Thanks, Cutch.
That was the theme of Andrew McCutchen's return to PNC Park Friday night, and the unofficial Cutch Night went off without a hitch.
There were the requisite video tributes, extended standing ovations and a lopsided Pirates' victory. McCutchen hit a double and threw a runner out at the plate, but neither play really affected the outcome.
All divorces should end so amicably.
McCutchen's return popped the biggest crowd so far this season as people took the opportunity to thank McCutchen for his years with the Pirates. He was the center piece of their lineup when the 20-year losing streak finally ended with three consecutive post-season appearances.
Lost in the emotion of his departure and return is the fact that the long-term contract he signed with the Pirates worked out perfectly. The Pirates got the very best years of his career and very little of the decline. The timing was perfect and the cost was reasonable.
Both sides have moved on to new relationships. The Pirates have added Corey Dickerson and reconfigured Starling Marte to center field. McCutchen has a new life with the Giants, batting second and playing right field, two things that were issues when the Pirates sought to implement them.
McCutchen leaves town after this afternoon's game. The Pirates move forward with their new lineup.
The reunion worked out just as well as McCutchen's contract did for the Pirates.
---
If Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford wants to do coach Mike Sullivan a favor, he'll make every effort to trade Phil Kessel this summer.
Kessel is a talented offensive player, which means there's a market for him. There are a lot of teams where he would instantly upgrade the ability to score goals.
The other side is he's the kind of pain in the neck that Advil can't help. His work habits and efforts can be spotty. He's the kind of player the Penguins often had in the old days -- he can coast because of his talent. Sometimes he does.
When Rick Tocchet was an assistant coach, a big part of his responsibility was handling Kessel. The two developed a rapport, and Sullivan was happy to delegate that particular responsibility.
With Tocchet gone to the head coaching job in Phoenix, more of the Kessel duty fell to Sullivan. That wasn't a happy experience.
This isn't about "getting rid of" Kessel as much as it's using an asset to fill a need. If the Penguins can deal Kessel to upgrade their defense, they should consider doing it.
---
Rockefeller Center, corporate headquarters of NBC, is right across Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick Cathedral in Manhattan.
You have a feeling a lot of NBC executives are visiting church daily to pray that the network doesn't wind up with a Winnipeg-Tampa Bay final for the Stanley Cup.
---
If you're really old (Hi!), you remember when Monday Night Football was an event.
Now it's just another game played on a different day. The NFL steers the best games to Sunday nights, which is a much bigger deal in the league's TV package.
Jon Gruden left TV to coach the Oakland Raiders, and play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough was dropped.
ESPN announced last week that the new Monday Night Football announcing crew is Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland (field level analyst) and Lisa Salters.
Booger McFarland?
Like a lot of things, Monday Night Football isn't quite what it used to be.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Altoona Mirror, May 9, 2018
It's over. No Stanley Cup, no parade, no special t-shirts.
The Penguins were bounced from the playoffs in the second round after two consecutive championship seasons.
And, no, this is not similar to what happened in 1993, when the Penguins were eliminated by the New York Islanders after two Cup wins. That team was overconfident, got careless and was beaten by a vastly inferior team.
This year's Penguins didn't have an attitude problem. They lost a tough series to a quality team.
Why are they headed for vacation early this year?
1. Depth. The salary cap caught up with the Penguins and robbed them of depth throughout the roster.
Veteran role players Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen all relocated. Bonino got a break-the-bank deal from Nashville the Penguins had no chance to match.
Had they known Cullen was going to sign with Minnesota, they probably would have made an effort to keep Kunitz. But they incorrectly thought Cullen was coming back and were surprised when he left.
They didn't even make an offer to Kunitz, who wound up with Tampa Bay.
The defense had progressively gotten thinner, and that was exacerbated when Ian Cole was dealt away at the trade deadline.
Then there was the case of Marc-Andre Fleury. Keeping him last season was an incredible luxury that wasn't feasible to repeat. The Penguins went into the playoffs with no viable alternative to Matt Murray.
Four valuable pieces were gone, and none of them was adequately replaced. That hurt.
2. Underachieving veterans. In the next week or so, the Penguins will probably come clean about injuries. It will not be a surprise if they reveal that Phil Kessel, Derick Brassard, Carl Hagelin and even Evgeni Malkin were playing hurt in the postseason.
They certainly weren't themselves. Kessel had one of the best regular seasons of his career, then disappeared. Brassard came with a reputation as a postseason player, but contributed little.
Kris Letang had some incredibly wild ups and downs throughout the season, and that carried over to the playoffs.
3. Goaltending. Murray didn't have a bad series against the Capitals. Nor did he have a great one, and that's what the Penguins needed.
This is a tricky area. Murray made a lot of exceptional saves in the deciding game against Washington, constantly keeping his team within striking distance. But the first goal he allowed was marshmallow soft and helped the Capitals get off to a good start.
4. Lack of urgency? Much was made during the season about the toll two trips to the Final can take on a team. It would be wrong to say the Penguins weren't motivated, but what was up with the slow starts?
Murray's work saved them on some nights. You can't help wonder, though, how the games might have gone if his excellent work had been accompanied by some Pittsburgh goals.
Maybe those sluggish starts reflected the problems with secret injuries. Maybe it was the fatigue kicking in after two extra-long seasons. Whatever happened, the spotty intensity was a factor.
So what do they do now? First, take a week off and get some distance from the emotions of seeing their two-year reign end.
Should Kessel be traded with a goal of beefing up the defense? Can Letang's game be ironed out? Would a veteran back-up goalie help?
The Penguins don't need an overhaul, but some changes are inevitable.
It will be an interesting summer, and it starts early.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The Penguins were bounced from the playoffs in the second round after two consecutive championship seasons.
And, no, this is not similar to what happened in 1993, when the Penguins were eliminated by the New York Islanders after two Cup wins. That team was overconfident, got careless and was beaten by a vastly inferior team.
This year's Penguins didn't have an attitude problem. They lost a tough series to a quality team.
Why are they headed for vacation early this year?
1. Depth. The salary cap caught up with the Penguins and robbed them of depth throughout the roster.
Veteran role players Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen all relocated. Bonino got a break-the-bank deal from Nashville the Penguins had no chance to match.
Had they known Cullen was going to sign with Minnesota, they probably would have made an effort to keep Kunitz. But they incorrectly thought Cullen was coming back and were surprised when he left.
They didn't even make an offer to Kunitz, who wound up with Tampa Bay.
The defense had progressively gotten thinner, and that was exacerbated when Ian Cole was dealt away at the trade deadline.
Then there was the case of Marc-Andre Fleury. Keeping him last season was an incredible luxury that wasn't feasible to repeat. The Penguins went into the playoffs with no viable alternative to Matt Murray.
Four valuable pieces were gone, and none of them was adequately replaced. That hurt.
2. Underachieving veterans. In the next week or so, the Penguins will probably come clean about injuries. It will not be a surprise if they reveal that Phil Kessel, Derick Brassard, Carl Hagelin and even Evgeni Malkin were playing hurt in the postseason.
They certainly weren't themselves. Kessel had one of the best regular seasons of his career, then disappeared. Brassard came with a reputation as a postseason player, but contributed little.
Kris Letang had some incredibly wild ups and downs throughout the season, and that carried over to the playoffs.
3. Goaltending. Murray didn't have a bad series against the Capitals. Nor did he have a great one, and that's what the Penguins needed.
This is a tricky area. Murray made a lot of exceptional saves in the deciding game against Washington, constantly keeping his team within striking distance. But the first goal he allowed was marshmallow soft and helped the Capitals get off to a good start.
4. Lack of urgency? Much was made during the season about the toll two trips to the Final can take on a team. It would be wrong to say the Penguins weren't motivated, but what was up with the slow starts?
Murray's work saved them on some nights. You can't help wonder, though, how the games might have gone if his excellent work had been accompanied by some Pittsburgh goals.
Maybe those sluggish starts reflected the problems with secret injuries. Maybe it was the fatigue kicking in after two extra-long seasons. Whatever happened, the spotty intensity was a factor.
So what do they do now? First, take a week off and get some distance from the emotions of seeing their two-year reign end.
Should Kessel be traded with a goal of beefing up the defense? Can Letang's game be ironed out? Would a veteran back-up goalie help?
The Penguins don't need an overhaul, but some changes are inevitable.
It will be an interesting summer, and it starts early.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Altoona Mirror, May 6, 2018
Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals still has one game remaining on his well-deserved suspension from the NHL.
He earned it with a vicious hit that broke Zach Aston-Reese's jaw. The video doesn't lie. When Wilson aimed his shoulder at Aston-Reese's head and collided with suffient force to lift both skates off the ice, the intent was clear.
The NHL doesn't like to sit players during the playoffs, but Wilson left them no choice.
It is worth noting that Wilson is not some knuckle-dragging Neanderthal who sits at the end of the bench and only gets on the ice when mayhem breaks out. He plays on the Capitals' first line with Alex Ovechkin.
Penguins fans ought to understand that some of the most egregious play can come from an otherwise valuable hockey player.
Matt Cooke spent five seasons with the Penguins from 2008-13, confounding everyone by being both a useful winger and an absolute menace who was hated around the NHL.
Cooke had a number of incidents. The worst was the game when he lined up Boston's Marc Savard for a check and delivered an elbow to the head that knocked Savard out of the lineup for two months.
He got four games for another dirty hit against Fedor Tyutin. When Cooke elbowed Ryan McDonough in the head, it cost him 10 regular season games and the first round of the playoffs.
The Penguins talked to him about reforming his game, about avoiding those bursts af rage that had him trying to injure opponents. Things got better, but he was never fully reformed.
When Cooke moved on to play for Minnesota, he drew a seven-game suspension for a knee-to-knee hit on Tyson Barrie.
So while Wilson's behavior may be reprehensible, it isn't unfamiliar.
There used to be player just like that wearing black and gold.
---
Ben Roethlisberger turned up on a radio interview last week and expressed his disappointment that the Steelers spent a third-round draft pick to select Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Roethlisberger was especially dismayed since he told management before the draft that he planned to play another three to five seasons.
Of course, plans don't always work out.
Terry Bradshaw was 35 in 1983 and not thinking about retirement. But he wrecked his elbow and his career was over. He attempted only eight passes in his final season.
That's how quickly things can change.
In a perfect world, Roethlisberger will be around for several more seasons and continue to play at a high level. But his intentions are only one part of the process.
Vontaze Burfict may wind up making the decision for Roethlisberger and the Steelers. If there's another concussion, maybe a different Roethlisberger -- wife Ashley -- makes the retirement decision.
The Steelers had a chance to draft a quarterback they had rated as worthy of a first-round pick. They chose the insurance policy. Hard to blame them for that.
Ben gets to pick the offensive coordinator. Maybe he can let management handle the draft.
---
Given that the Pirates are paying Starling Marte $7.5 million this season, maybe Marte could pay attention?
---
When the Pirates left for Washington to start their current three-city trip, they were wearing Penguins jerseys.
It was Clint Hurdle's idea, his way of showing support for the Penguins. The players are responsible for getting their own hockey jerseys.
They did this a few years ago, and one player purchased a Penguins jersey at a local sporting goods store. The player was careful to preserve all the tags on the garment.
And when the trip was over, he took the jersey back to the store and got his money back.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
He earned it with a vicious hit that broke Zach Aston-Reese's jaw. The video doesn't lie. When Wilson aimed his shoulder at Aston-Reese's head and collided with suffient force to lift both skates off the ice, the intent was clear.
The NHL doesn't like to sit players during the playoffs, but Wilson left them no choice.
It is worth noting that Wilson is not some knuckle-dragging Neanderthal who sits at the end of the bench and only gets on the ice when mayhem breaks out. He plays on the Capitals' first line with Alex Ovechkin.
Penguins fans ought to understand that some of the most egregious play can come from an otherwise valuable hockey player.
Matt Cooke spent five seasons with the Penguins from 2008-13, confounding everyone by being both a useful winger and an absolute menace who was hated around the NHL.
Cooke had a number of incidents. The worst was the game when he lined up Boston's Marc Savard for a check and delivered an elbow to the head that knocked Savard out of the lineup for two months.
He got four games for another dirty hit against Fedor Tyutin. When Cooke elbowed Ryan McDonough in the head, it cost him 10 regular season games and the first round of the playoffs.
The Penguins talked to him about reforming his game, about avoiding those bursts af rage that had him trying to injure opponents. Things got better, but he was never fully reformed.
When Cooke moved on to play for Minnesota, he drew a seven-game suspension for a knee-to-knee hit on Tyson Barrie.
So while Wilson's behavior may be reprehensible, it isn't unfamiliar.
There used to be player just like that wearing black and gold.
---
Ben Roethlisberger turned up on a radio interview last week and expressed his disappointment that the Steelers spent a third-round draft pick to select Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Roethlisberger was especially dismayed since he told management before the draft that he planned to play another three to five seasons.
Of course, plans don't always work out.
Terry Bradshaw was 35 in 1983 and not thinking about retirement. But he wrecked his elbow and his career was over. He attempted only eight passes in his final season.
That's how quickly things can change.
In a perfect world, Roethlisberger will be around for several more seasons and continue to play at a high level. But his intentions are only one part of the process.
Vontaze Burfict may wind up making the decision for Roethlisberger and the Steelers. If there's another concussion, maybe a different Roethlisberger -- wife Ashley -- makes the retirement decision.
The Steelers had a chance to draft a quarterback they had rated as worthy of a first-round pick. They chose the insurance policy. Hard to blame them for that.
Ben gets to pick the offensive coordinator. Maybe he can let management handle the draft.
---
Given that the Pirates are paying Starling Marte $7.5 million this season, maybe Marte could pay attention?
---
When the Pirates left for Washington to start their current three-city trip, they were wearing Penguins jerseys.
It was Clint Hurdle's idea, his way of showing support for the Penguins. The players are responsible for getting their own hockey jerseys.
They did this a few years ago, and one player purchased a Penguins jersey at a local sporting goods store. The player was careful to preserve all the tags on the garment.
And when the trip was over, he took the jersey back to the store and got his money back.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Altoona Mirror, May 2, 2018
That hit down the third base line on Sunday probably saved Clint Hurdle from hundreds of hateful e-mails.
The single by Paul DeJong came with two outs in the seventh inning and provided the St. Louis Cardinals with their first base runner of the game against the Pirates' Nick Kingham.
What a major league debut it was for Kingham, who came within an out of seven perfect innings.
How long would he have gone had the perfect game continued?
Probably no more than one inning. If that. Kingham's pitch count was already at 94, and Hurdle was using his mental calculator to determine how many more he'd let him throw.
Yes, he would have taken him out with a perfect game intact.
Sorry, but that's the way baseball is managed these days.
Pitch counts matter, especially for young pitchers. Organizations are committed to protecting arms, even if that means sacrificing a run at baseball history.
Hurdle didn't have to make that decision. Kingham finished the inning, the bullpen held the lead and the Pirates completed their weekend sweep of the Cardinals on a chilly day at PNC Park.
If the situation arises again, it will be handled the same way. Get used to it.
By the way, it was a great day for Kingham. He not only won his first start, he got a chance instead for at least one more. Instead of getting a ticket back to the minor leagues, he'll start for the Pirates Friday night in Milwaukee.
---
Ron Francis was cut loose by the Carolina Hurricanes the other day.
Francis had been the team's general manager, but was kicked sideways to a new position during the season.
Now he's out. It wouldn't be a surprise if he wound up in the Penguins front office.
Francis helped the Penguins win their first Stanley Cup in 1990 when he came over from Hartford in a deadline-day trade that helped transform the team. He stayed with the Penguins through 1998 and had some of the best years in his Hall of Fame career.
Francis was a smart player who always provided maximum effort and represented the organization well. He was mentored for the front office in Carolina by Jim Rutherford, the Penguins' current GM.
Between his relationship with Rutherford and the respect co-owner Mario Lemieux has for Francis, it would be natural for the Penguins to have an interest in bringing him aboard.
Rutherford is 69 and will retire to a more relaxing life one of these years.
---
Remember Tim Neverett, who was one of the Pirates' broadcasters from 2009 to 2015? He's moved on to the Boston Red Sox radio crew.
His eldest son, Matt, is calling games for the Pirates' Class A affiliate in Bradenton. That's a low rung in the minor leagues and a good place for a young broadcaster to gain experience.
Maybe someday he'll crack the major leagues.
As Joe Buck, Kenny Albert and Chip Caray have shown, it never hurts to have a father who also happens to be in the sports broadcasting business.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The single by Paul DeJong came with two outs in the seventh inning and provided the St. Louis Cardinals with their first base runner of the game against the Pirates' Nick Kingham.
What a major league debut it was for Kingham, who came within an out of seven perfect innings.
How long would he have gone had the perfect game continued?
Probably no more than one inning. If that. Kingham's pitch count was already at 94, and Hurdle was using his mental calculator to determine how many more he'd let him throw.
Yes, he would have taken him out with a perfect game intact.
Sorry, but that's the way baseball is managed these days.
Pitch counts matter, especially for young pitchers. Organizations are committed to protecting arms, even if that means sacrificing a run at baseball history.
Hurdle didn't have to make that decision. Kingham finished the inning, the bullpen held the lead and the Pirates completed their weekend sweep of the Cardinals on a chilly day at PNC Park.
If the situation arises again, it will be handled the same way. Get used to it.
By the way, it was a great day for Kingham. He not only won his first start, he got a chance instead for at least one more. Instead of getting a ticket back to the minor leagues, he'll start for the Pirates Friday night in Milwaukee.
---
Ron Francis was cut loose by the Carolina Hurricanes the other day.
Francis had been the team's general manager, but was kicked sideways to a new position during the season.
Now he's out. It wouldn't be a surprise if he wound up in the Penguins front office.
Francis helped the Penguins win their first Stanley Cup in 1990 when he came over from Hartford in a deadline-day trade that helped transform the team. He stayed with the Penguins through 1998 and had some of the best years in his Hall of Fame career.
Francis was a smart player who always provided maximum effort and represented the organization well. He was mentored for the front office in Carolina by Jim Rutherford, the Penguins' current GM.
Between his relationship with Rutherford and the respect co-owner Mario Lemieux has for Francis, it would be natural for the Penguins to have an interest in bringing him aboard.
Rutherford is 69 and will retire to a more relaxing life one of these years.
---
Remember Tim Neverett, who was one of the Pirates' broadcasters from 2009 to 2015? He's moved on to the Boston Red Sox radio crew.
His eldest son, Matt, is calling games for the Pirates' Class A affiliate in Bradenton. That's a low rung in the minor leagues and a good place for a young broadcaster to gain experience.
Maybe someday he'll crack the major leagues.
As Joe Buck, Kenny Albert and Chip Caray have shown, it never hurts to have a father who also happens to be in the sports broadcasting business.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Altoona Mirror, April 29, 2018
The Steelers got rid of a problem, and the Pirates may have reacquired one.
Here's some commentary to go with the headlines:
--The NFL holds its draft, and the Steelers make a trade.
You want a letter grade on the Steelers' draft? It's W, which stands for wait and see. Wait about four years, as a matter of fact.
Sorry, that's reality. It's guesswork, which could be proven by hauling out the stories where Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin raved about getting Jarvis Jones on the first round in 2013.
Does anybody remember spontaneous dancing in the streets when the Steelers selected Antonio Brown on the sixth round in 2010? Of course not. And what of James Harrison, who was never drafted?
It's guesswork. Educated guesswork for the experts, while lesser lights just throw darts or flip coins.
The Steelers made one move on the first night of the draft that made perfect sense. They sent receiver Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round draft pick.
How do you get rid of a headache? Trade him.
Bryant had no future with the Steelers. His contract was due to expire after this season, and he wasn't going to be re-signed. After sitting out a full season's suspension for NFL drug policy violations, Bryant came back to his second chance cranky rather than committed.
He sniped at rookie Juju Smith Schuster, seemingly out of jealousy, and offered an unwanted sullen counterpoint to Smith Schuster's ebullience. Maybe the trade and change of scenery will jolt Bryant into maximizing his considerable talent, but that wasn't likely to happen in Pittsburgh.
--The Pirates announce the return of Jung Ho Kang.
Meanwhile, the Pirates surprised everyone with the news that Kang had cleared the legal hurdles that were preventing him from playing in the United States. Kang's ban came after his third DUI conviction in South Korea.
Can he still play? He's 31, he's been away for 14 months and he was released from a Dominican winter ball team after a few weeks of dreadful play.
Do the Pirates need him? They could certainly use whatever power they can find, but rookie third baseman Colin Moran has had a good first month and there are adequate backups in Sean Rodriguez and David Freese.
Fan reaction is less of a concern. If Kang hits, people will be happy. If he's awful, there will be a traffic jam on the moral high road. Because that's the way sports works.
If Kang can play, the Pirates have some options. They could install him at second base and trade Josh Harrison, whose versatility would be very attractive to a contending team. They hold an option on Kang for next season at a relatively modest $5.5 million. On the other hand, Harrison's team option for next season (when he'll be 31) is $10.25 million.
---
The late Bruno Sammartino was widely praised as a genuine guy, which he was.
That's interesting because the business that made him famous was a complete fraud.
There was no sadder image from Sammartino's funeral than the shot of retired wrestler Domenic DeNucci waving goodbye to Sammartino as the door to the hearse was being closed. DeNucci's friend, Tom Leturgey, described him as "inconsolable" at that moment.
In the last nine months, DeNucci has lost his wife and now his best friend. That's a lot to handle at age 86.
---
A little timeline perspective:
The last time the Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup, the Steelers had one Super Bowl trophy.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Here's some commentary to go with the headlines:
--The NFL holds its draft, and the Steelers make a trade.
You want a letter grade on the Steelers' draft? It's W, which stands for wait and see. Wait about four years, as a matter of fact.
Sorry, that's reality. It's guesswork, which could be proven by hauling out the stories where Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin raved about getting Jarvis Jones on the first round in 2013.
Does anybody remember spontaneous dancing in the streets when the Steelers selected Antonio Brown on the sixth round in 2010? Of course not. And what of James Harrison, who was never drafted?
It's guesswork. Educated guesswork for the experts, while lesser lights just throw darts or flip coins.
The Steelers made one move on the first night of the draft that made perfect sense. They sent receiver Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round draft pick.
How do you get rid of a headache? Trade him.
Bryant had no future with the Steelers. His contract was due to expire after this season, and he wasn't going to be re-signed. After sitting out a full season's suspension for NFL drug policy violations, Bryant came back to his second chance cranky rather than committed.
He sniped at rookie Juju Smith Schuster, seemingly out of jealousy, and offered an unwanted sullen counterpoint to Smith Schuster's ebullience. Maybe the trade and change of scenery will jolt Bryant into maximizing his considerable talent, but that wasn't likely to happen in Pittsburgh.
--The Pirates announce the return of Jung Ho Kang.
Meanwhile, the Pirates surprised everyone with the news that Kang had cleared the legal hurdles that were preventing him from playing in the United States. Kang's ban came after his third DUI conviction in South Korea.
Can he still play? He's 31, he's been away for 14 months and he was released from a Dominican winter ball team after a few weeks of dreadful play.
Do the Pirates need him? They could certainly use whatever power they can find, but rookie third baseman Colin Moran has had a good first month and there are adequate backups in Sean Rodriguez and David Freese.
Fan reaction is less of a concern. If Kang hits, people will be happy. If he's awful, there will be a traffic jam on the moral high road. Because that's the way sports works.
If Kang can play, the Pirates have some options. They could install him at second base and trade Josh Harrison, whose versatility would be very attractive to a contending team. They hold an option on Kang for next season at a relatively modest $5.5 million. On the other hand, Harrison's team option for next season (when he'll be 31) is $10.25 million.
---
The late Bruno Sammartino was widely praised as a genuine guy, which he was.
That's interesting because the business that made him famous was a complete fraud.
There was no sadder image from Sammartino's funeral than the shot of retired wrestler Domenic DeNucci waving goodbye to Sammartino as the door to the hearse was being closed. DeNucci's friend, Tom Leturgey, described him as "inconsolable" at that moment.
In the last nine months, DeNucci has lost his wife and now his best friend. That's a lot to handle at age 86.
---
A little timeline perspective:
The last time the Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup, the Steelers had one Super Bowl trophy.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Altoona Mirror, April 25, 2018
They meet again.
The Penguins open the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Washington on Thursday evening, starting what has become an almost annual series between the rivals.
The only thing more predictable than Penguins-Capitals is the outcome. There have been 10 playoff series. The Penguins have won nine.
So before the perfunctory prediction, let's get to some of the factors to watch in this series:
--Goaltending. Can Matt Murray handle the load of a nigh intensity series against a quality opponent? There's no Marc-Andre Fleury safety net this time, so it's on Murray. He had mixed results against Philadelphia, but the final result in that series also speaks for itself.
--Evgeni Malkin. He missed the last game of the Flyers series with a lower body injury. The Penguins didn't miss a beat, scoring eight goals without him. But sustaining offense could be a problem without Malkin's talent. Injury information is strictly classified in hockey, especially in the playoffs, so we have no prognosis on Malkin. The Penguins will need him.
--Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals' star doesn't have trouble scoring goals against the Penguins. He's had a big comeback from a disappointing season last year, and he was good in the Capitals' first-round series against Columbus. Can the Penguins questionable defense keep Ovechkin under control?
--Fatigue? The Penguins have played into June in the last two seasons. The wear and tear of that grind showed up at times in the regular season, but was not a factor in the Flyers series. The Capitals will play a physical game, guaranteed. It could take a toll during this series.
So, here's what it looks like -- the Penguins in seven games. But with these two talented teams, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it go the limit and turn out in the Capitals' favor.
They have to win one of these years, don't they?
---
The season is over for the Penguins' TV announcing team of Steve Mears and Bob Errey.
After the first round of the playoffs, all the games belong to NBC, which spreads them among its various channels.
The local announcers will continue on radio all the way through, so Mike Lange will be calling the games with Phil Bourque for as long as the Penguins last.
---
Mike Francesa was the best known and highest paid host on New York's WFAN radio.
He left the all-sports station last December, walking away from a $3 mullion annual salary.
Now he's reconsidered and will return to the station as soon as possible. The separation really didn't work out for either side.
Francesa didn't find anything else to do, and there's also the matter of missing that $3 million in the bank account.
The station's ratings tanked without Francesa, so they're more than willing to take him back.
---
Has a baseball team ever had worse luck with early season weather at home than the Pirates?
The snow has finally gone away, but it was replaced Tuesday night by a miserable steady drizzle.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The Penguins open the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Washington on Thursday evening, starting what has become an almost annual series between the rivals.
The only thing more predictable than Penguins-Capitals is the outcome. There have been 10 playoff series. The Penguins have won nine.
So before the perfunctory prediction, let's get to some of the factors to watch in this series:
--Goaltending. Can Matt Murray handle the load of a nigh intensity series against a quality opponent? There's no Marc-Andre Fleury safety net this time, so it's on Murray. He had mixed results against Philadelphia, but the final result in that series also speaks for itself.
--Evgeni Malkin. He missed the last game of the Flyers series with a lower body injury. The Penguins didn't miss a beat, scoring eight goals without him. But sustaining offense could be a problem without Malkin's talent. Injury information is strictly classified in hockey, especially in the playoffs, so we have no prognosis on Malkin. The Penguins will need him.
--Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals' star doesn't have trouble scoring goals against the Penguins. He's had a big comeback from a disappointing season last year, and he was good in the Capitals' first-round series against Columbus. Can the Penguins questionable defense keep Ovechkin under control?
--Fatigue? The Penguins have played into June in the last two seasons. The wear and tear of that grind showed up at times in the regular season, but was not a factor in the Flyers series. The Capitals will play a physical game, guaranteed. It could take a toll during this series.
So, here's what it looks like -- the Penguins in seven games. But with these two talented teams, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it go the limit and turn out in the Capitals' favor.
They have to win one of these years, don't they?
---
The season is over for the Penguins' TV announcing team of Steve Mears and Bob Errey.
After the first round of the playoffs, all the games belong to NBC, which spreads them among its various channels.
The local announcers will continue on radio all the way through, so Mike Lange will be calling the games with Phil Bourque for as long as the Penguins last.
---
Mike Francesa was the best known and highest paid host on New York's WFAN radio.
He left the all-sports station last December, walking away from a $3 mullion annual salary.
Now he's reconsidered and will return to the station as soon as possible. The separation really didn't work out for either side.
Francesa didn't find anything else to do, and there's also the matter of missing that $3 million in the bank account.
The station's ratings tanked without Francesa, so they're more than willing to take him back.
---
Has a baseball team ever had worse luck with early season weather at home than the Pirates?
The snow has finally gone away, but it was replaced Tuesday night by a miserable steady drizzle.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Altoona Mirror, April 22, 2018
If you root, root, root for the home team, does that mean you have to hate the guys on the other team?
That question is relevant as the Penguins' Stanley Cup playoff series against the Flyers returns to Philadelphia this afternoon for a sixth game.
They don't think much of Sidney Crosby in Philly.
They've been chanting about him for years, and making up signs that identify him as "Cindy" Crosby. It started right from the beginning, when Crosby had his facial features rearranged by a Flyers' high stick.
When he used his bloody mouth to complain to the referees about the treatment, he picked up the reputation as a whiner.
It's more than that, of course. Crosby has inflicted more than a decade's worth of damage on the Flyers and visibly enjoyed every moment of that.
So the fans chant and they carry signs that suggest the Penguins' franchise player is a whining little girl.
The latest is that someone put photographs of Crosby in the urinals at the Wells Fargo Center in advance of one of last week's games.
The Flyers said the prank was not sanctioned by the team. That raises a different question: in this age of pat downs and bag inspections at the gates, someone can enter the building and plant things in the restrooms? Yikes.
Plus you'd think the team would have them removed before the gates were opened.
The idea was apparently borrowed from a tactic used by Washington Capitals during a previous playoff series against the Penguins. It didn't work then either.
What exactly is the idea? Is Crosby supposed to get so spooked that he'll play poorly? If the chants and signs don't bother him, why would that?
Disclaimer: Philadelphia doesn't have an exclusive on knuckleheads among its fan base. The Steelers-Browns rivalry doesn't amount to much these days, but there's still a brisk business in obscene t-shirts about Cleveland outside Heinz Field on game days.
Philadelphia does have a reputation for an excess level of rowdiness, which is almost always characterized by the 1968 incident when Eagles fans booed Santa Claus and threw snowballs at him.
Win or lose, the Penguins are playing their last game in Philadelphia today.
Maybe that will be a relief for Crosby. It certainly will be for the janitorial staff at the Wells Fargo Center.
---
So which is the real Pirates team -- the one that started the season 11-4, or the one that has lost five of its last six games?
Trick question! They both are.
If anything is encouraging about this past week's slide, it's that the culprit has been the offense and not the suspect starting pitching. The Pirates got only one really bad outing from a starter. That came from Jameson Taillon, the starter who provides the least concern.
The problem has been the offense, and it's been an illustration of how important Gregory Polanco is to the daily lineup. Things go much more smoothly when Polanco provides a productive bat and power threat in the middle of the lineup.
This is a pivotal season for him and will go a long way toward determining whether the long-term contract he signed was a smart investment or a more expensive Jose Tabata-like misfire.
Whatever happens, remember this. It's April 22. It's far too early to reach any conclusions, positive or negative.
---
If AT&T Sports Net's goal was to bore everybody with tutorials on advanced stats, they've hit a home run. (The hit probability on that was 99 percent, by the way).
Sports are supposed to be fun, not math class. There's a place for the information, but it shouldn't be presented in lecture form.
Baseball is played by real humans. How about some stories about them instead of reducing what they do to a bunch of actuary tables?
---
Late the other night, a radio talk show guy was projecting the Steelers' record based on the announcement of their schedule.
Wouldn't it be wise to wait until after the draft for that, just to see who might actually be on the team?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
That question is relevant as the Penguins' Stanley Cup playoff series against the Flyers returns to Philadelphia this afternoon for a sixth game.
They don't think much of Sidney Crosby in Philly.
They've been chanting about him for years, and making up signs that identify him as "Cindy" Crosby. It started right from the beginning, when Crosby had his facial features rearranged by a Flyers' high stick.
When he used his bloody mouth to complain to the referees about the treatment, he picked up the reputation as a whiner.
It's more than that, of course. Crosby has inflicted more than a decade's worth of damage on the Flyers and visibly enjoyed every moment of that.
So the fans chant and they carry signs that suggest the Penguins' franchise player is a whining little girl.
The latest is that someone put photographs of Crosby in the urinals at the Wells Fargo Center in advance of one of last week's games.
The Flyers said the prank was not sanctioned by the team. That raises a different question: in this age of pat downs and bag inspections at the gates, someone can enter the building and plant things in the restrooms? Yikes.
Plus you'd think the team would have them removed before the gates were opened.
The idea was apparently borrowed from a tactic used by Washington Capitals during a previous playoff series against the Penguins. It didn't work then either.
What exactly is the idea? Is Crosby supposed to get so spooked that he'll play poorly? If the chants and signs don't bother him, why would that?
Disclaimer: Philadelphia doesn't have an exclusive on knuckleheads among its fan base. The Steelers-Browns rivalry doesn't amount to much these days, but there's still a brisk business in obscene t-shirts about Cleveland outside Heinz Field on game days.
Philadelphia does have a reputation for an excess level of rowdiness, which is almost always characterized by the 1968 incident when Eagles fans booed Santa Claus and threw snowballs at him.
Win or lose, the Penguins are playing their last game in Philadelphia today.
Maybe that will be a relief for Crosby. It certainly will be for the janitorial staff at the Wells Fargo Center.
---
So which is the real Pirates team -- the one that started the season 11-4, or the one that has lost five of its last six games?
Trick question! They both are.
If anything is encouraging about this past week's slide, it's that the culprit has been the offense and not the suspect starting pitching. The Pirates got only one really bad outing from a starter. That came from Jameson Taillon, the starter who provides the least concern.
The problem has been the offense, and it's been an illustration of how important Gregory Polanco is to the daily lineup. Things go much more smoothly when Polanco provides a productive bat and power threat in the middle of the lineup.
This is a pivotal season for him and will go a long way toward determining whether the long-term contract he signed was a smart investment or a more expensive Jose Tabata-like misfire.
Whatever happens, remember this. It's April 22. It's far too early to reach any conclusions, positive or negative.
---
If AT&T Sports Net's goal was to bore everybody with tutorials on advanced stats, they've hit a home run. (The hit probability on that was 99 percent, by the way).
Sports are supposed to be fun, not math class. There's a place for the information, but it shouldn't be presented in lecture form.
Baseball is played by real humans. How about some stories about them instead of reducing what they do to a bunch of actuary tables?
---
Late the other night, a radio talk show guy was projecting the Steelers' record based on the announcement of their schedule.
Wouldn't it be wise to wait until after the draft for that, just to see who might actually be on the team?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)