their decision and release Vick. That means nothing, because that's the way online petitions are viewed.
Some animal rights organizations announced they will no longer do business with the Steelers. The hard fact is those organizations get more from an association with the Steelers than the team would ever get.
No major sponsors have gone away. If anyone returned their season tickets for a refund, it probably took less than five minutes to re-sell them.
Vick's signing isn't benevolence by the Steelers. This isn't about rehabilitating a criminal. They need him to fill a particular spot on the roster. They think he can still play football well enough to help them.
That's all this is, a team signing a player it believes can be useful. The Steelers mission statement can be summed up fairly easily: They're in business to win games and reap all the benefits that come with that success.
Vick is now part of the organization because they think he can help them achieve those goals. It's nothing more than that.
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--DUMB AND DUMBER
When the Steelers open the season in New England in less than two weeks, kicker Shaun Suisham and center Maurkice Pouncey won't play. Injuries.
Running back Le'Veon Bell and receiver Martavis Bryant won't play, either. Stupidity. Bell and Bryant have been suspended for violation of the substance abuse policy, specifically marijuana.
Beyond the issue of missing games now, both players are in the system. Future violations will result in harsher penalties.
And why should anyone feel confident they'll be smart enough to avoid future violations?
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--TELLING THE TRUTH
Credit Bob Walk with some candor on a Pirates telecast last week.
Greg Brown noted the gloomy atmosphere at the Miami Marlins park -- sparse attendance, losing team, lack of atmosphere -- and noted it seemed a lot like Montreal did before the Expos moved out.
Walk quickly added, "Or Three Rivers Stadium in the mid-1980s."
True enough. Things are going great for the Pirates these days. The team is chasing its third consecutive postseason berth, the stands are packed and the enthusiasm is palpable.
It's easy to forget it isn't always like that.

Beaver County Times, August 23, 2015

Mike Tomlin's speciality is using complete sentences to say nothing, so it was noteworthy when he deviated from that practice to make a relevant point.
He was asked about the play of rookie receiver Sammie Coates, who made a nice sideline catch in the preseason game at Jacksonville.
Tomlin praised the reception, then added, "He’s got to get into better condition. Fatigue was a factor like it is with a lot of young guys. He’s got to get better in that regard. I think that the more in shape he gets, in terms of NFL wide receiver shape, the more we’re going to see his skill set like that sideline catch. But until he does, it’s going to be up and down. And that’s not only for him, it’s for all of them."
Auburn's Coates was this year's third-round draft pick. Coates was drafted on May 1. He signed on May 15, agreeing to a four-year deal for $2.91 million, of which $631,500 was guaranteed.
To close the gap between the guaranteed money and the total value of the contract, wouldn't it be prudent to get in the best shape possible? Surely his agent could have hooked Coates up with a trainer who works with NFL players. Failing that, he could have leaned on the Steelers' staff for a program that would get him ready for the NFL.
Assuming Coates worked out regularly in the time between signing and the opening of training camp, it didn't do him as much good as it should have.
Once he signed the contract, football became his job. You'd like to think someone preparing for a career that could pay millions would be motivated enough to get to work as quickly as possible.
Tomlin's emphasis that he wasn't just singling out Coates indicates it's an ongoing issue, and probably helps explain why rookies don't often make consistent contributions.
(Stand by for one of those insufferable Steelers of the '70s stories. Mercifully, it's just one sentence).
When Jack Lambert was drafted from Kent State in 1974, he began driving to Pittsburgh on weekends to watch film at the Steelers office, trying to get a head start on learning the defense.
Even though the Steelers have plenty of talent at receiver, there's still a great opportunity for Coates.
Provided he gets in better shape, of course.
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--CHANGING FORTUNES
Here's more evidence of why baseball general managers are tortured souls:
On June 20, Max Scherzer of the Nationals pitched a no-hitter against the Pirates.
Only Jose Tabata's elbow dip prevented a perfect game. Scherzer could have won a Cy Young award election that day.
Since then, he's made 11 starts and pitched past the sixth inning only four times. His ERA over those 11 starts is 4.33.
Pirates' No. 5 starter Jeff Locke, the subject of understandable season-long talk show consternation, also has a 4.33 ERA in his last 11 starts.
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--REMEMBERING DEUCE
When Deuce Skurcenski died last week, we lost another of those characters unique to this region.
Someone said it a long time ago: "People like that are institutions in Pittsburgh. In other places, they're in institutions."
Deuce, a close talker before Seinfeld coined the term, had a knack for showing up everywhere and conspicuously making his presence known. He was always quick to update the number of "smokin' frays" he'd witnessed, and seemed only mildly bothered that his claims were sometimes disputed.
He'd put his hand alongside his lips and furtively deliver a non-scoop out of the side of his mouth, usually decorated with the arcane language of sports pages gone by.
He was the subject of a documentary film a few years ago, and now we're grateful to have his eccentricities preserved. Future generations can get acquainted with a guy who logged hundreds of thousands of miles on snowy nights, chasing down a doubleheader somewhere. If there was a game, he wanted to see it and scribble the stats down on his legal pads.
He carved out his own place in local sports, was known to all by one name (just like Franco and Mario) and enjoyed himself.
A good life? In Deuce-speak, awww yeah.

Beaver County Times, August 16, 2015

Right in the middle of the 2015 pennant race, the Pirates revealed one of their first big moves for 2016.
When Clint Hurdle asked lifelong third baseman Aramis Ramirez to take some grounders at first base in pre-game drills, it sent the signal that the Pirates' patience with Pedro Alvarez has finally run out.
They'll squeeze whatever they can out of Alvarez for the rest of this season, then they'll move on and seek another solution for first base in the winter.
Ramirez has been in the major leagues since 1998, appearing in more 2,150 games. He has never played first base. Before that, he played 415 minor league games and never played first base.
Yet now, in the last six weeks of his final season, the Pirates want to see if he can play first base. They think a guy who has never played the position might be a better option than Alvarez.
Alvarez's transition to first base has been awkward. He moved there last season when consistent throwing issues made it impossible for him to play third base.
The thought was that Alvarez wouldn't have to throw much at first. As a third baseman, he'd always shown good hands and the ability to make difficult fielding plays. That hasn't translated to the other side of the infield at all.
Despite having a full spring training to work at first, he's still uncomfortable there more than two-thirds through the season. At times he's scrambling like a man who just realized his train is pulling away from the platform without him.
Alvarez will be eligible for free agency after next season, and there's no chance the Pirates retain him. He's a designated hitter waiting to happen. His power can be impressive, and someone in the American League will be interested. If he's relieved of the burden of playing in the field, maybe his offense will get even better.
But the time has come for the Pirates to address first base, and that will be one of their offseason priorities.
When a 37-year-old novice like Ramirez is being asked to give the job a shot, it's clear management doesn't have much confidence in the incumbent.
It's still too soon for prospect Josh Bell, and there are questions about whether he can handle the move to first base from the outfield. It remains to be seen who the Pirates will play at first next season.
But it's obvious it won't be Alvarez.
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--GOOD MOVE
Signing Sergei Gonchar to a tryout contract is a can't-lose situation for the Penguins.
Gonchar can help the power play, and he's a positive influence in the locker room. He's always been a fanatic about conditioning, so being 41 isn't as big a concern as it might be otherwise.
If he doesn't make the team, there may be a spot for him on the hockey staff. Gonchar has always been a cerebral player, and he'll have plenty to offer after he's off the ice.
If he takes ice time from one of the young defensemen, that's a price a team with Stanley Cup expectations pays.
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--NEW SOUND
The Penguins dropped former newspaper reporter Bob Grove as the host of their pre and post-game radio shows after 10 years.
Say this for Grove: he never cheated anyone on preparation. If Calgary was in a 3-for-40 slump on the power play, his listeners knew about it, even if the Penguins didn't play the Flames for another two months.
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--SHOP AROUND
Pirates radio rights are up for grabs after this season, and the team has some leverage.
The games are currently on 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM), which has enjoyed a huge Pirates-fueled boost in its overall ratings over the past few summers of contention.
The details matter greatly to the Pirates and the winning station. Since the team employs the announcers, listeners should expect consistency of content.
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--EXTRA INCENTIVE
News reports suggest the Pittsburgh Symphony is having attendance problems.
Given that Heinz Hall isn't really set up for fireworks, the answer might be a truckload of Beethoven bobbleheads.

Beaver County Times, August 9, 2015

Thanks to extensive texting, we are a nation of nimble thumbs.
That should come into play locally this evening when fans give the remote a serious workout, clicking between the two games at 8 o'clock -- Vikings-Steelers on NBC and Dodgers-Pirates on ESPN.
Even though it's one of 162, the baseball game has more significance, but this is (sort of) NFL football after a six-month drought. Never mind that Ben Roethlisberger and anybody else with a recognizable name will be watching from the sideline, this almost looks like the stuff we long for on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays.
This is perfect for the people who like to play scout and tout some obscure free agent as a dark horse.
NBC gets a show with anonymous guys in recognizable NFL uniforms. It's not quite reality TV, but it's good enough to sell to advertisers. Coaches get video evidence to confirm which players they will soon send packing. Those long shot dreamers get DVR evidence that they once wore a Steelers uniform and may even have had their name called on national TV by Al Michaels.
For fans, it's a chance to work out the regular season tailgating routine. Sept. 10 will be here before you know it, and that one in Foxboro counts, with or without Tom Brady.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are kicking off a streak of three straight Sundays on national TV. Between tonight's game and the Aug. 23 home date against the Giants, next Sunday afternoon's game in New York has been selected by TBS.
There are a lot of ways to validate the Pirates' turnaround, but this may be the most significant: Soon people in other places will complain that they're on TV too much.
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--UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The Steelers' main preseason priority is fixing the defense.
The offense is good enough to win the Super Bowl. The defense might be an impediment to winning both regular season games against Cleveland.
There's a question of how different the defense might be with Keith Butler replacing Dick LeBeau as coordinator, and with Mike Tomlin taking a bigger role.
The preseason will probably offer few clues about how significant the changes might be since coaches hate to offer opponents anything substantial from exhibition games.
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--ON THE SPOT
Giving credit where it's due, Root Sports hustled last Sunday to get thorough post-game coverage of the dustup between the Reds and Pirates.
They leaned on their Cincinnati counterparts to get comments from Bryan Price, Marlon Byrd and Brandon Phillips on the air. Viewers were waiting to see the fallout from the incidents, and Root covered the story well.
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--HOT ROD
Rowdy Roddy Piper, who died recently, was second in importance only to Hulk Hogan in executing Vince McMahon's plan to turn wrestling into mainstream entertainment.
Piper had a gift for oratory and the ability to incite people to buy tickets or pay-per-views. That skill is gold in the wrestling business.
Unfortunately, the lifestyle a lot of the performers in the 1980s practiced wasn't conducive to longevity, and Piper is gone at 61.
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--HONORING JOE
Nice to see the Larry Bruno Foundation honor late sportswriter Joe Tronzo, who had a 60-year career in newspapers.
Joe started writing when he was 12, and always had a soft spot for kids who wanted to work in the newspaper business. He'd find things for them to cover when most of their peers were focused on delivering papers. A lot of people who went on to careers in media owe their start to Joe.
Joe believed there was no higher journalistic calling than getting as many names as possible in the paper. Once when a Beaver Falls basketball game was interrupted briefly by a leaky ceiling, Joe dutifully reported the names of the student managers who mopped up the water.
He had a lot of stories and loved to tell them, especially the ones about his budget-minded bosses at the old News-Tribune. He was a character, and his heart was always in the right place as he often organized and promoted youth league sports.
One of Joe's many quirks was his habit of randomly asking co-workers, "Hey, do you like old Joe?"
Sure did.

Beaver County Times, August 2, 2015

If the Pirates didn't solve all their problems at the trading deadline, at least they lessened their anxiety about some vulnerable spots.
The best acquisition in the last-minute frenzy is Joakim Soria, a reliever who not only adds depth to the back of the bullpen but also offers an experienced option to close games if something goes haywire with Mark Melancon.
That's a significant insurance policy.
Veterans Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ aren't anything special, but Blanton beefs up the bullpen and Happ is depth for the rotation. That's an issue because A.J. Burnett appears to have discovered that he's 38 and is admitting that his sparkling numbers from the first half were not sustainable.
Starting depth has been eroded by injuries at the Class AAA level, so it's good to have some options on hand.
Michael Morse hits some balls a long way when he's not on the disabled list. He's the latest to audition for the righthanded half of the first base job, a place where Corey Hart and Sean Rodriguez have swung and missed.
First base looms as a huge future issue for the Pirates as Pedro Alvarez nears his expiration date in Pittsburgh. Josh Bell has been presumed as the homegrown replacement, but some scouting reports suggest he isn't close to being able to handle the defensive part.
But that's a topic for another time. This roster reshaping is about the 2015 season and postseason, which is why the Pirates were willing to pursue so many rental players who won't last beyond this year's run.
The changes may not be done. Although waivers have to be secured to make more trades, that isn't impossible.
Two years ago, the Pirates got both Marlon Byrd and Justin Morneau in August.
The Pirates caught a break when marquee pickups like Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels went to American League teams and don't loom as possible playoff obstacles.
The Pirates managed to get deeper in areas of concern without giving up a ransom in quality prospects. For a team that will always have to balance the present and the future, that's how it has to work.
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--ADIOS, JOSE
So long, Jose Tabata. No more bouncing between the majors and minors and somehow always finding a way to punch that return ticket to Indianapolis.
It was always something with Tabata, starting with 2009 when he was 20 and had a 43-year-old wife who falsified a pregnancy. His wife was convicted of kidnapping a baby and sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Tabata will always be cited as an example of a pre-emptive contract for a promising young player that went bad. The Pirates were paying him $4 million to play at Class AAA this season, and owed him $4.5 million next year.
If the Pirates projected him to develop power, it never happened. He was quickly surpassed by other outfield prospects and wasn't more than a bench player. He wasn't Clint Hurdle's type of player, which probably explains why he couldn't stay in the major leagues.
The Dodgers have him now. Maybe they can figure him out. He's still only 26, even though it seems like he was around for at least a decade.
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--SOMETHING COOKING?
Did Root Sports have a hockey scoop in the middle of a Pirates broadcast?
During one of the games at Minnesota, Greg Brown said that Matt Cooke, recently cut loose by the Wild, was hoping for a chance to return to the Penguins.
Cooke is a friend of Neil Walker and was at Target Field for at least one of the games.
It figured that Root would find him in the seats. He was wearing a Pirates cap and jersey, after all.
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--LAW AND ORDER
Pitt's Pat Narduzzi faces some big discipline decisions based on Tyler Boyd's DUI charges and the episode where Rori Blair was clocked at 117 miles per hour on the Parkway East.
Seems like coaches can combine these teaching moments under a single lecture with the topic, "Don't Be a Knucklehead."
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--VIEWER ALERT
Fair warning: Tuesday's Cubs-Pirates game is also the Pirates Charities auction.
Based on previous coverage, they'll try to squeeze some of the game into the telethon.