Steelers Sunday comes early this week.
In fact, the home game against the Carolina Panthers will be on Thursday night.
The good news is once it's over, the players and staff will have extra time to recover before the next game, Nov. 18 at Jacksonville.
That's the extent of the good news.
The players will barely be over last Sunday's bumps and bruises when they line up against the Panthers.
They're working in double time. Offensive lineman Ramon Foster broke it down this way: Monday is the normal recovery day, spent reviewing the previous game and getting medical treatment.
Tuesday -- normally a day off -- becomes the equivalent of Tuesday and Wednesday in a regular week. That's the time to get the game plan and do the heavy practice work.
This week's Wednesday is like a combination of Friday and Saturday in a normal week. There's a light practice and a walk through. One benefit is it's a home game for the Steelers. Otherwise, they'd be on a plane to Carolina.
It's not the same as working in a coal mine, but it's a disruption of the normal routine. And there's no real good reason for it.
Thursday NFL games used to be limited to one day per season, Thanksgiving. The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys had home games and the opponents rotated.
Now there's a game every Thursday, and participation is mandatory. Every team gets stuck with one Thursday game.
The NFL started this "tradition" when the league started its own TV channel and wanted unique content. Now they share some of the games with the networks (this one is on Fox) for more money.
The players are ill served by playing with such a short recovery time, but that's OK in the NFL.
Player safety is something to endlessly discuss. It takes a back seat to making money, though.
---
Ever get together with co-workers after hours and discuss your grievances with the workplace?
It's highly likely. Any non-hook up meetings in bars after 5 p.m. are people complaining about the boss.
It's mostly harmless, just people blowing off steam.
But what if someone had an unseen video camera recording, and the bosses being assailed were able to eavesdrop on the conversation?
In the immortal word of Myron Cope, yoi. That's what happened to a bunch of Ottawa Senators players who got an Uber ride back to their hotel in Arizona. They used the trip to unload on the incompetence of an assistant coach.
The driver had a camera activated, then posted the video online.
As you can imagine, there have been repercussions. The audio quality is quite good, so there's no doubt about what they're saying and who's saying it.
Turns out it is not illegal to record people without their consent in Arizona (it is illegal in Pennsylvania), although it is a violation of Uber policy.
Must have made for an uncomfortable team meeting when nearly one third of the players were seen bashing one of their coaches.
Since there's video evidence, the usual dodges are not applicable. There's no denying what was said or claiming the context isn't understood.
Technology is great in so many ways, but what's happened to America when workers can't have a private boss bash?
---
No more political ads on TV for at least a few months.
There should be a parade today.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Altoona Mirror, November 4, 2018
Aw, who needs Le'Veon Bell, right?
That's been the prevailing sentiment lately as Bell's contract holdout continues with no end or logic in sight. His absence has coincided with some record-setting work by replacement James Conner.
In last Sunday's game against Cleveland, Conner piled up 212 yards from scrimmage. He became the first Steelers running back to rush for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in three consecutive games.
He's the only one on an all-time roster that includes Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis and, yes, even Tom "The Bomb" Tracy.
Conner has been impressive. His numbers so far this season top those posted by Bell last season.
But the operative words in the previous sentence are "so far." Conner is in his second NFL season. His rookie season, which had a much lighter workload, ended two games early because of a knee injury that required surgery.
Conner only carried the ball 32 times last year. He didn't catch a pass and was only targeted once in his limited role.
He's been a workhorse this year, carrying the ball 127 times and catching 31 passes on 41 targets.
He's obviously been productive, too, with a smashing running style that either makes tacklers miss or simply blasts through them.
Today's game in Baltimore marks the halfway point of the season. Eight games to go, and then the playoffs start. The Steelers expect to be in the postseason.
That's a lot of work for Conner, especially when the weather deteriorates and running the ball often becomes a better option than passing.
This is a concern because there's very little depth behind Conner. Stevan Ridley has 10 carries for 30 yards. He was lifted from last Sunday's game when he fumbled the ball after catching a pass. The Steelers are his fifth team in six seasons.
Jaylen Samuels is a rookie who has run the ball four times in the NFL. The Steelers' No. 2 rusher is Ben Roethlisberger, whose quarterback sneaks and scrambles have amounted to 44 yards in the first seven games.
If anything happens to Conner, the Steelers probably won't have much of a running game.
Bell is a royal pain in the neck, but he would also be a formidable insurance policy to have on the sideline.
---
There was much consternation when Pitt defensive back Damarri Mathis celebrated a play with a gesture Friday night at Virginia.
Some people thought Mathis was miming the shooting of a machine gun. If that had been the case, it would have been in the worst possible taste, given the tragic events that unfolded last week at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
Mathis and Pitt maintained he was imitating a dance move from a popular rap video.
He's a vote for the latter explanation. While his movements could have been perceived as firing a machine gun, it isn't likely. You could even make a case that he looked like he was playing air guitar.
The video is all over the Internet, so check for yourself. If someone hadn't suggested the machine gun angle, how many people would have perceived it that way?
Maybe it was too close for comfort given the rawness still prevalent from the horrific shooting incident, but it seems unlikely Mathis intended any malice.
---
In case you missed it, Los Angeles Dodgers batters managed 34 hits in five World Series games against the Boston Red Sox.
Dodgers batters struck out 56 times in the Series.
Not that the Red Sox were a whole lot better with 42 hits and 53 strikeouts.
It's a different game now, all or nothing.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
That's been the prevailing sentiment lately as Bell's contract holdout continues with no end or logic in sight. His absence has coincided with some record-setting work by replacement James Conner.
In last Sunday's game against Cleveland, Conner piled up 212 yards from scrimmage. He became the first Steelers running back to rush for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in three consecutive games.
He's the only one on an all-time roster that includes Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis and, yes, even Tom "The Bomb" Tracy.
Conner has been impressive. His numbers so far this season top those posted by Bell last season.
But the operative words in the previous sentence are "so far." Conner is in his second NFL season. His rookie season, which had a much lighter workload, ended two games early because of a knee injury that required surgery.
Conner only carried the ball 32 times last year. He didn't catch a pass and was only targeted once in his limited role.
He's been a workhorse this year, carrying the ball 127 times and catching 31 passes on 41 targets.
He's obviously been productive, too, with a smashing running style that either makes tacklers miss or simply blasts through them.
Today's game in Baltimore marks the halfway point of the season. Eight games to go, and then the playoffs start. The Steelers expect to be in the postseason.
That's a lot of work for Conner, especially when the weather deteriorates and running the ball often becomes a better option than passing.
This is a concern because there's very little depth behind Conner. Stevan Ridley has 10 carries for 30 yards. He was lifted from last Sunday's game when he fumbled the ball after catching a pass. The Steelers are his fifth team in six seasons.
Jaylen Samuels is a rookie who has run the ball four times in the NFL. The Steelers' No. 2 rusher is Ben Roethlisberger, whose quarterback sneaks and scrambles have amounted to 44 yards in the first seven games.
If anything happens to Conner, the Steelers probably won't have much of a running game.
Bell is a royal pain in the neck, but he would also be a formidable insurance policy to have on the sideline.
---
There was much consternation when Pitt defensive back Damarri Mathis celebrated a play with a gesture Friday night at Virginia.
Some people thought Mathis was miming the shooting of a machine gun. If that had been the case, it would have been in the worst possible taste, given the tragic events that unfolded last week at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
Mathis and Pitt maintained he was imitating a dance move from a popular rap video.
He's a vote for the latter explanation. While his movements could have been perceived as firing a machine gun, it isn't likely. You could even make a case that he looked like he was playing air guitar.
The video is all over the Internet, so check for yourself. If someone hadn't suggested the machine gun angle, how many people would have perceived it that way?
Maybe it was too close for comfort given the rawness still prevalent from the horrific shooting incident, but it seems unlikely Mathis intended any malice.
---
In case you missed it, Los Angeles Dodgers batters managed 34 hits in five World Series games against the Boston Red Sox.
Dodgers batters struck out 56 times in the Series.
Not that the Red Sox were a whole lot better with 42 hits and 53 strikeouts.
It's a different game now, all or nothing.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 31, 2018
Good news. The NFL trading deadline passed Tuesday afternoon, and that ended all the crackpot Le'Veon Bell trade rumors.
He'll either play for the Steelers, or he'll stay home and lose in excess of $800,000 every time his erstwhile teammates play a game.
The Steelers did nothing at the deadline, which is exactly what they were expected to do. They can still sign players who have been cut loose by other teams, of course. That's usually a matter of necessity rather than choice, though.
There were a couple of notable notes from Mike Tomlin's weekly briefing. He said the left hand injury Ben Roethlisberger sustained in Sunday's game against Cleveland is actually a fractured index finger.
That's not as significant as an injury to his right hand would be, but it bears watching. The injury, and whatever gear he has to wear to protect it, will make it more difficult to handle the ball.
Tomlin also freely admitted why former first-round draft pick Artie Burns didn't get on the field Sunday apart from special teams duty.
Burns was late for Saturday's walk-through and Tomlin penalized him by keeping him on the bench.
Burns' playing time has diminished so much through this season that his absence was barely noticed.
Still, it's a disturbing development. The Steelers obviously expected big things from Burns when they chose him first in 2016. He did OK as a rookie, seemed to regress last year and can't seem to keep his spot this season.
It's looking like he's following the bad career path of Jarvis Jones, another No. 1 pick who wound up disappointing.
Burns is only 23, and he has a lot of ability, so it's hard to give up on him. But this is fundamental: If you're having a rotten season, at least show up for work on time.
---
Steve Pearce was the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 World Series. You could have won some serious money betting on that underdog.
Pearce spent his first major league years with the Pirates between 2007-11. He had power potential, but posted so-so numbers and was allowed to leave as a free agent.
The Minnesota Twins signed him and then released him at the end of spring training. Pearce has been with seven organizations since he left the Pirates. The Baltimore Orioles had him three different times.
Pearce got hot at the right time and was pretty much a clear-cut choice in the short series. It happens in baseball.
Gene Tenace was the MVP of the 1972 World Series for the Oakland Athletics. He'd had a lousy regular season as a part-time player, batting .225 and hitting five home runs in 227 at-bats.
He was worse in the American League Championship Series, managing one hit in 17 at-bats for a .059 average.
But when the World Series started, he became Babe Ruth...or at least the Babe's cousin. Tenace batted .348 and hit four home runs in 23 at-bats.
So he won the trophy and the car and had a memorable moment in a career that didn't have a lot of them.
And now history will note Steve Pearce has won an award that's named for Willie Mays.
Crazy game.
---
Happy Halloween
It's the day celebrated by ghosts, sugar-crazed kids and dentists.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
He'll either play for the Steelers, or he'll stay home and lose in excess of $800,000 every time his erstwhile teammates play a game.
The Steelers did nothing at the deadline, which is exactly what they were expected to do. They can still sign players who have been cut loose by other teams, of course. That's usually a matter of necessity rather than choice, though.
There were a couple of notable notes from Mike Tomlin's weekly briefing. He said the left hand injury Ben Roethlisberger sustained in Sunday's game against Cleveland is actually a fractured index finger.
That's not as significant as an injury to his right hand would be, but it bears watching. The injury, and whatever gear he has to wear to protect it, will make it more difficult to handle the ball.
Tomlin also freely admitted why former first-round draft pick Artie Burns didn't get on the field Sunday apart from special teams duty.
Burns was late for Saturday's walk-through and Tomlin penalized him by keeping him on the bench.
Burns' playing time has diminished so much through this season that his absence was barely noticed.
Still, it's a disturbing development. The Steelers obviously expected big things from Burns when they chose him first in 2016. He did OK as a rookie, seemed to regress last year and can't seem to keep his spot this season.
It's looking like he's following the bad career path of Jarvis Jones, another No. 1 pick who wound up disappointing.
Burns is only 23, and he has a lot of ability, so it's hard to give up on him. But this is fundamental: If you're having a rotten season, at least show up for work on time.
---
Steve Pearce was the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 World Series. You could have won some serious money betting on that underdog.
Pearce spent his first major league years with the Pirates between 2007-11. He had power potential, but posted so-so numbers and was allowed to leave as a free agent.
The Minnesota Twins signed him and then released him at the end of spring training. Pearce has been with seven organizations since he left the Pirates. The Baltimore Orioles had him three different times.
Pearce got hot at the right time and was pretty much a clear-cut choice in the short series. It happens in baseball.
Gene Tenace was the MVP of the 1972 World Series for the Oakland Athletics. He'd had a lousy regular season as a part-time player, batting .225 and hitting five home runs in 227 at-bats.
He was worse in the American League Championship Series, managing one hit in 17 at-bats for a .059 average.
But when the World Series started, he became Babe Ruth...or at least the Babe's cousin. Tenace batted .348 and hit four home runs in 23 at-bats.
So he won the trophy and the car and had a memorable moment in a career that didn't have a lot of them.
And now history will note Steve Pearce has won an award that's named for Willie Mays.
Crazy game.
---
Happy Halloween
It's the day celebrated by ghosts, sugar-crazed kids and dentists.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Monday, October 29, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 29, 2018
Sunday dawned gray and gloomy in Pittsburgh with a persistent drizzle.
It was one of those days when the elements matched the mood.
The Steelers played the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field, just a few miles from the spot where a hideous tragedy was making international headlines.
An individual armed with automatic weapons and hate started firing at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. By the time he was captured, the destruction was horrific.
Eleven people died, nine of them over the age of 65. Two victims were brothers. A husband and wife died. They were killed because they attended a Saturday morning worship service.
Around the time the players were being introduced on the North Side Sunday, the victims' names were being released to the media by authorities.
When Mike Tomlin and his wife Kiya moved to Pittsburgh with their three children in 2007, they bought a house in Squirrel Hill. He estimated his home is about 800 yards from Tree of Life.
Steelers president Art Rooney II also lives in Squirrel Hill, a leafy green neighborhood known for stately old houses, an eclectic retail and restaurant mix and a unique sense of community. Its main thoroughfare, Murray Avenue, is busy daily with pedestrians. Even if the dog walkers and shoppers don't actually know each other, there's a bond.
By now, we're all familiar with Tomlin's demeanor at news conferences. He stares stonily from beneath his cap and answers questions in a clipped manner that belies no emotion. He's all business.
Sunday was different. Tomlin appeared ready to tear up when he was talking about Saturday's events.
"I'm a member of the Squirrel Hill community personally, and words cannot express how we feel as members of the community," Tomlin said. "We are prayerful."
This was personal for some of the Steelers. The team's former director of community relations, Michele Rosenthal, lost her two brothers in the attack.
Ben Roethlisberger opened his post-game results by saying, "Our thoughts, love and prayers go to all the victims of yesterday's senseless shooting, especially from me and my family to Michele. We love you, Michele, and we are thinking about you."
Defensive end Cam Heyward has done community work in Squirrel Hill and Saturday's images hit him hard.
"It's your own community, so it hurts even more," Heyward said. "It hurt a lot. I'm not going to sugar coat it. I thought about, what if my kids were there? I have friends who live there and I'm calling to check.
"For someone to do such a harmful and hateful crime....Pittsburgh is better than that. Nobody deserves that. They are innocent people. I don't care what you believe, you treat people with respect and care about everybody."
The Steelers observed a moment of silence before the game. Roethlisberger said he had tears in his eyes.
Across town, the Penguins announced they have canceled a Halloween costume promotion for their next home game on Tuesday. Instead, they'll collect money for a victims fund. They are also promoting a blood donation drive.
After Sunday's game, some media people were trying to pursue the angle that the Steelers had given a grieving city a gift with the 33-18 victory over Cleveland. That's just silly. At best, the game was a three-hour distraction from a very grim reality.
"Today was much larger than the game of football," running back James Conner said. "Our hearts are with the victims."
Long after the score and details are forgotten, this will be remembered as the day the quarterback was crying and the head coach was moved to offer a rare and involuntary look behind his ice-cold facade.
Gray and damp and depressing, no football game could fix this.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
It was one of those days when the elements matched the mood.
The Steelers played the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field, just a few miles from the spot where a hideous tragedy was making international headlines.
An individual armed with automatic weapons and hate started firing at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. By the time he was captured, the destruction was horrific.
Eleven people died, nine of them over the age of 65. Two victims were brothers. A husband and wife died. They were killed because they attended a Saturday morning worship service.
Around the time the players were being introduced on the North Side Sunday, the victims' names were being released to the media by authorities.
When Mike Tomlin and his wife Kiya moved to Pittsburgh with their three children in 2007, they bought a house in Squirrel Hill. He estimated his home is about 800 yards from Tree of Life.
Steelers president Art Rooney II also lives in Squirrel Hill, a leafy green neighborhood known for stately old houses, an eclectic retail and restaurant mix and a unique sense of community. Its main thoroughfare, Murray Avenue, is busy daily with pedestrians. Even if the dog walkers and shoppers don't actually know each other, there's a bond.
By now, we're all familiar with Tomlin's demeanor at news conferences. He stares stonily from beneath his cap and answers questions in a clipped manner that belies no emotion. He's all business.
Sunday was different. Tomlin appeared ready to tear up when he was talking about Saturday's events.
"I'm a member of the Squirrel Hill community personally, and words cannot express how we feel as members of the community," Tomlin said. "We are prayerful."
This was personal for some of the Steelers. The team's former director of community relations, Michele Rosenthal, lost her two brothers in the attack.
Ben Roethlisberger opened his post-game results by saying, "Our thoughts, love and prayers go to all the victims of yesterday's senseless shooting, especially from me and my family to Michele. We love you, Michele, and we are thinking about you."
Defensive end Cam Heyward has done community work in Squirrel Hill and Saturday's images hit him hard.
"It's your own community, so it hurts even more," Heyward said. "It hurt a lot. I'm not going to sugar coat it. I thought about, what if my kids were there? I have friends who live there and I'm calling to check.
"For someone to do such a harmful and hateful crime....Pittsburgh is better than that. Nobody deserves that. They are innocent people. I don't care what you believe, you treat people with respect and care about everybody."
The Steelers observed a moment of silence before the game. Roethlisberger said he had tears in his eyes.
Across town, the Penguins announced they have canceled a Halloween costume promotion for their next home game on Tuesday. Instead, they'll collect money for a victims fund. They are also promoting a blood donation drive.
After Sunday's game, some media people were trying to pursue the angle that the Steelers had given a grieving city a gift with the 33-18 victory over Cleveland. That's just silly. At best, the game was a three-hour distraction from a very grim reality.
"Today was much larger than the game of football," running back James Conner said. "Our hearts are with the victims."
Long after the score and details are forgotten, this will be remembered as the day the quarterback was crying and the head coach was moved to offer a rare and involuntary look behind his ice-cold facade.
Gray and damp and depressing, no football game could fix this.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 28, 2018
The Cleveland Browns are in town today, and their visits have usually been as welcome as those from Santa Claus.
It's generally been a nice way for the Steelers to pick up an easy win.
Maybe not now, though. The Browns still aren't good, but they aren't awful, either.
The Steelers should have picked up on that when the Browns managed to come out of the season opener with a tie against them. That was with the mediocre Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. He has since been supplanted by No. 1 draft choice Baker Mayfield.
His name may sound like a brokerage ("I moved my money from Hunter Pence to Baker Mayfield") but he's a talented player who has actually helped the Browns win games, something no Cleveland quarterback has seemingly done reliably since the days of Brian Sipe (Good morning, fellow old-timers).
The Steelers used to be automatic against rookie quarterbacks, devising schemes that would confuse them to the point of nightmares. This current Steelers defense mostly scares just Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers are coming off the bye week, and sometimes that leads to sluggishness. This is a big game for the Browns.
The Steelers and Browns frequently meet at the end of the season, when Cleveland's hopes of respectability have been dashed and the sole priority is exiting the game without an injury that will ruin the offseason.
This time, though, the Browns are 2-4-1 and tap dancing on that thin line between winning and losing. They've lost two games by three points and another by four.
They may not be good, but they're also no longer the Browns who inspire more laughs than a "Seinfeld" rerun.
---
If you're not invested emotionally in the outcome, Pitt's football games are fun to watch.
There's a lot of offense on both sides. The Panthers are either marching on some sort of spectacular drive, or they're allowing one.
If you're teaching an elementary school student basic math skills, Pitt games are a virtual workbook. They're always adding six.
For those who are invested emotionally -- like the university's administration -- it's not such a good thing. Pat Narduzzi got the head coaching job on his resume as a defensive coach, and the Panthers don't stop a whole lot of teams very well.
---
FOX made at least one good decision with its World Series coverage. There are just two people in the booth, Joe Buck and John Smoltz.
They have sideline reporters, but they're not called upon that often and usually have some valid information to offer.
Compare and contrast that with ESPN's coverage of routine Sunday night games, which have three announcers in the booth -- Matt Vasgersian, Alex Rodriguez and Jessica Mendoza.
More often than not, it seems like the game is an inconvenient backdrop for three-way conversation among the announcers. Then ESPN has to wedge in all the material it already has prepared because that justifies the effort of the people who did all the research.
FOX at least keeps it pretty basic during the game. Buck seems to annoy a lot of people, but he's a capable TV play-by-play broadcaster. Smoltz can dive too deeply into analyzing every pitch, as though every pitcher can put every pitch exactly where he wants it.
However, they let the game come through where ESPN suffocates a routine regular season game.
Viewers are advised to come late and leave early to avoid FOX's yuck-filled pre and post-game shows, where a bevy of former players take turns insulting each other.
If there's anything good about it, it's that FOX bounced pathetic Pete Rose after allegations that he enjoyed dating underage women when he was a player.
That was too sleazy, even for FOX.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
It's generally been a nice way for the Steelers to pick up an easy win.
Maybe not now, though. The Browns still aren't good, but they aren't awful, either.
The Steelers should have picked up on that when the Browns managed to come out of the season opener with a tie against them. That was with the mediocre Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. He has since been supplanted by No. 1 draft choice Baker Mayfield.
His name may sound like a brokerage ("I moved my money from Hunter Pence to Baker Mayfield") but he's a talented player who has actually helped the Browns win games, something no Cleveland quarterback has seemingly done reliably since the days of Brian Sipe (Good morning, fellow old-timers).
The Steelers used to be automatic against rookie quarterbacks, devising schemes that would confuse them to the point of nightmares. This current Steelers defense mostly scares just Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers are coming off the bye week, and sometimes that leads to sluggishness. This is a big game for the Browns.
The Steelers and Browns frequently meet at the end of the season, when Cleveland's hopes of respectability have been dashed and the sole priority is exiting the game without an injury that will ruin the offseason.
This time, though, the Browns are 2-4-1 and tap dancing on that thin line between winning and losing. They've lost two games by three points and another by four.
They may not be good, but they're also no longer the Browns who inspire more laughs than a "Seinfeld" rerun.
---
If you're not invested emotionally in the outcome, Pitt's football games are fun to watch.
There's a lot of offense on both sides. The Panthers are either marching on some sort of spectacular drive, or they're allowing one.
If you're teaching an elementary school student basic math skills, Pitt games are a virtual workbook. They're always adding six.
For those who are invested emotionally -- like the university's administration -- it's not such a good thing. Pat Narduzzi got the head coaching job on his resume as a defensive coach, and the Panthers don't stop a whole lot of teams very well.
---
FOX made at least one good decision with its World Series coverage. There are just two people in the booth, Joe Buck and John Smoltz.
They have sideline reporters, but they're not called upon that often and usually have some valid information to offer.
Compare and contrast that with ESPN's coverage of routine Sunday night games, which have three announcers in the booth -- Matt Vasgersian, Alex Rodriguez and Jessica Mendoza.
More often than not, it seems like the game is an inconvenient backdrop for three-way conversation among the announcers. Then ESPN has to wedge in all the material it already has prepared because that justifies the effort of the people who did all the research.
FOX at least keeps it pretty basic during the game. Buck seems to annoy a lot of people, but he's a capable TV play-by-play broadcaster. Smoltz can dive too deeply into analyzing every pitch, as though every pitcher can put every pitch exactly where he wants it.
However, they let the game come through where ESPN suffocates a routine regular season game.
Viewers are advised to come late and leave early to avoid FOX's yuck-filled pre and post-game shows, where a bevy of former players take turns insulting each other.
If there's anything good about it, it's that FOX bounced pathetic Pete Rose after allegations that he enjoyed dating underage women when he was a player.
That was too sleazy, even for FOX.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 24, 2018
The NFL trading deadline usually passes with scant interest among Steelers fans.
This year is different.
Patrick Peterson, cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals, has made it known he would like to be traded before the Oct. 30 deadline.
This would make perfect sense for the Steelers for a number of reasons:
--Peterson is a good player and would represent a significant upgrade over players the Steelers currently have manning the position.
--The Steelers appear to have a Super Bowl-capable offense that will only get better if Le'Veon Bell ever shows up. The defense is iffy at best, especially in the secondary.
--Thanks to Bell's absence to this point, the Steelers have the salary cap room to handle Peterson's contract, which includes two seasons beyond this one.
--Peterson is 28 years old, so he's in his prime.
--Cornerback Joe Haden's contract expires after this season, so acquiring Peterson would have potential benefits beyond this season.
All that said, a deal that would be logical probably won't happen for these reasons:
--The Cardinals say they don't play to trade Peterson. OK, but maybe a really tempting offer could change that feeling. After all, why does Arizona want an unhappy player on the roster?
--A tempting offer would probably include a first-round draft pick. The Steelers haven't traded away their first pick in 40 years. They've made deals within the first round, moving up or down, but they haven't let the first round pass without making a pick. Trading top picks is one reason they were so lousy in the 1960s.
--Peterson would be tasked with learning a new defense on the fly. The bye week has passed, so there's no real time to catch up. Perhaps that would negate some of his talent.
--The Steelers don't make a lot of trades, they make fewer in-season trades and they certainly don't make blockbuster deals during the season.
Adding Peterson could improve the Steelers' chances of getting to the Super Bowl. The clock is ticking on Ben Roethlisberger's career, so every season counts.
Still, don't look for it to happen. It's just not the way they traditionally do things.
---
We're on the honor system here, so trust me: This is being typed before a pitch has been thrown in the World Series.
My pick is the Boston Red Sox in six games.
But what do I know?
---
Duquesne announced a new plan for the on-campus A.J. Palumbo Center.
The venue, which opened in 1988, was under-built from the start. Adults don't want to sit on bleachers.
They're going to gut the whole building and redo it with suites, comfortable seats, practice facilities for a variety of sports, and academic space. It will have multiple uses beyond hosting basketball games.
The project is expected to cost $45 million, and the building will get a new name -- the UPMC Cooper Field House. The mens and womens basketball teams will play their games off campus next season, mostly at the PPG Paints Arena.
The new building is supposed to be ready for the 2020-21 basketball season. Capacity will remain just over 4,000. A lot of those seats are empty for Duquesne games these days.
The idea is to fill them. Having seat backs should help.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
This year is different.
Patrick Peterson, cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals, has made it known he would like to be traded before the Oct. 30 deadline.
This would make perfect sense for the Steelers for a number of reasons:
--Peterson is a good player and would represent a significant upgrade over players the Steelers currently have manning the position.
--The Steelers appear to have a Super Bowl-capable offense that will only get better if Le'Veon Bell ever shows up. The defense is iffy at best, especially in the secondary.
--Thanks to Bell's absence to this point, the Steelers have the salary cap room to handle Peterson's contract, which includes two seasons beyond this one.
--Peterson is 28 years old, so he's in his prime.
--Cornerback Joe Haden's contract expires after this season, so acquiring Peterson would have potential benefits beyond this season.
All that said, a deal that would be logical probably won't happen for these reasons:
--The Cardinals say they don't play to trade Peterson. OK, but maybe a really tempting offer could change that feeling. After all, why does Arizona want an unhappy player on the roster?
--A tempting offer would probably include a first-round draft pick. The Steelers haven't traded away their first pick in 40 years. They've made deals within the first round, moving up or down, but they haven't let the first round pass without making a pick. Trading top picks is one reason they were so lousy in the 1960s.
--Peterson would be tasked with learning a new defense on the fly. The bye week has passed, so there's no real time to catch up. Perhaps that would negate some of his talent.
--The Steelers don't make a lot of trades, they make fewer in-season trades and they certainly don't make blockbuster deals during the season.
Adding Peterson could improve the Steelers' chances of getting to the Super Bowl. The clock is ticking on Ben Roethlisberger's career, so every season counts.
Still, don't look for it to happen. It's just not the way they traditionally do things.
---
We're on the honor system here, so trust me: This is being typed before a pitch has been thrown in the World Series.
My pick is the Boston Red Sox in six games.
But what do I know?
---
Duquesne announced a new plan for the on-campus A.J. Palumbo Center.
The venue, which opened in 1988, was under-built from the start. Adults don't want to sit on bleachers.
They're going to gut the whole building and redo it with suites, comfortable seats, practice facilities for a variety of sports, and academic space. It will have multiple uses beyond hosting basketball games.
The project is expected to cost $45 million, and the building will get a new name -- the UPMC Cooper Field House. The mens and womens basketball teams will play their games off campus next season, mostly at the PPG Paints Arena.
The new building is supposed to be ready for the 2020-21 basketball season. Capacity will remain just over 4,000. A lot of those seats are empty for Duquesne games these days.
The idea is to fill them. Having seat backs should help.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 21, 2018
Manny Machado is being paid $16 million to play baseball. Effort is not necessarily part of that package.
Machado, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, did an interview with Ken Rosenthal last week that is remarkable for being both candid and clueless.
Machado, 26, admitted to Rosenthal that he doesn't always put forth maximum effort.
"There's no excuse for it, honestly," he said. "Obviously I'm not going to change. I'm not the type of player who's going to be Johnny Hustle and run down the line. That's not my personality. That's not my cup of tea. That's not who I am."
Machado has a lot more talent than he has sense, which will serve him well as he hits the free agent market in a few weeks. Someone will likely be willing to pay him hundreds of millions of dollars to play for their team, knowing they won't always get his best effort.
It's not like Machado has exactly spilled a secret. Baseball has a bunch of players who don't always exert themselves. Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets is a known slacker. The Pirates' Starling Marte gives a sporadic effort, which actually got him benched for a game this season.
Ex-Pirate Bill Madlock, a four-time batting champion, was known for conserving his energy.
Mike Piazza is in the Hall of Fame even though he often didn't run out ground balls, and had the bad habit of standing at home plate to admire possible home runs -- even when they didn't clear the fence.
Will this admission cost Machado free agent money? Doubtful. Teams have made their peace with understanding there's often good and bad. Machado will be productive enough to offset the times when his manager would like to strangle him.
Machado will likely do fine as he hunts a new contract. The team that signs him just shouldn't expect Johnny Hustle to be part of the deal.
---
Dave Littlefield was interviewed by the Mets for their vacant general manager position.
The New York Post labeled Littlefield a "fringe" candidate who is unlikely to get a second interview.
Whatever, this is the first time he's been known to be under consideration for a GM job since the Pirates cashiered him on Sept. 7, 2007.
His nearly six-year stay with the Pirates is largely remembered as a disaster, and not without justification. He was, of course, hampered by a limited budget and Kevin McClatchy's insistence that he do whatever seemed necessary to end that infernal streak of losing seasons. Thus, the Pirates wound up with Jeromy Burnitz for $6 million a year when they were actually better served by Nate McLouth at a fraction of that price.
Littlefield has worked continuously in baseball since leaving the Pirates. He scouted for the Cubs, then moved on to Detroit. He spent the last three years as the Tigers vice president of player development.
At 58, Littlefield can stay on that track, which offers a six-figure salary, low profile and minimal pressure. Unless he's aching to be a GM again, there's little reason to jump back in a job that requires nearly 24/7 commitment.
---
Once you figure out when they're playing and what channel they're on, you can watch the MLB playoffs.
---
The Penguins are on an extended trip to Canada at the same time recreational marijuana has been legalized in that country.
Go back about 40 years, and there were a certain number of Penguins players who would have been very reluctant to leave Canada at the end of the trip under those circumstances.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Machado, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, did an interview with Ken Rosenthal last week that is remarkable for being both candid and clueless.
Machado, 26, admitted to Rosenthal that he doesn't always put forth maximum effort.
"There's no excuse for it, honestly," he said. "Obviously I'm not going to change. I'm not the type of player who's going to be Johnny Hustle and run down the line. That's not my personality. That's not my cup of tea. That's not who I am."
Machado has a lot more talent than he has sense, which will serve him well as he hits the free agent market in a few weeks. Someone will likely be willing to pay him hundreds of millions of dollars to play for their team, knowing they won't always get his best effort.
It's not like Machado has exactly spilled a secret. Baseball has a bunch of players who don't always exert themselves. Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets is a known slacker. The Pirates' Starling Marte gives a sporadic effort, which actually got him benched for a game this season.
Ex-Pirate Bill Madlock, a four-time batting champion, was known for conserving his energy.
Mike Piazza is in the Hall of Fame even though he often didn't run out ground balls, and had the bad habit of standing at home plate to admire possible home runs -- even when they didn't clear the fence.
Will this admission cost Machado free agent money? Doubtful. Teams have made their peace with understanding there's often good and bad. Machado will be productive enough to offset the times when his manager would like to strangle him.
Machado will likely do fine as he hunts a new contract. The team that signs him just shouldn't expect Johnny Hustle to be part of the deal.
---
Dave Littlefield was interviewed by the Mets for their vacant general manager position.
The New York Post labeled Littlefield a "fringe" candidate who is unlikely to get a second interview.
Whatever, this is the first time he's been known to be under consideration for a GM job since the Pirates cashiered him on Sept. 7, 2007.
His nearly six-year stay with the Pirates is largely remembered as a disaster, and not without justification. He was, of course, hampered by a limited budget and Kevin McClatchy's insistence that he do whatever seemed necessary to end that infernal streak of losing seasons. Thus, the Pirates wound up with Jeromy Burnitz for $6 million a year when they were actually better served by Nate McLouth at a fraction of that price.
Littlefield has worked continuously in baseball since leaving the Pirates. He scouted for the Cubs, then moved on to Detroit. He spent the last three years as the Tigers vice president of player development.
At 58, Littlefield can stay on that track, which offers a six-figure salary, low profile and minimal pressure. Unless he's aching to be a GM again, there's little reason to jump back in a job that requires nearly 24/7 commitment.
---
Once you figure out when they're playing and what channel they're on, you can watch the MLB playoffs.
---
The Penguins are on an extended trip to Canada at the same time recreational marijuana has been legalized in that country.
Go back about 40 years, and there were a certain number of Penguins players who would have been very reluctant to leave Canada at the end of the trip under those circumstances.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)