Of all the things to remember about Dan Rooney, the one that comes to mind immediately is the hot dog line.
The Steelers put out a couple of pans of hot dogs in the press room at halftime of games at Heinz Field. Because the hot dogs are free, the line is long, and Dan Rooney would be in the middle of it, waiting his turn.
Like everyone else, he'd grab a bun, use the tongs to fish a hot dog out of the pan, move to the condiment station and enjoy his snack.
This was a guy who could have cut to the front of the line. He could have told the people in charge to bring him a hot dog. Forget all that, he could have had lobster and filet mignon delivered to his seat.
But even though he was the person paying for the hot dogs, he waited his turn, often behind the kid from W-Nowhere radio and the guy from an obscure weekly who scammed a press pass.
Little things can mean a lot, and Rooney's presence in the hot dog line spoke volumes about him.
Art Rooney Sr. raised his boys in the rough-and-tumble North Side with a couple of non-negotiable rules: Never let anyone mistake kindness for weakness. And -- most important of all -- don't ever act like a big shot.
A big shot would have cut the line. Dan Rooney waited his turn.
In that way, he was his father's son. In later years, he also had his dad's unruly white hair and perpetually rumpled appearance, no matter what he wore.
But Art Rooney was the beloved Chief, a naturally gregarious person who considered everyone his friend. Dan Rooney was more quiet and reserved. When Bill Cowher tried to clamp a man hug on him, Dan Rooney awkwardly stiffened.
Father and son were different in another way, too. Art Rooney didn't do a very good job of running the Steelers. His eldest son turned the team into one of the NFL's premier franchises.
Dan's influence started to be felt in the mid-1960s, when he won a power battle against impulsive coach Buddy Parker. Dan Rooney nixed a typical Parker trade which would have sent two of the Steelers' better young players to Philadelphia for a quarterback who was average on his best day.
Dan Rooney said no. His father backed him, and Parker quit in a huff. The Chief hired one more wrong coach (Bill Austin) before he turned the search over to Dan. After a rebuff from Joe Paterno, which could have rewritten Steelers and Penn State history, Dan Rooney hired Chuck Noll. That was the day the Steelers became a real team.
Rooney was hands on yet rarely meddled. He'd come to the office every day after attending morning Mass. He liked to watch practice. He was a football guy, a former North Catholic quarterback who had grown up in the family business. He sat in the coach's booth at Heinz Field on game days.
Like his father, he enjoyed personal relationships with the players. He knew their families. When Mike Webster's life went off the rails, Dan Rooney quietly picked up the bills to help him as much as possible.
Rooney could be tough. He fired his brother from the scouting department because he believed it was the right thing for the business. He ordered his friend Noll to make changes in his staff when the Steelers had sunk into mediocrity. He played hardball when the gravy train for new sports venues was rolling. When a TV interviewer asked him why taxpayers should help prop up a highly successful private business he snapped, "Because that's the way it works."
Dan Rooney could have lived behind gates in Fox Chapel, where the joke is garbage cans have to be gold plated. He lived in a big house on the North Side, the neighborhood where he grew up. Police sirens are part of the soundtrack there.
Art Rooney curiously envisioned blue collar career paths for his sons, none of which they followed. He had Dan pegged as an electrician for some reason.
Instead, Dan was the one who embraced the Steelers and made the team his life's work. The success speaks for itself.
Dan Rooney was a genuine and humble man who happened to be a multi-millionaire.
With his passing, the NFL has lost a moderate voice who helped broker labor deals when the hard-liners failed. We've lost a repository of Steelers and NFL history, and a unique multi-generational perspective. We've lost someone who contributed to the community in many ways.
And we've also lost a guy who never thought he was too good to stand in line and wait his turn for a halftime hot dog.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Altoona Mirror, April 9, 2017
Clint Hurdle's future as Pirates manager seems to have suddenly become a topic for conversation.
Last week a Las Vegas betting site established odds on the first manager to be fired this season. It had Hurdle as the favorite.
That seems to make no sense. The Pirates had one bad year after three trips to the postseason. Last year's failure was caused by the collapse of their starting pitching and the prolonged absence of two big bats from the middle of the order.
Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, Andrew McCutchen and Jung Ho Kang disappointed, but that had nothing to do with managerial decisions.
Hurdle can be a handful. A guy who mass e-mails a daily inspirational message that closes, "Love, Clint" is sometimes very dismissive when he's asked a question he doesn't like. Some of his strategic decisions can be debated, but that's true of any manager.
The Pirates aren't going to fire Hurdle. Would he leave voluntarily?
Maybe. This is the last year of his contract, although there's an option for 2018.
This is the seventh Pirates season for Hurdle, who turns 60 in July. He was fired during his eighth season with the Colorado Rockies.
Clearly, Hurdle is nearing the end of his managerial career. More than ever, it's a young man's game. The time commitment required is significant. Because of 24-hour sports talk and social media, there's more heat than ever.
Would Hurdle walk away from managing, or just walk away from managing the Pirates?
There are special circumstances in Pittsburgh. The possibility of finding a job with a team that has a bigger budget might be tempting. Of course, that's a crap shoot. Who knows what jobs might open?
This could all be settled if the Pirates offered an extension and Hurdle accepted it. Ten years seems about right for a manager. Much more than that, and things tend to get stale.
Chuck Tanner managed the Pirates for nine seasons. Jim Leyland stayed for 11. Could Hurdle sign for three more years, which would give him 10 in Pittsburgh and take him to age 63?
That might be a possibility. Hurdle's getting fired by the Pirates this season is not.
---
--LET IT SNOW
Opening day was a miserable experience for the people who paid their way into PNC Park.
It was cold, it was windy, and it was unpleasant, even for those bundled in parkas under blankets.
That's the risk of starting the season so early, but MLB has no choice. To cram in 162 games and leave room for a World Series that might run until November, that's when the season has to begin.
Reducing the length of the season isn't viable because revenue would be lost. Starting in warm weather cities or domed stadiums doesn't work, either.
The Pirates opened the 1984 season with an extended trip through the west coast and St. Louis. They came home 3-7, which killed a lot of whatever buzz might have been attached to the home opener.
April is erratic. Friday's game was played in winter weather. Today's conditions will approximate summer.
Reportedly there was vigorous debate in the Pirates' bunker over whether to play on Friday. Making good on 36,000 rain checks is a major headache.
So they played. It wasn't good for anybody, but it was the choice of least resistance.
---
--PLAYOFFS, FINALLY
The Penguins can beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in their playoff series, even without Kris Letang.
The real issue is how healthy the Penguins might be after a bruising opening series.
The toll from games against the Blue Jackets might show up in subsequent rounds.
---
--NO NEWS
What was the biggest non-news story of the week, Ben Roethlisberger's coming back, or Barry Manilow's coming out?
Last week a Las Vegas betting site established odds on the first manager to be fired this season. It had Hurdle as the favorite.
That seems to make no sense. The Pirates had one bad year after three trips to the postseason. Last year's failure was caused by the collapse of their starting pitching and the prolonged absence of two big bats from the middle of the order.
Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, Andrew McCutchen and Jung Ho Kang disappointed, but that had nothing to do with managerial decisions.
Hurdle can be a handful. A guy who mass e-mails a daily inspirational message that closes, "Love, Clint" is sometimes very dismissive when he's asked a question he doesn't like. Some of his strategic decisions can be debated, but that's true of any manager.
The Pirates aren't going to fire Hurdle. Would he leave voluntarily?
Maybe. This is the last year of his contract, although there's an option for 2018.
This is the seventh Pirates season for Hurdle, who turns 60 in July. He was fired during his eighth season with the Colorado Rockies.
Clearly, Hurdle is nearing the end of his managerial career. More than ever, it's a young man's game. The time commitment required is significant. Because of 24-hour sports talk and social media, there's more heat than ever.
Would Hurdle walk away from managing, or just walk away from managing the Pirates?
There are special circumstances in Pittsburgh. The possibility of finding a job with a team that has a bigger budget might be tempting. Of course, that's a crap shoot. Who knows what jobs might open?
This could all be settled if the Pirates offered an extension and Hurdle accepted it. Ten years seems about right for a manager. Much more than that, and things tend to get stale.
Chuck Tanner managed the Pirates for nine seasons. Jim Leyland stayed for 11. Could Hurdle sign for three more years, which would give him 10 in Pittsburgh and take him to age 63?
That might be a possibility. Hurdle's getting fired by the Pirates this season is not.
---
--LET IT SNOW
Opening day was a miserable experience for the people who paid their way into PNC Park.
It was cold, it was windy, and it was unpleasant, even for those bundled in parkas under blankets.
That's the risk of starting the season so early, but MLB has no choice. To cram in 162 games and leave room for a World Series that might run until November, that's when the season has to begin.
Reducing the length of the season isn't viable because revenue would be lost. Starting in warm weather cities or domed stadiums doesn't work, either.
The Pirates opened the 1984 season with an extended trip through the west coast and St. Louis. They came home 3-7, which killed a lot of whatever buzz might have been attached to the home opener.
April is erratic. Friday's game was played in winter weather. Today's conditions will approximate summer.
Reportedly there was vigorous debate in the Pirates' bunker over whether to play on Friday. Making good on 36,000 rain checks is a major headache.
So they played. It wasn't good for anybody, but it was the choice of least resistance.
---
--PLAYOFFS, FINALLY
The Penguins can beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in their playoff series, even without Kris Letang.
The real issue is how healthy the Penguins might be after a bruising opening series.
The toll from games against the Blue Jackets might show up in subsequent rounds.
---
--NO NEWS
What was the biggest non-news story of the week, Ben Roethlisberger's coming back, or Barry Manilow's coming out?
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Altoona Mirror, April 2, 2017
There are two overriding questions as the Pirates open the 2017 season in Boston tomorrow:
1. How good will the starting pitching be?
2. When/how will the Jung Ho Kang situation be resolved?
An unfavorable answer to either could doom the Pirates to a second straight losing season. A positive resolution to both should keep them in contention all season.
Baseball success is dictated by starting pitching. The Pirates have plenty of potential, but the fate of the team depends on how well the starters do.
Last season fell apart primarily because the team's No. 1 and No. 2 starters, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, did poorly. Cole, a 19-game winner in 2015, couldn't get past a series of minor injuries. He lost confidence and his season was lost with it.
Liriano was a disaster, statistically one of the worst starters in the National League, until he was dispatched to Toronto for 2017 payroll relief.
Cole has had a solid spring training, and there's no reason to believe he won't rebound. He's a major talent who should be coming in to his prime years.
The second starter is either Ivan Nova or Jameson Taillon, and there's reason to be hopeful about both. Nova was a strike thrower in his 11-game trial with the Pirates, and showed enough to earn a three-year, $26 million contract after he sampled the free agent market.
Is Taillon ready to take another step after an impressive debut? He sat out two seasons because of injuries and seemed to be anxious to make up for that lost time. His stuff was impressive, and his poise was even better.
The Pirates can live with Chad Kuhl being competent in the No. 3 spot. No. 5 starter Tyler Glasnow is a wild card, capable of great and frustrating things within the same inning.
But better to let Glasnow work out his problems at this level rather than sending him back to Class AAA, where he has nothing left to prove.
The Kang situation has a potential huge impact on a lineup that badly needs power. Forget about the morality of embracing a guy guilty of multiple DUI violations. If and when he's eligible, he plays. (Sorry, but that's how sports works).
If Kang is back in the middle of the lineup, he's a legitimate power bat who can be counted on for 25 to 30 home runs over a season. If he's not there, it's a scramble.
Not only do the Pirates lose a power bat, they're forced to make daily decisions. David Freese could take some of the games at third base, but not all of them. Does Josh Harrison have to move back to third? If he does, will shortstop Jordy Mercer play with multiple second base options? That's not a good situation.
If the starting pitching holds up, the Pirates will be on the plus side of .500 and play relevant games through the end of September.
If not, it's going to be a repeat of 2016 -- a team that isn't successful and isn't especially interesting to watch.
---
--CONTEST UPDATE
There's still time to enter the annual Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win contest.
You e-mail me two numbers: The number of games the Pirates will win, and (the tiebreaker), the number of home runs they'll hit this season. They won 78 games last season and hit 153 home runs. If you win, a box of leftover Pirates promotional stuff will be mailed to you (only open to addresses in the United States).
The official e-mail address to enter is johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com. The deadline is Thursday, April 6 at 2 p.m. One entry per person. People related to me are not eligible.
It isn't as good as Powerball, but it doesn't cost anything to enter.
---
--PARADISE
Just think....in another 24 hours, you won't have to hear anyone blathering about their brackets for another 11 months.
1. How good will the starting pitching be?
2. When/how will the Jung Ho Kang situation be resolved?
An unfavorable answer to either could doom the Pirates to a second straight losing season. A positive resolution to both should keep them in contention all season.
Baseball success is dictated by starting pitching. The Pirates have plenty of potential, but the fate of the team depends on how well the starters do.
Last season fell apart primarily because the team's No. 1 and No. 2 starters, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, did poorly. Cole, a 19-game winner in 2015, couldn't get past a series of minor injuries. He lost confidence and his season was lost with it.
Liriano was a disaster, statistically one of the worst starters in the National League, until he was dispatched to Toronto for 2017 payroll relief.
Cole has had a solid spring training, and there's no reason to believe he won't rebound. He's a major talent who should be coming in to his prime years.
The second starter is either Ivan Nova or Jameson Taillon, and there's reason to be hopeful about both. Nova was a strike thrower in his 11-game trial with the Pirates, and showed enough to earn a three-year, $26 million contract after he sampled the free agent market.
Is Taillon ready to take another step after an impressive debut? He sat out two seasons because of injuries and seemed to be anxious to make up for that lost time. His stuff was impressive, and his poise was even better.
The Pirates can live with Chad Kuhl being competent in the No. 3 spot. No. 5 starter Tyler Glasnow is a wild card, capable of great and frustrating things within the same inning.
But better to let Glasnow work out his problems at this level rather than sending him back to Class AAA, where he has nothing left to prove.
The Kang situation has a potential huge impact on a lineup that badly needs power. Forget about the morality of embracing a guy guilty of multiple DUI violations. If and when he's eligible, he plays. (Sorry, but that's how sports works).
If Kang is back in the middle of the lineup, he's a legitimate power bat who can be counted on for 25 to 30 home runs over a season. If he's not there, it's a scramble.
Not only do the Pirates lose a power bat, they're forced to make daily decisions. David Freese could take some of the games at third base, but not all of them. Does Josh Harrison have to move back to third? If he does, will shortstop Jordy Mercer play with multiple second base options? That's not a good situation.
If the starting pitching holds up, the Pirates will be on the plus side of .500 and play relevant games through the end of September.
If not, it's going to be a repeat of 2016 -- a team that isn't successful and isn't especially interesting to watch.
---
--CONTEST UPDATE
There's still time to enter the annual Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win contest.
You e-mail me two numbers: The number of games the Pirates will win, and (the tiebreaker), the number of home runs they'll hit this season. They won 78 games last season and hit 153 home runs. If you win, a box of leftover Pirates promotional stuff will be mailed to you (only open to addresses in the United States).
The official e-mail address to enter is johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com. The deadline is Thursday, April 6 at 2 p.m. One entry per person. People related to me are not eligible.
It isn't as good as Powerball, but it doesn't cost anything to enter.
---
--PARADISE
Just think....in another 24 hours, you won't have to hear anyone blathering about their brackets for another 11 months.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Altoona Mirror, March 26, 2017
Who knows where Jung Ho Kang went or what he did on that fateful night that ended with his arrest on DUI charges.
But wherever he went or whatever he did, it probably wasn't worth $5.75 million.
That's how much money would be guaranteed under his contract with the Pirates that will be voided if he can't get a working visa to enter the United States.
There are conflicting reports about Kang's work status. The Pirates know this much: He won't be available for the opening of the season on April 3, and that creates some major roster and lineup problems.
Is he done for the season? Could he be approved sometime later?
Even if he clears the paperwork hurdle, there's still no guarantee that MLB won't impose some sort of penalty on Kang, who has three DUI offenses on his record.
If he has a drinking problem, it wasn't apparent during his first two seasons with the Pirates. It's a major problem now, as the Pirates have a big hole in a lineup that's already short on power.
Kang could legitimately be counted on for 20 to 25 home runs over a full season. Of course, he can't be counted on at all. There's no way of knowing if he'll be eligible, or when he might pass all the obstacles.
In addition to the money he's possibly guaranteed over the next two seasons, the Pirates also hold a $5.5 million option on him for the 2019 season.
In Kang's absence, the Pirates could use David Freese at third base. They shouldn't use him too often, though. Freese is soon to turn 34 and his days as an everyday player are in the past.
Another option would be moving Josh Harrison back to third base, and covering second base with some combination of Adam Frazier and Alen Hanson. That comes with considerable risk.
Neither the Pirates nor Kang comes out of this in a positive way. At $5.75 million, it has the potential to be a very expensive night on the town.
---
--JUST WATCHING
There's a crisis in the NBA over stars sitting out some road games.
It's a legitimate issue, and there's no real solution.
LeBron James recently was given a rest from a game on national TV, and the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers lost by 30 points. In another major TV game, the Golden State Warriors chose to rest Stephon Curry and three other starters.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently sent a memo to owners, suggesting they get involved in discussions about resting players. It's one of those things commissioners do to pretend they're concerned, but there isn't an answer.
Players need an occasional game off. Coaches are unlikely to sit a player for a home game. So that means fans get to see LeBron sit on a folding chair for a couple of hours.
It's undoubtedly a big disappointment for the ticket buyers, but what other choice is there?
At least take some consolation in the home team's blowing out the LeBron-less Cavaliers.
---
--SITTING OUT
Colin Kaepernick is out there and available for any NFL team that needs a quarterback.
No takers so far. He should be in that Mark Sanchez/Jay Cutler netherworld of not-quite-good-enough-but-what-else-are-we-gonna-do quarterbacks, but he has the baggage from last fall's sitdown protest of the national anthem.
Kaepernick should sit tight, though. There are never enough experienced quarterbacks to go around, and some team will get desperate.
Remember when the Steelers signed Michael \Vick?
---
--HELP WANTED
As long as Duquesne is being turned down by everyone who is offered its basketball coaching job, they might as well offer it to bigger names.
Call Pat Riley. Or Phil Jackson. Bill Russell. Larry Bird.
If you're going to get rejected, at least get rejected by big shots.
But wherever he went or whatever he did, it probably wasn't worth $5.75 million.
That's how much money would be guaranteed under his contract with the Pirates that will be voided if he can't get a working visa to enter the United States.
There are conflicting reports about Kang's work status. The Pirates know this much: He won't be available for the opening of the season on April 3, and that creates some major roster and lineup problems.
Is he done for the season? Could he be approved sometime later?
Even if he clears the paperwork hurdle, there's still no guarantee that MLB won't impose some sort of penalty on Kang, who has three DUI offenses on his record.
If he has a drinking problem, it wasn't apparent during his first two seasons with the Pirates. It's a major problem now, as the Pirates have a big hole in a lineup that's already short on power.
Kang could legitimately be counted on for 20 to 25 home runs over a full season. Of course, he can't be counted on at all. There's no way of knowing if he'll be eligible, or when he might pass all the obstacles.
In addition to the money he's possibly guaranteed over the next two seasons, the Pirates also hold a $5.5 million option on him for the 2019 season.
In Kang's absence, the Pirates could use David Freese at third base. They shouldn't use him too often, though. Freese is soon to turn 34 and his days as an everyday player are in the past.
Another option would be moving Josh Harrison back to third base, and covering second base with some combination of Adam Frazier and Alen Hanson. That comes with considerable risk.
Neither the Pirates nor Kang comes out of this in a positive way. At $5.75 million, it has the potential to be a very expensive night on the town.
---
--JUST WATCHING
There's a crisis in the NBA over stars sitting out some road games.
It's a legitimate issue, and there's no real solution.
LeBron James recently was given a rest from a game on national TV, and the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers lost by 30 points. In another major TV game, the Golden State Warriors chose to rest Stephon Curry and three other starters.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently sent a memo to owners, suggesting they get involved in discussions about resting players. It's one of those things commissioners do to pretend they're concerned, but there isn't an answer.
Players need an occasional game off. Coaches are unlikely to sit a player for a home game. So that means fans get to see LeBron sit on a folding chair for a couple of hours.
It's undoubtedly a big disappointment for the ticket buyers, but what other choice is there?
At least take some consolation in the home team's blowing out the LeBron-less Cavaliers.
---
--SITTING OUT
Colin Kaepernick is out there and available for any NFL team that needs a quarterback.
No takers so far. He should be in that Mark Sanchez/Jay Cutler netherworld of not-quite-good-enough-but-what-else-are-we-gonna-do quarterbacks, but he has the baggage from last fall's sitdown protest of the national anthem.
Kaepernick should sit tight, though. There are never enough experienced quarterbacks to go around, and some team will get desperate.
Remember when the Steelers signed Michael \Vick?
---
--HELP WANTED
As long as Duquesne is being turned down by everyone who is offered its basketball coaching job, they might as well offer it to bigger names.
Call Pat Riley. Or Phil Jackson. Bill Russell. Larry Bird.
If you're going to get rejected, at least get rejected by big shots.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Altoona Mirror, March 19, 2017
PITTSBURGH--Every year the Pirates invite players from their past to serve as guest instructors at spring training.
It's a great PR move. Fans enjoy seeing past pros like Bill Mazeroski and Bill Virdon in uniform again. The instructional aspect is sometimes dubious since a lot of those invited have been away from the game for years, but it can't hurt.
This year John Candelaria was one of the ex-players in uniform for part of spring training.
In the 1970s, Candelaria was an excellent pitcher for the Pirates. In the 1980s, he was a royal pain in the butt.
The younger Candelaria was a lefthander who tortured lefty batters by dropping down sidearm. He won 20 games in 1977, the first time a Pirates pitcher had reached that level in 17 years. He pitched a no-hitter.
Chuck Tanner believed in Candelaria to the point that he often said if his life depended on winning one game, Candelaria would be his starter. When Candelaria was approaching free agency, Tanner told ownership Candelaria was one player the Pirates absolutely had to keep.
Things changed in the mid-1980s. Short in the bullpen, Tanner decided to make Candelaria his closer. Candelaria hated the idea. He was living the good life as a starter. Work one day, take the next four off. Relievers have to be ready to pitch every day. They have to pay attention to the games.
Candelaria decided it was time for him to leave, so he tried to force a trade. During batting practice, he stood on first base singing, "Please release me, let me go."
He began blasting general manager Pete Peterson in the media, calling him a "bozo." Candelaria found a bumper sticker that read "No bozos" and affixed to his locker.
It was a terrible time in Peterson's life. His wife had died unexpectedly and he was in turmoil. He changed. He no longer listened to his advisors and made impulsive moves that made no sense. George Hendrick, Amos Otis, Lee Mazzilli....those dubious acquisitions came out of that period of confusion.
The Pirates sank in the standings and had their first 100-loss season in decades. All the while, Candelaria kept hammering at Peterson and the Pirates. When the team had to wait for a commercial flight instead of having a charter flight from San Francisco, Candelaria complained that the Galbreaths, who owned the team, treated their race horses better than their baseball players.
It got to the point that an exasperated Peterson angrily challenged Candelaria to a fight in the Shea Stadium dugout one afternoon before a game.
Peterson was fired. His interim replacement, Joe L. Brown, traded Candelaria to the Angels. Later, Candelaria came back for an unsuccessful encore with the Pirates. They signed him in 1993, making it eight teams in seven years. Too late. He was done at 39.
Was he forgiven for the significant trouble he caused the Pirates? More likely it was forgotten. Pete Peterson was seven general managers ago.
Maybe Candelaria is a different person now. Maybe he regrets what he did 30 years ago.
But maybe he's also not the best influence on young players. Just something to think about when the guest instructor invitations go out next year.
---
--DON'T SAVE THE DATE
School officials in Waukesha, Wisc. have told Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell he isn't welcome at their prom.
He had been invited to the dance by a 17-year-old student and Steelers fan who met Bell while on a family vacation.
But the school officials banned Bell based on his arrests for marijuana possession and DUI, as well as his age (25). They made the right call. The prom should be for the students, not a media event for one attention hog.
Besides, the celebrity prom invitation is becoming as big a cliche as the scoreboard marriage proposal. If you weren't one of the first 100 to do it, don't bother.
It's a great PR move. Fans enjoy seeing past pros like Bill Mazeroski and Bill Virdon in uniform again. The instructional aspect is sometimes dubious since a lot of those invited have been away from the game for years, but it can't hurt.
This year John Candelaria was one of the ex-players in uniform for part of spring training.
In the 1970s, Candelaria was an excellent pitcher for the Pirates. In the 1980s, he was a royal pain in the butt.
The younger Candelaria was a lefthander who tortured lefty batters by dropping down sidearm. He won 20 games in 1977, the first time a Pirates pitcher had reached that level in 17 years. He pitched a no-hitter.
Chuck Tanner believed in Candelaria to the point that he often said if his life depended on winning one game, Candelaria would be his starter. When Candelaria was approaching free agency, Tanner told ownership Candelaria was one player the Pirates absolutely had to keep.
Things changed in the mid-1980s. Short in the bullpen, Tanner decided to make Candelaria his closer. Candelaria hated the idea. He was living the good life as a starter. Work one day, take the next four off. Relievers have to be ready to pitch every day. They have to pay attention to the games.
Candelaria decided it was time for him to leave, so he tried to force a trade. During batting practice, he stood on first base singing, "Please release me, let me go."
He began blasting general manager Pete Peterson in the media, calling him a "bozo." Candelaria found a bumper sticker that read "No bozos" and affixed to his locker.
It was a terrible time in Peterson's life. His wife had died unexpectedly and he was in turmoil. He changed. He no longer listened to his advisors and made impulsive moves that made no sense. George Hendrick, Amos Otis, Lee Mazzilli....those dubious acquisitions came out of that period of confusion.
The Pirates sank in the standings and had their first 100-loss season in decades. All the while, Candelaria kept hammering at Peterson and the Pirates. When the team had to wait for a commercial flight instead of having a charter flight from San Francisco, Candelaria complained that the Galbreaths, who owned the team, treated their race horses better than their baseball players.
It got to the point that an exasperated Peterson angrily challenged Candelaria to a fight in the Shea Stadium dugout one afternoon before a game.
Peterson was fired. His interim replacement, Joe L. Brown, traded Candelaria to the Angels. Later, Candelaria came back for an unsuccessful encore with the Pirates. They signed him in 1993, making it eight teams in seven years. Too late. He was done at 39.
Was he forgiven for the significant trouble he caused the Pirates? More likely it was forgotten. Pete Peterson was seven general managers ago.
Maybe Candelaria is a different person now. Maybe he regrets what he did 30 years ago.
But maybe he's also not the best influence on young players. Just something to think about when the guest instructor invitations go out next year.
---
--DON'T SAVE THE DATE
School officials in Waukesha, Wisc. have told Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell he isn't welcome at their prom.
He had been invited to the dance by a 17-year-old student and Steelers fan who met Bell while on a family vacation.
But the school officials banned Bell based on his arrests for marijuana possession and DUI, as well as his age (25). They made the right call. The prom should be for the students, not a media event for one attention hog.
Besides, the celebrity prom invitation is becoming as big a cliche as the scoreboard marriage proposal. If you weren't one of the first 100 to do it, don't bother.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Altoona Mirror, March 12, 2017
It wasn't a proud day for the Penguins when they brought Tom Sestito up from the minor leagues to serve as hired muscle in a potentially contentious game in Winnipeg last week.
Sestito got into a fight with Chris Thorburn, then earned a four-game suspension from the NHL for viciously ramming Toby Enstrom face-first into the glass.
The Jets were gunning for Evgeni Malkin for an unpenalized hit against Blake Wheeler when the teams met in Pittsburgh. The Jets thought it was a cheap shot.
So as soon as Malkin and Wheeler were on the ice, Malkin accepted Wheeler's invitation to drop the gloves. ("Wanna go?" is apparently an international language).
Wheeler won the brief fight, the players went to the penalty box, and Wheeler later expressed his respect for Malkin's willingness to answer his challenge.
It should have ended there.
But then Sestito hit the ice, and was immediately matched against Thorburn, a former Penguin who now fights for Winnipeg.
They dropped their gloves as soon as the puck was dropped and fought to a lengthy draw.
It really should have ended there.
But Mike Sullivan, who routinely uses all four of his lines, put Sestito on the ice for another shift. Sestito took several strides before driving Enstrom into the boards from behind.
The officials gave Sestito a major penalty and a game misconduct. The NHL followed up with a suspension the next day. Enstrom sustained a concussion and is out indefinitely.
Sestito's stats tell the story of his career: 150 NHL games, 10 goals, 20 points and 495 penalty minutes. In 62 seconds of ice time against Winnipeg, he managed to get 20 penalty minutes and a four-game suspension.
Sestito spent most of this season in the minor leagues, where he belongs. He was called up only because the Penguins anticipated trouble in Winnipeg.
Fighting has greatly diminished in the NHL. Before Malkin and Sestito picked up fighting majors, the Penguins had only had nine fighting penalties in their 64 games. They had gone 16 games without one, and had just two fights in the 29 games before Winnipeg. Two of the team's previous fighting majors were collected by Sestito in October.
In 2011, the Penguins played a farce of a game against the Islanders, a fight-filled revenge game that resulted in a NHL-record 346 combined penalty minutes. It was so embarrassing that Mario Lemieux issued a rare public statement, decrying the mindless violence.
Yet faced with a potentially volatile situation in Winnipeg, the Penguins followed the spirit of the Islanders' template and specifically summoned a player whose career has been defined by his willingness to fight.
In the overall picture, Sestito's game against the Jets is a mere blip (except for Enstrom). But it wasn't a very good moment for the Penguins.
---
--ANIMAL TALES
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had a beef with the Penguins over the use of live penguins at the outdoor game at Heinz Field.
PETA said the birds were frightened by fireworks set off before the game.
Turns out the NHL was responsible for importing the penguins from the National Aviary on the North Side. Officials there said the birds were fine and were not traumatized by the racket, possibly because they live on the North Side.
Good thing PETA wasn't around in the early days of the Penguins franchise. Someone thought it would be cute to have a live penguin as a mascot, and one was imported from the zoo.
"Penguin Pete" would waddle onto the ice before the game. Not for long, though. The bird contracted pneumonia and died.
These days, the Penguins have a mascot called Iceburgh, a guy in a fuzzy costume. It's not as authentic, but it's a lot safer.
Sestito got into a fight with Chris Thorburn, then earned a four-game suspension from the NHL for viciously ramming Toby Enstrom face-first into the glass.
The Jets were gunning for Evgeni Malkin for an unpenalized hit against Blake Wheeler when the teams met in Pittsburgh. The Jets thought it was a cheap shot.
So as soon as Malkin and Wheeler were on the ice, Malkin accepted Wheeler's invitation to drop the gloves. ("Wanna go?" is apparently an international language).
Wheeler won the brief fight, the players went to the penalty box, and Wheeler later expressed his respect for Malkin's willingness to answer his challenge.
It should have ended there.
But then Sestito hit the ice, and was immediately matched against Thorburn, a former Penguin who now fights for Winnipeg.
They dropped their gloves as soon as the puck was dropped and fought to a lengthy draw.
It really should have ended there.
But Mike Sullivan, who routinely uses all four of his lines, put Sestito on the ice for another shift. Sestito took several strides before driving Enstrom into the boards from behind.
The officials gave Sestito a major penalty and a game misconduct. The NHL followed up with a suspension the next day. Enstrom sustained a concussion and is out indefinitely.
Sestito's stats tell the story of his career: 150 NHL games, 10 goals, 20 points and 495 penalty minutes. In 62 seconds of ice time against Winnipeg, he managed to get 20 penalty minutes and a four-game suspension.
Sestito spent most of this season in the minor leagues, where he belongs. He was called up only because the Penguins anticipated trouble in Winnipeg.
Fighting has greatly diminished in the NHL. Before Malkin and Sestito picked up fighting majors, the Penguins had only had nine fighting penalties in their 64 games. They had gone 16 games without one, and had just two fights in the 29 games before Winnipeg. Two of the team's previous fighting majors were collected by Sestito in October.
In 2011, the Penguins played a farce of a game against the Islanders, a fight-filled revenge game that resulted in a NHL-record 346 combined penalty minutes. It was so embarrassing that Mario Lemieux issued a rare public statement, decrying the mindless violence.
Yet faced with a potentially volatile situation in Winnipeg, the Penguins followed the spirit of the Islanders' template and specifically summoned a player whose career has been defined by his willingness to fight.
In the overall picture, Sestito's game against the Jets is a mere blip (except for Enstrom). But it wasn't a very good moment for the Penguins.
---
--ANIMAL TALES
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had a beef with the Penguins over the use of live penguins at the outdoor game at Heinz Field.
PETA said the birds were frightened by fireworks set off before the game.
Turns out the NHL was responsible for importing the penguins from the National Aviary on the North Side. Officials there said the birds were fine and were not traumatized by the racket, possibly because they live on the North Side.
Good thing PETA wasn't around in the early days of the Penguins franchise. Someone thought it would be cute to have a live penguin as a mascot, and one was imported from the zoo.
"Penguin Pete" would waddle onto the ice before the game. Not for long, though. The bird contracted pneumonia and died.
These days, the Penguins have a mascot called Iceburgh, a guy in a fuzzy costume. It's not as authentic, but it's a lot safer.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Altoona Mirror, March 5, 2017
You can slice and dice the Pirates 2017 outlook countless ways, but it all comes down to this:
They need a rebound season from Gerrit Cole.
More than anything else, that will determine whether they recover from the 20-game decline they experienced last season.
Starting pitching is still the most important factor in determining how much success a team will have. The Pirates' rotation was in a state of chaos throughout 2016, mostly because the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, Cole and Francisco Liriano, failed terribly.
Cole was slow to start spring training because of a nagging injury, the first in a series that would bother him during the year. From there, bad habits developed, confidence diminished, and Cole had the first significant adversity in his career.
When it was done, his record had declined from 19-8 to 7-10, his earned run average rose by 1.28 and his WHIP increased from 1.098 to 1.440. After giving the Pirates 208 innings in 2015, he pitched just 116 innings last year.
Won-lost record is not the best indicator of a pitcher's work, but with 12 fewer wins and two more losses, Cole had a 14-game swing to the bad side. The Pirates were 20 games worse in 2016.
He actually won fewer games than the much-maligned (and now departed) Jeff Locke (9) and Jon Niese (8).
It was a terrible year for the starting staff, and it started with Cole.
He's the only one of the five original 2016 starters to return to the rotation this season. The Pirates need him.
A lot of things went wrong last year, but none was as costly as the failure of the top two starters. Liriano has since been banished to Toronto, with two prospects sacrificed for the relief of having his $14 million salary subtracted from this year's payroll.
The Pirates' rotation this year is long on promise, but short on accomplishment. Before last season's impressive 11-game audition, Ivan Nova was mostly a so-so pitcher. Is he the effective strike thrower he was after he came to the Pirates, or did they get fooled by a guy the Yankees were willing to discard?
Jameson Taillon impressed with his stuff and his poise, but his major league experience starts and ends with the 104 innings he pitched last year. Chad Kuhl, the No. 4 starter, has even less of a track record. The fifth spot is wide open.
The closest to a sure thing is Cole. He can't have a repeat of 2016 if the Pirates are to return to a winning season this year.
---
--MAKING MOVES
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford did what he had to do at the trading deadline, and did it within the restrictions that apply.
The Penguins don't have a lot of room under the salary cap, so deals almost always have to be equitable in terms of the salary leaving and that being added. He was able to pick up two very veteran defensemen (Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit) along with one who might have a future in Frank Corrado.
The price was minimal. He gave up some draft choices (including a second rounder) but there's a chance those can be regained in future deals. Eric Fehr, who had fallen on the depth chart, was sacrificed.
The Penguins didn't need a chemistry-altering jolt, and they didn't want to head into the playoffs without having Marc-Andre Fleury as goaltending insurance.
There will be bigger changes in the offseason, when some free agent issues have to be confronted. For now, the focus is solely and correctly short term -- trying to repeat last year's championship run
---
--IN CONTROL
Antonio Brown has a son named Autonomy.
Even within the context of having four "A" named sons, that's still unusual.
They need a rebound season from Gerrit Cole.
More than anything else, that will determine whether they recover from the 20-game decline they experienced last season.
Starting pitching is still the most important factor in determining how much success a team will have. The Pirates' rotation was in a state of chaos throughout 2016, mostly because the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, Cole and Francisco Liriano, failed terribly.
Cole was slow to start spring training because of a nagging injury, the first in a series that would bother him during the year. From there, bad habits developed, confidence diminished, and Cole had the first significant adversity in his career.
When it was done, his record had declined from 19-8 to 7-10, his earned run average rose by 1.28 and his WHIP increased from 1.098 to 1.440. After giving the Pirates 208 innings in 2015, he pitched just 116 innings last year.
Won-lost record is not the best indicator of a pitcher's work, but with 12 fewer wins and two more losses, Cole had a 14-game swing to the bad side. The Pirates were 20 games worse in 2016.
He actually won fewer games than the much-maligned (and now departed) Jeff Locke (9) and Jon Niese (8).
It was a terrible year for the starting staff, and it started with Cole.
He's the only one of the five original 2016 starters to return to the rotation this season. The Pirates need him.
A lot of things went wrong last year, but none was as costly as the failure of the top two starters. Liriano has since been banished to Toronto, with two prospects sacrificed for the relief of having his $14 million salary subtracted from this year's payroll.
The Pirates' rotation this year is long on promise, but short on accomplishment. Before last season's impressive 11-game audition, Ivan Nova was mostly a so-so pitcher. Is he the effective strike thrower he was after he came to the Pirates, or did they get fooled by a guy the Yankees were willing to discard?
Jameson Taillon impressed with his stuff and his poise, but his major league experience starts and ends with the 104 innings he pitched last year. Chad Kuhl, the No. 4 starter, has even less of a track record. The fifth spot is wide open.
The closest to a sure thing is Cole. He can't have a repeat of 2016 if the Pirates are to return to a winning season this year.
---
--MAKING MOVES
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford did what he had to do at the trading deadline, and did it within the restrictions that apply.
The Penguins don't have a lot of room under the salary cap, so deals almost always have to be equitable in terms of the salary leaving and that being added. He was able to pick up two very veteran defensemen (Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit) along with one who might have a future in Frank Corrado.
The price was minimal. He gave up some draft choices (including a second rounder) but there's a chance those can be regained in future deals. Eric Fehr, who had fallen on the depth chart, was sacrificed.
The Penguins didn't need a chemistry-altering jolt, and they didn't want to head into the playoffs without having Marc-Andre Fleury as goaltending insurance.
There will be bigger changes in the offseason, when some free agent issues have to be confronted. For now, the focus is solely and correctly short term -- trying to repeat last year's championship run
---
--IN CONTROL
Antonio Brown has a son named Autonomy.
Even within the context of having four "A" named sons, that's still unusual.
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